This post examines three videos, in order of overall quality, that explain the process of making a handheld bouquet of flowers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieP97FqZo5U
This first video, from the “Show Me How Series,” focuses on fashioning a dome-shaped wedding bouquet made of ivory roses, bluish eucalyptus shoots, and beaded wire. This lengthy clip (9:20) features the most detail, as well as the most professional audio, video, and background music. Of the three, it is unique in its concentration on a “natural” bouquet, which uses stems wrapped with ribbon in lieu of a plastic handle. The British narrator (whose name is sadly omitted) provides the following steps in a clear, concise manner: 1. Prepare your "raw ingredients" by cutting a bit of string and tape, removing leaves from the roses, and cutting the eucalyptus shoots. 2. Cross the roses, foliage, and beaded wire at angles, rotating the bouquet in one direction with each addition. 3. Continue until your roses form a domed center with a relatively flat base. 4. Wrap a string around the base of the dome, tie a double knot, and trim. 5. Place tape around the string. 6. Shorten the stems to a “working” length and assure there are no protruding wire ends near the “handle” area. 7. Add hot glue to the tape, and wrap a solid white silk ribbon around it, securing it with another dab of hot glue. 8. Wrap a transparent silk ribbon for a “softer” effect, and secure it with pins. 9. Cut the stems to “show-time” length and make sure they are dry before giving them to the bride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MVVd23YlUo
The second video is faster paced and offers a no-nonsense guide to creating a round “Colonial” wedding bouquet with a handle. At 4:11, it is half as long as the first. The video is mainly a single close-up shot, which makes it easy to see the action; while the audio is not as crisp as the other two videos, it is still clear. Our host, Sandy from afloral.com, works quickly, is easy to understand, and offers rational explanations for all of her actions. She chooses a classy combination of white gardenias as the centerpiece and white roses in a supporting role. In contrast to the first video, she uses a plastic handle with a foam cylinder to secure the stems of the flowers. She offers the following advice: 1. Use odd number pairs; for instance, place 3 gardenias on the bottom, 3 in the middle and 1 in the center. 2. Fill in the top section with 3 silk roses and fill in the bottom row with 2 roses between each set of gardenias (totaling 6 silk roses). 3. Make sure your arrangement has equal spacing between flowers and is now dome shaped. 4. Use jeweled stephanotis to fill up holes evenly on the outside and center areas. 5. Add gardenia buds to give it a natural look as needed. 6. Finish the bouquet by flipping the bouquet and adding remaining leaves to the underside of the arrangement to cover any remaining traces of the foam. 7. Tie a small bow. Voila! Sandy seems so happy with her work, and her optimism throughout the video makes it enjoyable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoqJQ9tRw4U
Christine from eHow gives us a third take on the round bouquet. This video is the shortest at 2:27, but still gives us an ample glimpse of the bouquet making process. It is filmed from multiple angles and has professional sound. Christine chooses to use red roses as her main flower and oriental lilies as filler. Her steps are straightforward: 1. Get a plastic holder with foam. 2. Soak the foam in water. 3. Add rose stems around the bottom. 4. Add oriental lilies above the bottom row of roses. 5. Continue to add flowers in this fashion to “fill in” until the dome is completed (1:32 perhaps gives us the best close-up of her adding flowers). 6. Add greens under the bottom to “crown” the arrangement and cover the foam section of the holder.

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