BY ANGELIA CORNATZER
Flowers are often a part of the most special occasions. We include beautiful colors and petals in the brightest moments of life as well as the hardest moments. When life begins and ends, when times are celebratory or sorrowful, flowers are the go-to gesture that we extend to those we love. One of the busiest flower seasons is prom season! Every year, thousands of young people gather for a night of glam and fun with their dress, their date, and their flowers. Whether they are worn on the wrist or on the lapel, flowers have been a timeless touch for prom night through the years.
The history of wearing flowers began in the ancient days when flowers were worn on the bodice of a woman’s dress. It was believed that the floral scents from these mini bouquets would ward off evil spirits at weddings. Through the years, the tradition has since moved to wearing flowers on the wrist for women and the lapel for men at any kind of special event. The tradition we now know of wearing flowers to prom with your date began in the 20th century! When choosing where to place the beautiful small arrangement, it is usual that the young man will wear his prom flower pinned to the left side of his lapel. Typically, the young woman may choose to wear it displayed on her wrist or pinned to the dress on the left side.
There are a few things to think about when picking out your prom flowers. It is popular to match two things to your corsage, those being your date and your dress. When it comes to matching your flowers with your date, one option would be to have identical arrangements with your date. You could both wear the same flower in the same color. Another option would be to match the color that you both have, but with differing flowers. When it comes to matching the flowers to your dress, you have many options of how to combine the two. The color of your flowers could complement or match the color of the fabric of the dress. If you desire something different than your dress color, flowers with neutral colors will complement any color of dress.
If you’re anything like me, you don’t want to throw away something so beautiful and special after just one day! There are many options to keep your prom flowers around after the dreamy night is complete. One option would be to air-dry your flowers. This entails placing the flowers in a vase or hanging them upside down to dry them out. After letting them sit for 2-4 weeks, they will be dry, and you can place them around your house for decoration. Another way to save your flowers would be to press them. You will need a book and parchment paper. Place the flowers in the parchment paper, lay them under the book, and leave them for 2-4 weeks. If you want to speed up the process, there is a way to press flowers instantly by using the microwave. Namely, you can place the flowers into a paper towel, press under a book, and microwave it all for 30-60-second increments, waiting for the flowers to cool between microwave runs. Lastly, you can preserve your flowers using silica sand. Simply place the flowers into a bowl of silica sand and wait 2-7 days, checking on its status each day. When the flowers are to your liking, remove them from the sand and display as wanted!
Whichever look of prom flower you choose to go with and however you choose to save them, flowers are the icing on the cake for prom season. Enjoy every moment of picking out your date, your dress, and your flowers!
“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine for the soul.” ~ Luther Burbank
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