I am doing a wedding cake for the 20th and they want real flowers, red roses, and some greenery or babies breath I guess. I've never worked with real flowers and am not sure how to put them on the cake. I also need to buy them and am not sure where to get them and make sure they are safe. Do I have to order them in advance or can I just go to a florist? Or should I get them from the bride? Her mother is decorating the hall (not sure if she is doing the wedding bouquets or just the hall) and I could ask her to provide the flowers for the cake. The MOB is paying for the cake. I was trying to steer them towards gum paste flowers and told her the flowers would be $50, so that was added to the price of the cake. I thought we were going to go with that but they called me yesterday and said they wanted real flowers. If I get the flowers from her I guess I'll just give her the $50 back. I kinda wanted to get them myself so I know what I'm dealing with, but it might be better to get them from her so all the flowers would match. The cake will be 3 square tiers and the flowers will be on the top tier and the corners of the other tiers. Of course I'm going to use flower picks, but I'm just not sure how to arrange them. I don't want it to just look like the roses are sticking out of the cake. Do I arrange them and tape them with floral tape and stick them in the pick? I guess I'll get some and practice. Also, I am delivering the cake at 2PM and the reception will be at 6PM. Will they be OK for that long? The cake is for the son of a former coworker/friend of mine, but I'm dealing with the bride and her mother, who I don't know. Maybe I could send them a picture of the gum paste flowers and they'll change their mind, but I don't want to seem like I'm manipulating them. I want them to have what they want. Thanks for any advice!

Deal w/a good florist. I'd get the flowers myself....you already got paid for that. Call now & see if they want an advance order or go in & pick out w/you want so they can be ready on the day you want to pick them up. Don't leave it until the last minute or you may not get what you want. Roses come im many different sizes.......be sure you don't get giant ones and that they are not fully opened. It's easy to get them to open when you want Pix are small you will not need to do much 'arranging'. For the top I think youwill need to use a small (open mouth) vase or cup to hold a small piece of oais (sp?).
If you tape the stems you don't need water in the pix as the tape will seal the stem.