I’ve officially entered my event hosting era and it’s an era that I do not plan on exiting out of any time soon. From hosting summer soirées in the city, happy hours at my favorite bars, and extravagant wine tasting events, I have been loving every single second of them and hope to never run out of ideas on what I want to plan next. I’ve been learning so much on how to host these events, and of course want to share my newfound knowledge with you. Here’s the ultimate guide on how to host a floral workshop, in case you’re planning on hosting one in the near future!

How to Host a Floral Workshop

Hosting a floral workshop is the perfect excuse to gather all the girls, blending florals, friendship, and of course, a splash of rosé! These events are more than just fun; they inspire creativity, foster community, and strengthen bonds. Everyone leaves with a smile!

You don’t need to be an expert florist to host your own workshop. A love for flowers is enough, and you can always team up with a local florist for extra flair. That’s exactly what I did for my workshop by partnering with Morgan, a talented San Francisco-based florist and founder of Delphinium Digest.

This guide will help you navigate the nuances of creating an unforgettable event that will be remembered as vividly as petals in full bloom. Get ready for valuable ideas, practical tips, and critical, often-overlooked details that will ensure your floral workshop is a blooming success.

  

Part I: 10 Floral Workshop Ideas

Looking for the perfect theme for your next floral workshop? Here are 10 creative ideas to spark up some inspiration for your event!

1. Celebrating the Season’s Flowers: Why not embrace the season’s offerings? Throw a floral workshop that will help guide your participants through crafting arrangements that celebrate the beauty of the moment. For spring, think tulips, peonies, and hyacinths! For summer, think dahlias, sunflowers, and roses! For autumn, think marigolds, chrysanthemums, and asters. Lastly, for winter, think winter jasmine, camellias, and calendula!

2. Color Theory in Bloom: If you’re an artist, how about take this as an opportunity to dive into the psychology of colors and teach your guests how to create bouquets that evoke specific moods and atmospheres through color combinations! This would be such a great way to unlock everyone’s inner artist!

3. Aromatic Arrangements: Combine aesthetics with aroma by using flowers and herbs known for their scents to create arrangements that are a delight for both the eyes and nose. Some combos that come to mind include mint and peonies, or lavender with eucalyptus!

4. Wildflower Wonders: Highlight local flora by showing how to forage and design with wildflowers, fostering a connection to the local environment. You can do this by going on a meadow walk and giving everyone a basket + scissors, and mindfully snipping away to make their perfect bouquets!

5. Eco-Friendly Florals: Emphasize sustainability by using locally-sourced, in-season flowers, upcycled materials, and waste-reducing practices.

6. Bridal Bouquets: Weddings are a prime time for flowers. If you’re planning to get married or your best friend is getting married soon, maybe you can host a workshop so you can all gather ideas for the final bouquet of the wedding day!

7. Edible Blossoms: Create a bouquet of edible flowers. That way, your guests not only have a pretty centerpiece for their dining tables, but can also snip away and eat some of the flowers while they’re having a meal at home!

8. Desktop Decors: These are for the girlies that work from home! Bring everyone together and focus on creating smaller arrangements perfect for brightening up workspaces. This is a great way to bond with your coworkers and/or colleagues.

9. Basket & Box Flora: Think outside the vase with creative alternatives by arranging blooms in baskets, wooden boxes, or other unconventional containers. Maybe go to the thrift store and purchase a few vases and everyone can choose one that they like!

10. Floral Accessories: Add flair by crafting wearable floral art, ideal for special occasions or as a fun twist for the workshop experience. Maybe you can channel your inner Lana Del Rey and create flower crowns, or create cute wrist corsages to wear during the day. Who said corsages were just for prom?!

Part II: Ten Tips for Having the Best and Most Memorable Flower Arranging Workshop

1. Master the Basics: Before guiding others, ensure you have a strong grasp on the fundamental skills required for floral arrangement. Flower arranging doesn’t require much knowledge, however it’s always helpful to be able to identify a variety of flower types and their care requirements. This allows you to educate others about the lifespan of the blooms, the best ways to keep them fresh, and how to combine them effectively for the most visually appealing and long-lasting arrangements. Perhaps what you can do is to print out small postcards with a few tips on how your guests can take care of their flowers!

2. The Venue Matters: Choose a space that complements the ambiance of your workshop; a garden setting, a bright studio or a cozy café can set the perfect mood. Make sure to get in touch with the studio or café so that you can confirm availability, discuss layout options, and ensure that the venue has all the necessary amenities to host a comfortable and successful workshop. This might include adequate lighting, access to water for the flowers, and sufficient table space for participants to work on their arrangements.

3. Source Quality Supplies: Utilize fresh flowers from trusted suppliers and provide professional-grade tools for the best arranging experience. I recommend setting time aside to go to the flower market the day before your event, or even the morning of, to ensure that your flowers are very fresh!

4. Structured Yet Flexible: It’s important to note that everyone is an artist in their own way, so I recommend having an idea of how you want everyone’s bouquets to look, but leaving room for flexibility. Perhaps choose 2-3 flowers that will be the star of the show, and then adding a wide variety of different filler flowers and greens for all guests to choose from. This will help everyone embrace their creativity and not create cookie cutter bouquets!

5. Hands-On Learning: Make sure that there are enough scissors for all the girls to use, and as they create their bouquets, provide any tips and information about all of the flowers involved!

6. Personal Touch: Why not sprinkle a bit of ‘you’ into the mix? Maybe add your brand on the vases, or whip up a photo-op backdrop that screams your style. For instance, I put together some goodie bags for the girls to take home. Packed each one with a little something I’ve taken along with me on my travels and are my tried and true products. It’s like sharing a piece of my fave things with everyone for them to enjoy on their future travels. Get creative with this!

7. Picture Perfect: Create an Instagrammable corner for all your guests to photograph their creations; memories are best when shared! Encourage everyone to share all their photos with a dedicated hashtag, or creating a Google Drive folder for everyone to upload all of their pictures in!

8. Take-Home Materials: Provide resourceful postcards so your guests can take care of their flowers and keep them vibrant and fresh long after the workshop ends.

9. Follow-Up: Foster a sense of community by following up with attendees, perhaps through social media or a dedicated online forum! Encourage everyone to send pictures of their floral bouquets at their house!

10. Safety First: Allergies and safe tool handling are key; make sure you’re prepared and your participants are informed. Prior to the event, ask your guests if they have any allergies that you should be aware of to avoid an accident.

Part III: Five Tips Most Hosts Overlook When Hosting a Flower Arranging Party

Here are a few tips that I learned and wish I knew in advance before hosting my flower workshop!

1. Have more than enough tools for all guests to use. This includes scissors, gloves, flower snips, and aprons. Additionally, consider providing each guest with a personal tool kit that they can take home to avoid the need to share equipment, which can enhance the personal experience and minimize interruptions in creative workflow!
2. Have hand sanitizer on deck! In between eating the small bites that you’ll be providing and touching the flowers, this would have been a great call!
3. Get insured. Fortunately nothing happened at the event, however in the case that someone hurts themselves during the event or finds out they’re allergic to a certain plant, you want to be sure that you’re protected. Be proactive and protect yourself with the appropriate insurance in case of any unforeseen incidents.

And there you have it – how to host a perfect floral workshop!

I hope these tips helped you with hosting your floral workshop. I created this guide so that you have lots of ideas and inspiration, tips, and are paying attention to every single detail for your future event!