I have a customer who would rather have fresh flowers placed on her cake rather than gumpaste flowers. The cake will be covered in fondant. How do I make sure that the flowers stay fresh prior to delivery throughout the night.

The flowers should not be placed on the cake until the cake is set up at the venue. There are some floral tubes you can buy from your local floral supply store or even craft store such as Michael's. You fill with small amount of water and cut the flower low, place in tube and stick tube at angle into the cake.

There are some who wrap the stem with wet cotton, then with aluminum foil and place in the cake.

HTH

I've always heard that if you keep flowers in the fridge it helps keep them fresh. My step mom worked at a flower shop and we always kept like our corsages for prom in the fridge.

I was a floral designer before a caker, Fresh flowers should not be kept in a refridgerator for food. Gases that are released will wilt the flowers, the temps and humidity levels are different.

Cut the flowers to the length you want and wrap in floral tape. Flowers that are wrapped in floral tape covering the end of the stem will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. Put them in a ziploc or tupperware container (too keep food gasses out and moisture in) and mist occasionally with water. Just be sure your fridge isn't set super cold, if it's too cold they'll freeze.

You can dip the wrapped stems in chocolate and let it set so they are food safe to stick right in the cake. You'll want to place them on the cake at the venue.

I require that a florist prepare the flowers and deliver them to either the reception/party site, or occasionally delivered to me.

Agree that flowers should be applied upon delivery. I never had flowers delivered to my shop .... they were always waiting on me at the venue when I arrived.

Flowers are not as fragile as you think. My famous "stood outside in 90+ degree high Indiana humidity heat in August" cake was surrounded by live roses that were just laid on the table around the base of the cake. They held up just fine all day long.