Autumn Armature Bouquet

and Coordinating Boutonnière

Farm-fresh cut flowers from Budzi inspire a vibrant floral designs ideal for fall nuptials.

Floral design and photos by Beth O’Reilly, AIFD, TMF

Presented by Budzi

BUDZI is a grower, importer and wholesale distributor of fresh cut flowers, such as the stunning specimens featured in this bouquet. The company also sources product from more than 60 top quality flower growers in multiple countries and rapidly serves its customers from its refrigerated facilities in Miami, the major point of entry for fresh cut flowers for the US and Canadian markets. BUDZI handles the crucial logistics for shipment via air or truck to assure timely deliveries to its retail florists and events planner customers’ doorsteps throughout the US and Canada.

“For this bouquet, my inspiration came from creative problem solving and thinking outside the box, such as crafting a unique botanical-art armature from cardboard, duct tape and Leucadendron leaves,” shares designer Beth O’Reilly, AIFD, TMF. “I’m always challenging myself to find creative ways to use everyday botanicals in different and unexpected ways.”

STEP BY STEP – Bouquet

Step 1

Create the armature for the bouquet by drawing the desired shape on a piece of cardboard and cutting it out with a hobby knife or box cutter. I chose an almond shape, but you can choose any geometric shape. Next, cut out a circular opening in the center of the almond-shaped piece of cardboard. Finally, cut strips of cardboard to create the sides of the armature.

Step 2

Wrap the cardboard pieces with duct tape, with the adhesive side of the tape facing outward. This technique makes it easier to adhere floral materials to the armature, saving time over gluing each individual leaf.

Step 3

Adhere the side pieces of tape-wrapped cardboard to the bottom piece. With the adhesive side of the tape facing outward, the pieces will stick together.

Step 4

Press individual leaves of Leucadendron “Safari Sunset’ onto the all surfaces of the tape-wrapped armature. Cover the cut ends of the leaves with the tips of successive leaves. Create either a formal fish-scale pattern or a more free-form pattern of your choice.

DESIGN TIP: For extra security, spray the backsides of the Leucadendron leaves with adhesive before positioning them on the armature.

Step 5

Tape six individual 18-inch lengths of 18-gauge florist wire with stem wrap. Bundle the six pieces of wrapped wire, and bind approximately 5 inches of one end of the wires together with stem wrap, to create a “handle” for the bouquet. Next, just above the top of the wrapped section of wires, bend each wire 90 degrees, forming a “spoke” of wires. Cut the wires to fit inside the armature, and glue them in place with liquid floral adhesive.

Step 6

Using the spiral hand-tied method, arrange carnations inside the armature to create a fluffy base through which you will arrange all other flower and foliage stems.

Step 7

Continuing with the spiral hand-tied method, arrange stems of all other flowers and foliage through the armature. Be sure to not completely cover the carnation base.

Step 8

Bind the bouquet stems at their binding point with stem wrap, waterproof tape, self-fusing binding tape, raffia, ribbon, a taped chenille stem or other binding material of your choice. Be sure all mechanics on the underside of the bouquet are completely camouflaged.