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Make Table Centerpieces
How to Arrange Flowers Like a Florist

To make table centerpieces, you start by learning the most basic design. I will show you have to green in a round wedding centerpiece. You will need:
* round utility bowl* 1/3 brick of Oasis florist foam * bowl tape * 2 - 3 stems of leatherleaf fern * several stems of flowers (your choice)
One of the biggest keys to making your centerpiece look professional is greening in your table arrangement, covering your mechanics (such as tape, cowee picks, etc), having it look good from every angle and adding in special touches. Start with an economy bowl. When you make table centerpieces, save on putting your money into flowers . . . not the container! The one pictured below is a standard florist economy bowl. It is cheap and molded with special spikes on the bottom to keep the florist foam from slipping.
Cut a standard brick of florist foam in half. (Don't skimp on foam - the more flowers, the more water they draw. Your centerpieces can be made early, but be sure to keep rewatering the bowls so the foam stays wet!)
Secure with bowl tape. (I usually use green to blend in with the greenery - but I used white here so you can see it clearly.)
Cut laterals off of a stem of leatherleaf fern. This type of greenery is very basic and can be found in every florist shop. They are bought in bunches (usually 20 -25 stems per bunch.) You will need between 4 - 5 stems for a standard round arrangement (more if you intend to have a very large arrangement.)
Begin by circling the bowl with the laterals of leatherleaf. Be sure to angle the greenery DOWN at first, so that from the side you cannot see the green florist foam.
If you'd like a cheap glass candle holder in the center, I'll share my trick. Go to the dollar store and buy crystal wine glass.
Tape with bowl tape around the bottom of the stem. Put on safety glasses (please don't skip this step!!), wrap a paper towel around the bottom of the glass, and break the flattened part of the glass off with a hammer. Carefully tape the bottom end so no loose glass shards can cut anyone.
Insert the glass into the center of the arrangement and continue greening.
Now for those "extra special" touches. Loop some stems of a broad leave grass. Shown is lemon grass. Tape into a loop and wire onto a Cowee pick (a little wooden stake with wire pre-wrapped on the end)
As you make centerpieces, inserting these loops and a few different variety of greens, you begin to make a more interesting texture.
Finally - your centerpiece is done and ready to have fresh flowers inserted the day before your wedding. If you re-add water and mist with a flower sealant (such as Finishing Touch) your arrangementcan be greened several days in advance and still look very nice.
The fresh floral supplies can be purchased in the
centerpiece section of my store.
and the
florist supplies
sections of my store. You will also see other products for different styles. I hope you enjoyed my tutorial on how to make table centerpieces. Be sure to check out my other step-by-step tutorials on bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres.
Discount Florist Supplies
If you can't see the slideshow above, you can download a free Windows Media Viewer.

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