Learning how to wrap a bouquet of flowers can be hard, but in this article, you’ll learn an easy method. I’ll show you how to create and wrap flower bouquets that will stay fresh for hours without wilting.

I learned this professional technique from perhaps the most qualified bouquet wrappers in the world: the sellers in the crowded flower market at Pike Place Market in Seattle.

In this tutorial I show how to wrap a bouquet that will last for days without needing water

💐 Studying the Flower Sellers at Pike Place Market

When I lived in Seattle from 2015-2021, I rented a tiny apartment downtown. My weekly self-care for my soul and my little apartment was a big bouquet purchased from my neighbors down the street in Pike Place Market. I’d march down each Wednesday, select my flowers, tell the seller my budget, and watch them spin a stunning bouquet in moments.

As they wrapped each flower bouquet, I studied their method. Over time, I too learned how to wrap a bouquet of flowers like a pro.

The flower market at Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA is a treat. Flower vendors stand behind countless buckets of blossoms and create bouquets with art and whimsy. Quickly, I noticed how uniquely Pike Place flower sellers package their bouquets. They wrap them so that the flowers stay fresh but also dry. How do they do it? I’ll show you.

As a bonus, this genius method to wap a bouquet of flowers means you can leave the flowers out, without needing to be placed in water, for hours or even days without wilting.

How to Wrap a Flower Bouquet in 5 Steps

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How to package a bouquet of cut flowers that will last for days

How to Wrap a Bouquet of Flowers

Total Time: 5 minutes

Cut a Y shape in each sheet of paper as shown

Paper cut for wrapping a bouquet of flowers.

In each piece of paper you’ll use to wrap a bouquet, make a Y shaped cut. This cut should reach about 30% of the way up the paper, as shown.

Set the paper to the side until the last steps, but prepare it now before your hands are full.

Place a tight rubber band around the flower stems

How to package a bouquet of cut flowers that will last for days

To keep your flower arrangement neat, bind your bouquet. Place a rubber band around the stems. This secures the stems into one bundle and helps with the next steps.

Wrap stems with wet newsprint

Flower stems wrapped in newsprint.

Dip the strip of newsprint in water and use it to wrap the stems. Make sure the newsprint extends past the cut ends of the flowers.

Wrapping with newsprint is an important step in making a bouquet because it helps prevent the ends of the stems from poking through the plastic bag added in the next step.

Place stems in a plastic bag partially filled with water

Place the cut stems of your bouquet into a plastic bag partially filled with water or a flower solution.

Fill a plastic bag with about 3/4 cup of water, and then place the newspaper-covered stems into the bag, as shown.

Secure the bag with a rubber band

How to package a bouquet of cut flowers that will last for days

Place a rubber band around the stems, over the plastic bag. This will hold the bag of water in place and keep the flowers looking lively and hydrated.

Wrap the flower Bouquet in the prepared paper

How to package a bouquet of cut flowers that will last for days

Using the paper cut in Step 1, wrap the bouquet with paper. Place the middle of the Y around the grip of your bouquet and wrap the first sheet around clockwise. Repeat with the second piece of paper.

If you’ll be taking your bouquet far or if you need to prepare it far in advance of gifting, add a second plastic bag and another rubber band (as shown) to improve portability.

Buy Supplies at Amazon: Thick Rubber Bands | Newsprint | Large Sheets of paper | Compostable Plastic Bags

It’s that Easy!

When wrapped with This method, your bouquet will be beautiful, portable, and fresh for up to 2-3 days. This method is perfect for weddings and events- at the end of the evening, guests can take home dry, portable bouquets of fresh flowers with no extra work!

Just one caution: These bouquets must be kept upright or water can leak out between stems. In fact, shopping bags sold at Pike Place Market have triangle-shaped pockets just for keeping water-packed flower bouquets upright all the way home.

$5 Bouquets from Pike Place market

Pike Place Flower sellers sell thousands of wrapped bouquets each day, and many are part of floral family businesses that stretch back a generation or more. You can trust this method is the best and fastest way to wrap a flower bouquet because these Seattle flower sellers have fine-tuned the process like nowhere else in the world.

How to keep a bouquet of flowers fresh

Woman Making a boquet at Pike Place Market
Peony season in Seattle invites the market’s master florists to create stunning bouquets.

This method for wrapping a bouquet of flowers, which includes a bag of fresh water, is by far the most effective way to keep a bouquet fresh until you can put the flowers into a vase. While some methods for keeping cut flowers fresh involve putting pennies, sugar, or even bleach in the water, that’s not necessary for the bouquet.

This bouquet can keep flowers fresh for two days – potentially even three or four if kept cool. However, at some point, you’ll want to take your cut flowers, remove them from the bouquet, and place them into a vase. Flowers will last longer in a vase than in a bouquet – even if you package your bouquet with water.

Ways to make your DIY wrapped bouquet of flowers look professional

The seasoned professionals at Pike Place market use only basic materials: bags, rubber bands, and plain white paper. However, if you’re looking for an elegant look rather than a fresh-from-the-flower-market look, I have tips.

Wrap your bouquet with nice paper

You can make your bouquet wraps look more professional by using elegant two-toned paper to wrap your bouquet. While some people use fine tissue paper to wrap up okay, it’s better to use thicker paper. Thicker paper stands up to pointy leaves and damp stems without tearing.

Tie your bouquet with string or ribbon

Fresh flowers from your garden or a grocery store bundled into a bouquet, wrapped in paper, and tied with string or ribbon make an elegant gift for anyone. I love making bouquets using both flowers and herbs for my garden. They make excellent gifts for friends, neighbors, and housewarming gifts.

💡💐 Think beyond just flowers. You can create a bouquet with native weeds, flowers from your garden, herbs, and even houseplant cuttings! I’ve been known to wrap rooted houseplant cuttings into a small bouquet and gift them as a creative birthday present for houseplant fans.

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2 thoughts on "How to Wrap a Bouquet of Flowers 💐"

  1. Cathy says:

    Great tutorial! I am a craftseller at Pike Place Market (since 2019) and often set up next to the flower sellers. They are the best! I sell FELT flower bouquets and always wanted to learn how to wrap mine just like the flower sellers (minus the water of course.) p.s. I found your blog via a Google search for shopping the bins at the Seattle Goodwill outlet and noticed this post.

    1. Thanks for leaving this comment – it’s always great to hear about cool things going on in our community!

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