How to Design Your Own Wrist Corsages

A corsage can match or contrast with your gown.

Special occasions call for special attire. A corsage is customary for women at events such as weddings, proms and dances. A corsage is a small bouquet of flowers that can be pinned to your dress or tied to your wrist. Making your own wrist corsage allows you to customize the bouquet to your liking by adding whatever flowers and decorations you'd like. These details can match the colors of your event or dress, or they can stand alone as the showpiece of your outfit.

Things You'll Need

• 2 flowers, large
• 3 sprigs baby's breath
• 2 sprigs foliage
• Scissors
• Floral tape
• Floral wire
• Ribbon
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Visit your local florist to browse the selection of flowers available for corsages. Carnations, roses, lilies and orchids are the traditional choices but there's no limit to the bouquets you can create.

2. Bring your dress, a sample of the decorations or a picture of the flowers that will be used at the event to the florist. Use the color to match corsage flowers.

3. Select your main flower based on the colors and theme of the event or your dress. For example, if the event will be decorated using peach roses, you may want to choose peach roses for the corsage. Alternatively, if your dress is royal blue, for example, you may choose a contrasting-colored flower such as white lilies.

4. Ask the florist for guidance in selecting your main flower. Florists are experts in complimentary colors and floral arrangements so be sure to get a second opinion from an expert.

5. Purchase baby's breath and several sprigs of leafy foliage for filler, along with two of your main flower.

6. Cut the stems of the flowers, baby's breath and foliage to about two inches in length using your scissors.

7. Wrap each stem in floral wire to provide stability and flexibility to the flowers, baby's breath and foliage. Begin at the base of each and move downward, wrapping the wire around the entire length of the stem.

8. Grasp the two large flowers at the base of their stems and press them together. Use your floral tape to attach the flowers to one another. Simply wrap the tape around the stems two or three times, then cut the tape off.

9. Place one sprig of baby's breath in the center of the flower pair. Insert another sprig of baby's breath on top of the flowers and insert one on the bottom of the pair.

10. Hold all the baby's breath stems together with the main flowers' stems. Wrap the entire stem bundle with floral tape to join together.

11. Add one sprig of foliage to the left side of the bouquet and one to the right side. The foliage should be located at the three and nine o'clock positions.

12. Hold the foliage stems together with the other stems and wrap to join using the floral tape.

13. Wrap the stem bundle in floral wire from the base to the tips of the stems.

14. Wrap the ribbon around your wrist for measurement. Add four inches to the total and cut to that length.

15. Wrap the ribbon around your wrist and tie into a bow.

16. Place the bouquet, stem side down, in the center of the ribbon bow. Wrap the wired stem several times around the center of the bow to attach.

17. Undo the bow to remove your corsage.

Tips & Warnings

• Use small, colored flowers in place of baby's breath. Add rhinestones to the corsage for extra sparkle. Simply glue rhinestones to the flower petals or ribbon. Prepare the corsage less than 2 days before the event to preserve freshness.

References

• My Magical Wedding: Creating Your Own Corsage & Boutonnieres
• Wedding Party Network: Corsage Bar? OKAY!
• Gomestic: Corsages