Can I Make My Own Thanksgiving Flower Arrangement?

Yes! You can make a Thanksgiving centerpiece even if you’ve never arranged flowers before. If you’re hosting and already have a long list of things to do, the flowers should be a fun reward, not more work. Take the pressure off and start with one of our pre-made bouquets.

At Acorn & Evergreen Floral Studio, we make our hand-tied fall bouquets in-house so we know they are fresh. All you need to do is what I call the “chop-n-drop.” The flowers are already arranged and tied together. Grab your favorite vase, get ready to trim the stems to fit, and add your own touch if you’d like.

How I Measure a Bouquet Against the Vase

Set your vase near the edge of a table. Hold the bouquet beside it with the stems pointing down past the tabletop.
Line up the binding point, where the stems are tied together, about an inch below the rim of the vase.
Use the tabletop as your cutting guide. Note where the stems meet the top edge of the table, then trim them evenly at that spot.
Set the bouquet in the vase. If it looks top-heavy, lift it out by the binding point, trim another inch from the stems, and try it again.

This works with most vases. Once the bouquet is in place, you can tuck in a bloom or two that caught your eye. Try adding one just off-center where you can see it, then turn the vase to see how it looks from the other side of the table.

What Flowers Should I Use If I’m Starting From Scratch?

For a first Thanksgiving arrangement, I like flowers and greenery that are relatively inexpensive, last well, and give you a mix of textures. Here’s what I’d reach for at my worktable.

Oregonia and leatherleaf fern for greenery. The small leaves of the oregonia and the broad fern fronds give you two different textures to work with.
Disbud mums for your focal flowers. Each stem has one large bloom, so it’s easy to see where your eye goes in the finished bouquet.
Carnations and alstroemeria to fill in around the mums. I like the way the ruffled carnations look next to the smaller clusters of alstroemeria.
Solidago and hypericum berries for the finishing touches. The airy sprays of solidago look especially pretty alongside the round berries.

Build the Bouquet in Your Hand First

If you were at my worktable, I’d show you how to make a hand-tied bouquet before we put anything in the vase. Start with a focal mum and a little greenery. Hold the stems loosely in one hand and use your other hand to add a stem at a time, turning the bouquet as you go. Spread the mums out so each one has room to show. Tuck carnations and alstroemeria between them, then add the solidago and berries where you want a little more texture.

Tie the stems where you’ve been holding them, then use the table-edge trick to trim the bouquet to fit your vase. Once it’s in water, you can adjust anything that needs it. I like to check a Thanksgiving centerpiece from a seated position. If a tall stem is right in your line of sight, tuck it a little lower so you can see the person across from you.

If playing with the flowers sounds like the part you’d enjoy most, try making your own hand-tied bouquet from scratch at one of our workshops.

What I See at Every Flower Workshop

At every class, there’s someone who’s sure there’s no way they can make something beautiful. By the end, they’re looking at the bouquet in front of them and can’t believe they made it. I love seeing that moment.

If this is your first time, give yourself permission to keep it simple. A hand-tied fall bouquet in a vase you love, with one special bloom you picked yourself, can be just right for your Thanksgiving table. Enjoy the experience. Happy Thanksgiving!

Can I Make My Own Thanksgiving Flower Arrangement?