Hydrangea Bridal Bouquet
This hydrangea bridal bouquet has la focal flowers, so I went with standard white roses to mingle in with the large blue blooms. I like the white Vandelia roses because they open nicely and hold for a long time. This bride wanted a Victorian feel, with a little antique look.
The particular variety of roses I wanted weren't in season, so I simply boiled water, added several teabags, allowed the tea to cool completely and dipped the white flower heads into the strong tea.
The result was a perfect tea stained rose with a hint of rosey blush in the center. You don't always have to go to this length to obtain your desired flower color, but I did want to point out that florists often go "above and beyond" to please their brides while working with flowers that don't always come colored naturally in that way.
Flowers can be given a light tint of color by using Design Master spray tints that are very sheer and made especially for use on fresh flowers.
Remove the guard petals from the outer part of the rose until you have a perfect, unblemished rose for the bouquet.
Cut to the right length with a sharp knife, using a diagonal cut that will pierce the foam easily.
Always wash your hands before handling delicate flowers. The petals can brown or discolor from the oils on your fingers. I often spray my fingers with Finishing Touch if I need to insert the blooms deep into flowers. This helps protect the flowers from being bruised.
