A quick-and-easy coordinating trio of designs to boost your prom sales and profits.

Floral design, photos and text by Nita Robertson, AIFD, CFD

Presented by Reliant Ribbon

To really boost your prom flower sales this year, excite your customers by showing them creative floral designs—such as flowers for the hair, flower jewelry, flowers for a purse or shoes, etc.—to complement the traditional coordinating corsage-and-boutonniere set. 

For the wrist corsage, I chose a trio of beautiful ribbons, to create a designer bow, and paired them with rhinestone sprays, glittered leaves and a rhinestone bracelet—all of which are available from Reliant Ribbon. Adding such sparkly decorative accents create a spectacular look for a special night to remember. Reliant Ribbon offers so many ribbons, bracelets and wristlets, jewels and gems, and other accessories for corsages and boutonnières that you can create custom designs for prom-goers of every taste, from traditional to alternative. 

In addition to the wrist corsage, I designed a coordinating hairpiece and boutonnière. For the boutonnière, I chose a magnet as the attachment device because magnets make securing corsages and boutonnières so much easier than pins. NOTE: Corsage and boutonnière magnets are not recommended for anyone with a pacemaker or ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator). Although you most likely won’t encounter those issues with prom flowers, it is a good idea to attach a warning note with each corsage and boutonnière containing a magnet.

STEP BY STEP

Step 1

Tie a multiloop corsage bow, overlapping three different No. 3 (5/8-inch) ribbons to create texture, contrast and interest. Secure the bow with florist wire. 

bow

Step 2

Tie the rectangular plastic design base (included with the bracelet) onto the bracelet with the attached ribbon. Apply liquid floral adhesive to the plastic base, place the corsage bow onto the base and allow the adhesive to dry. For additional security, tie the ribbon on the bracelet base around the bow. Glue in some glitter leaves around the edge. DESIGN TIP: This step can be done ahead of time.

Step 3

Glue individual blooms into the bow by applying drops of liquid floral adhesive to both the stem end of each bloom and the surface of the ribbon where the bloom will be placed. Allow the adhesive to become tacky, then place each bloom into the design, holding each in place for a few seconds until the glue becomes secure. 

Step 4

Glue rhinestone sprays into the design with liquid floral adhesive.

Step 5—Boutonnière

Create a small rectangular base for the boutonniere from heavy cardstock (you can also use the packaging piece around which the bracelet was attached). Attach adhesive dashes to both sides the cardstock base, and wrap the base with one of the ribbons used in the corsage (I chose the Fuchsia Glitter Mono Sheer ribbon). Glue a magnet to the backside of the base with liquid floral adhesive. 

Step 6

Glue silver glitter leaves, rhinestones and flowers onto the frontside of the base with liquid floral adhesive.

Step 7—Hairpiece

Create a base for the hairpiece with silver glitter leaves, rhinestone sprays, and a few loops and streamers of ribbon. Form the wire stems of the glitter leaves into loops, to accommodate bobby pins.

Step 8

Glue flowers onto the leaf/ribbon base with liquid floral adhesive.

hair piece

MATERIALS

BOTANICALS

Rosa spp. (spray rose)

Phalaenopsis amabilis, miniature (moth orchid)

Hypericum androsaemum (tutsan, St. John’s wort)

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HARD GOODS FROM RELIANT RIBBON

Glitter Web Mesh ribbon, Silver, 5/8” (25757)

Sheer Satin Edge ribbon, Fuchsia, 5/8” (2558)

Glitter Mono Sheer ribbon, Fuchsia, 5/8” (25740)

Glitter Leaves, Silver, 5¾” x 1¼” (67241)

Fitz Design Rock Candy Flower Bracelet, Dazzle (FT-RC203)

Rhinestone Spray, Iridescent (67024)

Magnetizm Magnets (FT-MM14)

OASIS® Floral Adhesive (67189)

OASIS® UGLU™ Adhesive Dashes (67334)

OTHER HARD GOODS

OASIS™ Florist Wire 

Bobby pins