Wire stems vs. taping, I switched back after 12 years

I started using floral tape on everything back in 2011 because that's what the YouTube videos showed. Last month I did a 200 stem bridal bouquet in Seattle and the tape just kept slipping in the 80 degree heat. I cut my hand twice on exposed wire ends, and the whole thing took me almost 4 hours longer than my old method. I'm back to wiring every stem with 22 gauge and wrapping the base, like my first mentor showed me in Cleveland. It's more work up front, but the structure holds for days and the client can actually bend the stems without snapping them. Has anyone else gone back to old techniques after trying the trendy way, or am I the only one stuck in my ways?

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mason.drew4d ago

Man, that heat thing is no joke. I read somewhere that humidity and sweat make floral tape basically useless too, so you're probably onto something with the wire.