A lot has changed when it comes to Halloween-inspired design techniques. The goal is to be more fun and less creepy. However, the biggest change isn’t found in the design itself, rather the audience you will be designing for.

What once was a holiday based on traveling from house to house, collecting candy and dressing up to the fullest extent of your parent’s wallet has now turned into more of an adult holiday. Sure, the traditions remain relatively consistent. However, adults have adopted their own Halloween traditions.

Florists are given a more fun than frightful platform to base their Halloween designs off. Our consumers seem to have a natural tendency to be drawn to fall design with a little fun and fright thrown in, which is great for us. Today’s Halloween-inspired design style is easily traditioned into fall months, so stocking up on these products will prove beneficial as nothing should go to waste.

Essential Containers

While the new Halloween design style is important, the container you choose for your Halloween designs can be just as, if not more, important.

Work with the rising trends. Pumpkins and sugar skull containers are gaining popularity for more personalized designs. This remains a bonus for their easy transition into your fall designs. There is no worry when it comes to overstock. Pumpkins, sugar skulls and fall colored containers are versatile options that last beyond Halloween and into the fall season.

Solid, fall-colored containers offer a plain (festive) platform, so adding the creepy and crawly accents is easy and less limited to a certain design. Halloween flower arrangements have a longer demand when designed to fit the season overall. These container choices help transition the flower arrangements in your shop. You can take out the “spooky” accessories like creepy crawlies and add in a few extra fall colored ribbons to give your Halloween arrangements in the cooler a second chance at finding a home.

Floral and Supply Options

You can never go wrong with staying stocked up on your traditional fall-colored florals. Sunflowers and orange and red roses will remain relevant and popular options. They can easily be manipulated to fit the spookier designs or stay simple for a fall arrangement.

Accent pieces are going to be what truly sways your designs in the direction you want them to go. Cattails and dried products are going to add in their own unique flair to Halloween-inspired designs. They remain consistently popular. If you are handy with wirework, let the creative juices flow and add a personal touch that only you can as a designer. Our variety of wire color options help give you that option. Whether it is the rustic wire options or the traditional fall wire shades, wire can really elevate a design when used properly. You can even incorporate a fun critter of out of it.

Many of today’s Halloween-styled design techniques are incorporating cobwebs and sticks. These prove appropriate Halloween accents for their creepy and dreary feel. With adults throwing more and more Halloween parties, they have become a florist’s audience for designs. With that being said, Halloween flower designs are in high demand. They are requested as décor or as hostess gifts. Among the more popular choices for accents are comical bugs, spiders and bats. They are fun with just a tad frightful thrown in.

Among these essential accents for your Halloween design are pods, berries and sponge mushrooms. They work great for this design inspiration, but they also lend well to the holiday design style. The products florists use for Halloween-inspired design haven’t changed much. What has changed is how they are used. More of this and less of that- every design is going to be personalized to the audience it is for. Just as millennials often prefer a more minimalistic, green design, our modern-day Halloween designs should reflect that fun party look.

It is important to consider these accessories along with your flower and container choices to ensure you are getting the most bang for your buck, but don’t stop there. There are some important must-haves for the Halloween design season.

MUST Haves

It is time to get creative. Halloween and fall are the jumpstart to the roller coaster that is known as holiday designing. Halloween is the holiday for creativity. With that creativity comes costumes and characters. Manipulate what is given to us in nature by adding color and texture. Tints and sprays give us a platform for creative license. This makes them essential for Halloween design styles. They open the door for florists to design freely and create the vision they aspire to.

Design Master Colortool Paints and Sprays are the main tool for a florist to keep on hand. Stay stocked for any occasion and every holiday. They are offered in a variety of different colors opening the door for design expansion. These tools allow you to stay festive and work with the product you have. Sometimes it is exactly what a designer needs to finish off a design, allowing you to go where flowers may limit.

Along with the Design Master paints and sprays are Smithers-Oasis accessories and products. As always, Midnight Floral Foam is a dark option for any design and a go-to product for those Halloween design styles. This, along with various other floral foams, are created to work with you, so the design you picture in your head can become a reality.

If you are looking to incorporate candles into your Halloween designs, Smithers Oasis Candle Stake options can be incorporated. Candles exude an ambiance. This ambiance is relevant to Halloween as a whole. For the dark and spookier Halloween parties, candles may be the exact thing your customer needs to set the mood for the night.

Popular Choices

Think outside of the box of products you just opened in your shop. Tis’ the season for creative thinking. In addition to the traditional Halloween arrangement (that is cute and spooky) for those adult Halloween parties are the arrangements requested from that stay-at-home mom looking to accent her door or her kitchen table. Fill a pumpkin with flowers for a fun look she’ll love. It is important to meet the floral needs of our consumers, so they don’t turn to shopping at their local big box stores. A florist’s job is to offer something unique that can’t just be picked up anywhere.

We offer Smithers Oasis products that create a base for those Halloween styled wreaths or accessories for your standard designs. It is important to recognize the audience you are designing for all year round. The Halloween season is no exception.

As a florist, it is important to be flexible and work with what we have but stay stocked with what is needed and popular. Having versatile products and accessories in stock keeps your shop better prepared and ready for whatever the season’s floral design trends bring. Our wholesalers at San Diego Florist Supplies, Inc. in San Diego, CA are here to help you stay relevant and trendy for your audience when it comes to Halloween-inspired design techniques.

Styles for homecoming flowers vary greatly depending on location. In some areas, the old traditions of homecoming are celebrated with as much enthusiasm as prom. In other places, homecoming is less formal, and traditions have been modified, repurposed or changed entirely.

Occurring sometime in September or October, homecoming presents a special opportunity to increase your sales and extend your reach beyond your usual audience. If you can secure a following of young people with your homecoming designs, this can also lead to a very profitable prom season and a loyal customer base as these young people transition to adulthood.

Petals That Persevere

No matter where you are located, if you want your customer’s homecoming to be a blast, the flowers have to last. When creating homecoming florals with fresh floral products, longevity without a water source is essential.

According to Jackie Lacey, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, “Any floral product used for homecoming needs to be able to hold up for a couple of days with no water source.”

Keep homecoming looks fresh by using one of the many anti-transpirants that are available. Remember that there are differences between anti-transpirants. Some are more of a sealant and seal moisture in while others slow the moisture yet still allow some moisture to escape.

Anti-transpirants should be sprayed after your creation is complete, and no matter what type of anti-transpirant you decide to use, let it dry completely before refrigerating.

For popular and long-lived florals, chrysanthemums, roses, orchids and alstroemeria are all versatile flowers that can withstand the festivities.

Chrysanthemums

The star of homecoming florals is the chrysanthemum. These large, bright flowers are one of the most rugged and vigorous of all cut flowers, and this makes them perfect for homecoming. In the United States, the chrysanthemum is the largest commercially produced flower due to its ease of cultivation, ability to bloom on schedule, variety of colors and longevity.

Roses

Roses are a traditional favorite for corsages, bouquets and more with good reason. Roses have a soft, lovely fragrance and a sophisticated, recognizable appearance. The buds open slowly, and if they are cared for properly, roses are very long-lasting flowers.

Orchids

Elegant and exotic, orchids put a more unique twist on classic homecoming flowers and are another durable option. They maintain their fresh, elegant appearance when cut and can even withstand being out of water for the entire evening.

Alstroemeria

Available in a variety of colors, Alstroemeria sometimes features bright petals with contrasting colors or even little flecks. It is prized by florists for its beauty, versatility and endurance. Once picked, it can last a good two weeks in water and can withstand the demands of homecoming out of water.

It must be mentioned that Alstroemeria should be handled with gloves as a precaution. It can cause an allergic reaction with skin contact.

Creation by Location

Much in the way clothing and hairstyles differ in different locations, homecoming looks are influenced by location.

The Best for Texas and the Midwest

In Texas and some Midwest states, the phrase, “Go big or go home,” is an understatement when it comes to homecoming designs. In Texas, homecoming corsages are known as Mums, and the size and complexity of these designs can be so great that some schools place restrictions on them to avoid distractions. Some mums even incorporate cowbells, so the distraction is not only visual.

Texas corsages or homecoming mums are fun and personal. Mums began as a single fresh chrysanthemum that evolved to become much elaborate. Prices for these designs vary according to style and location, but personalization can greatly increase profit when it comes to these designs.

When it comes to mums, if a girl is popular, she may accumulate many mums. The boys are given homecoming garters that are smaller versions of the girls’ mums, often with the same trinkets and are designed on an elastic wedding garter to be worn on the young man’s arm.

To design homecoming mums, stock up on an assortment of ribbon, flowers, permanent botanicals, charms, and trinkets. If you desire making grand, show-stopping mums, you can also carry plush animals.

To Appreciate a Southern State

Southern homecoming style typically is football-themed and favors carnations. The flowers can be sprayed with floral spray to match school colors.

The Best for the Northeast, Northwest and Southwest

In these areas, more contemporary options are requested. To achieve a contemporary style, it is important to note that this is a clean and sometimes architectural style that usually requires more advanced techniques with a special focus on trends. As a result, it is a good idea to include today’s trends when advertising for homecoming in these regions. To keep up with the trends, design scepters and floral hair accessories. Roses can be used for big displays.

Toast of the West Coast

On the west coast, there is a more easy-going approach that leans to bohemian styles and more natural blooms. For a creation that is a bohemian rhapsody, create a piece that is eclectic and not as structured as the other styles with a bounty of blooms and other floral products.

Don’t Think Twice Floral Advice

When designing for homecoming, focus on schools in your area. Always have those school colors available in flowers, accessories, and trinkets. Add-ons like plastic footballs, megaphones, team mascot charms and even mini stuffed animals help personalize your homecoming creations.

No matter what your needs may be, our staff at San Diego Florist Supplies, Inc. in San Diego, CA is here to meet your homecoming needs.

There are a few considerations regarding homecoming designs. With larger, more elaborate designs, transporting them can be difficult, and certain schools may have restrictions. Also, in some places, homecoming is no longer as popular as it once was, and some schools have canceled dances due to lack of interest. It is worthwhile to research local schools because schools that have canceled the dances will not be profitable to target for homecoming advertisements, but for some schools, homecoming is a miniature prom with plenty of opportunity for profit.

For those in areas where homecoming is still celebrated, these festivities can give you a glimpse of styles that are popular to forecast trends for prom. To reach potential customers in the younger population, social media is a great way to get your looks seen without spending a fortune on advertising.

A great way to get your looks viewed on social media is to offer a discount to young people if they tag you on social media. Encouraging liking/following on Instagram and Facebook is worth the discount for the potential advertising reach, especially if you get an influential young person to do this for you.

For those wearing homecoming florals, the party will be more of a blast if the florals last. By using either permanent botanicals or florals known for their longevity combined with anti-transpirants, your homecoming design can become part of a memorable evening that has the potential to be viewed and appreciated on social media long after the dance has ended.

Flower wearables offer an opportunity for creativity and versatility depending on your client. While the traditional flower wearable is still very much a part of tradition for proms, homecomings, and weddings, the more modern buyer is looking for something new. We're one step ahead of you with these tips for how to upgrade your flower wearables.

Flower wearables are taking a step in the bold direction. The modern-day homecoming corsage and boutonniere have evolved in a very revolutionary direction. Just as clients differ, so do their tastes and styles. Learning to upgrade or differentiate your work from your competitors is important to adapt to changes hitting the flower wearable market, so your shop is the consumer's first choice in your area.

Embrace the power of greenery. Greenery is taking the floral world by the thorns and turning it in a different direction. While some consumers are drawn in by more traditional colors and styles, overall greenery is a more preferred trend for the modern-day generation of brides and prom/homecoming goers. While you need both, updating and upgrading your flower wearable resume may be just the makeover your shop needs to dominate event business.

Flower Jewelry

Flowers are a girl’s best friend... or is it diamonds? That’s ok. We combined both. Flower jewelry is all the rage in the flower wearable world. Upgrade your corsage and boutonniere options with a more stylistic approach. With every piece of flower jewelry comes more wire, more ribbon, and more creativity.

Rings, anklets, earrings, and necklaces galore, flower jewelry is an option you need in your store. It’s cheesy but true. Any piece of jewelry can be recreated with the right product and the right inspiration. Flower jewelry gives you, the artist, creative flexibility, and the wearer more opportunity to express their individuality and unique style.

There are several products you’ll want to have on-hand during event season. Some of the products you’ll want to have in stock include Oasis floral adhesive, fabric, cardboard and a variety of ribbon. When it comes to flowers you’ll need to have in stock, it all depends on the style you are looking to work with. Greenery and succulents are extremely important to have in stock for the customer looking for a more picked-from-the garden look. Others may prefer a bolder ranunculus centered floral jewelry piece.

Flower Hairpieces

Hair is the deal when it comes to creating the right staple pieces for an event. It is important to consider your client’s style and the outfit they have chosen for the occasion. Your job is to lead them in the right direction. Adapting to learn the skill of creating floral hairpieces will open the door to bigger and better opportunities for your flower shop.

Flower hairpieces can be as diverse or specific as a client’s outfit that they are accessorizing. Flower crowns have always been a popular choice, but floral hair combs, floral hats and other floral hairpieces are important to master and offer clients.

Depending on the size and style of the floral hair accessory you are creating, you’ll need to accommodate the amount of material you prepare. A large floral hat is going to use a substantial amount more flowers, wire, and adhesive than a floral comb. Create according to your client’s vision.

Statement Flower Wearables

Go big or go home. While today’s generation is all for making a statement, the more simplistic, picked-from-the-garden designs are topping floral trends. In order to combine these two characteristics, many statement floral pieces have bold colors paired with a garden aesthetic. An example is peach or pink roses paired with a variety of greenery, moss, and succulents. This inspiration is easily transferred into creating a floral scarf that steals the show. It’s a perfect accessory to drape across a solid colored dress to add the needed WOW factor.

If you are a florist who enjoys a challenge, floral corsets are taking residence in the flower wearable world. Although they don’t appear to be topping your order list immediately, honing your skills and offering such an item opens the door for bigger and more profitable events. Remember to stock up on extra material and florals when taking on a floral corset because this project is one that will take some trial and error. Plus, depending on your client, you are bound to use more than expected.

Floral Shoes

These shoes are made for walking and talking up a storm. Floral shoes are a new and “growing” trend taking the event world by storm. What outfit is ever complete without the perfect pair of shoes?

They are no walk in the park to make by any means. Pun intended. However, for the client active in social media, this may just be the Instagram post inspiration they need. It should be. Once you own this design style, it is easily reused as social content. Take pictures. Create a clever caption that works with your shop and encourage your clientele to share and get 20% off their next pair. It’s a win-win.

What shoes are ever complete without a purse to match? Leaf manipulation is incorporated into such a design. A floral purse to pair with some killer stilettos is every statement girl’s dream.

With every flower design comes the passion and skill of the florist creating it. While there should be an initiative to change and adapt to these new trends given to you, it is important to be prepared. Our wholesalers at San Diego Florist Supplies, Inc. in San Diego, CA are here to help you get started with the products you’ll need.

Remember every good thing comes from hard work and the willingness to change. In order to upgrade your flower wearables, you’ll need to upgrade your skillset. Be sure to prepare yourself and take on the challenge full force. With new trends should come a different approach. It is just as important to adapt to change as it is to update your phone. if you don’t update your approach to designing, it eventually stops working. Upgrade your flower wearables and see where the event world (specifically homecoming) will take you. You won’t regret it, and we are here to ensure you have everything you need when you need it.

The wedding arch is not only a focal point of the ceremony. The arch represents the home and family that the couple will build together. If a couple has big dreams of an altar for the big day, we have some new ideas for this old tradition.

Popular Arch Mechanics

Regardless of what style of archway is chosen, the choice should be given plenty of thought. One thing to remember is that larger, grandiose archways often can’t be moved, so the location of the archway is also incredibly important.

To avoid having an archway with only the one use, use a simple archway and make sure your floral mechanics are secure. Some archways can be moved and repurposed to massage the couple’s budget.

Consider a simple arch that can be used for the ceremony then moved for the reception. It could be placed by the cake or even by the bride and groom table as a stunning photo op.

Most archways must be bolted or screwed together, and many have multiple pieces. If the intent is to reuse the archway in several different locations both for the ceremony and reception, you may have to relocate multiple pieces.

When designing your arch, concentrate on florals that either hold up well with no water source or use Oasis products.

When selecting florals, orchids can give you a lot of bang for your buck. Roses are always a popular selection. Hydrangeas, when tubed or in a water source are a great fan favorite.

Ribbons, crystals, pearls and other accessories can add drama and texture.

Ideas on Arches

For some ideas, we spoke to Jackie Lacey, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, the newly elected National President of American Institute of Floral Designers.

For the bride with a smaller budget whose heart is set on an arch, Lacey said that two potted Areca palms can be bound together with string or ribbon and even be accented with pearls to create a dramatic arch.

These palms can reach heights of 15 to 20 feet. You may be able to rent them from a local plant rental or your favorite big box home improvement store.

For an intermediate budget, you can create an arch by using tall glass cylinders with curly willow. Curly willow, called such for the loosely curling shape of the branches, can grow to 9 feet tall. This arch can be created the same way as the Areca palms arch with its branches bound together at the top, or a wooden dowel can be used to have the branches horizontally stretched over the top in more of a rectangular shape.

To expand on the idea above, flowers can be placed in the cylinders with the curly willow. Hydrangeas and orchids can be used in this situation because they will be in a water source. Streamers of wired orchid blooms or Wisteria flowers can be suspended overhead for a breathtaking, romantic archway leading to forever.

It All Depends on Trends

Dangling delicate flowers from overhead can turn your archway into a fairytale. The trailing stems of Devil’s Ivy carry heart-shaped leaves with tiny splashes of gold that can accentuate metallics, which are popular.

If you would like a more structured arch, a pergola can form the foundation of the arch, and they are available in a variety of materials, designs and finishes including bamboo and cedar.

Adding lush greens to an arch lends a bohemian appeal. Having greenery on hand for times when you need more options for texture is a good idea, and foliage is more long-lasting than florals.

A new trend that gives more options for texture without having to go green is the amazing Japanese Bleached Fern.

Infusing an archway with textured grasses like pampas, wheat and proteas adds interest. Grasses are chic, unfussy, ecofriendly and capable of elevating the scene and adding depth and interest. Overflowing greenery arches create a gorgeous frame for the big moment.

Loose, organic florals have been popular for quite some time, but now, there is a minimalist approach to petals. Dripping, linear designs allow you to stretch the florals and the budget as they will take up as much space but with less density.

Speaking of minimalism, minimalistic designs and eco-friendliness are top trends. Combining the two ideas by using wedding greenery and a white arch can create an atmosphere of elegance. Joining the elements of eggshell or alabaster white with forest or fern green is a stylish way to make the most of this trend.

Framing

Acrylic arches are a trend that is surprisingly versatile. Paired with fluffy florals, an acrylic arch has a romantic appeal while it can also go glam with metallic details, and paired with wood accents and simple neutral florals, acrylic can even look minimalist and Scandinavian.

If you aren’t using trees, branches or palms as the structure of the arch, the frame can be as simple or elaborate as you need when you consider your florals, the greenery and whether you will be draping any fabric and the shape you hope to achieve.

A simple wooden frame for an arch can come in the shape of a rectangle, circle or even a hexagon, which will influence the placement as well as the design of the florals. Incorporating grasses into a circular arch can bulk it up and make the most of the shape.

Rectangular shapes are where you can make the most of suspending flowers overhead, especially if you are creating a romantic style with more delicate blooms and colors.

Fluffy florals dripping with hydrangeas create the backdrop for a lush and lavish oasis of beautifully blush-colored blooms, regardless of whether your wedding is taking place.

Focusing on Fabrics

When using fabrics, this year has shown a resurgence toward vibrant colors. Bold color selections range from brooding and introspective colors like burgundy and emerald green to cheerful hues like coral and yellow. The latest approach to picking wedding colors shows the interesting possibilities when using various shades of one color.

Fabrics are also more luxurious and less airy and gauzy. Non-traditional fabrics like velvet and cashmere add richness and more dimension.

Whether designing for an outdoor wedding surrounded by greenery or a blank slate indoor warehouse-style wedding, the arch is a way to either expand on natural elements or incorporate nature into a very urban environment.

Creating a dream arch requires collaboration with your client on both the vision and the budget. Although many couples look to Pinterest for inspiration, it is also important to convey to your client that creating an arch with personal meaning is more important than trying to replicate a trend.

No matter what your needs may be, our staff at San Diego Florist Supplies, Inc. in San Diego, CA are here with the products you’ll need to make the dream arch a reality.