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Graduation season is upon New York City. From mid-May through mid-June, thousands of ceremonies unfold across some of the world's most storied campuses — and the bouquet you send for the day matters more than most flowers any of us will send all year.
Cap. Gown. Bouquet.
Alaric Flower Design has hand-designed graduation bouquets from our Upper West Side studio at 54 W 70th Street since 2006. We deliver same-day across Manhattan and to ceremonies citywide, including NYU, Columbia, Fordham, Hunter, FIT, Juilliard, Pratt, and every NYC campus — public, private, conservatory, medical school, law school, and high school.
Here's what we've learned about graduation bouquets after 19 years.
A great graduation bouquet has three jobs
It has to survive the day. A ceremony day is long — pre-ceremony coffee, the ceremony itself, photos with family, and an evening dinner. We pre-condition our flowers and use specific stem preparation so the bouquet holds up from morning through dinner without wilting.
It has to photograph beautifully. Every parent wants the cap-and-gown-with-bouquet photo. We design in proportions that work for held-at-chest-height photographs — not too tall, not too wide, with color that pops against a dark gown.
It has to feel like a real gift. Graduation bouquets that double as table centerpieces afterward tend to outlast the day better. We wrap loosely, finish with a satin ribbon, and pre-hydrate stems for transport.
When the major NYC schools graduate in 2026
- Mid-May (May 13–20): Columbia, NYU, The New School, NYU Stern, Tisch, Tandon
- Late May (May 21–29): Hunter College, CUNY commencements
- Early June (June 1–10): Fordham, Pace, Cooper Union, FIT, SVA
- Mid-June (June 10–20): Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, conservatories, NYC high schools
Medical and law schools cluster in late May. Pratt Institute holds main commencement in late May or early June, with department-level recitals throughout.
School colors, on request
Columbia blue, NYU purple, Cornell red, Fordham maroon, Pratt teal, Juilliard rose — we'll match school colors from your description or a chart. Specialty stem availability varies by season; we work with the closest seasonal stems available and confirm with you before designing.
A few common questions
Can you deliver to the ceremony venue?
Yes. We deliver to any NYC venue with a valid address — campus chapels, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Yankee Stadium, the Beacon, Apollo, and every school venue across the city. Include the venue address and a contact phone at checkout.
What's the order cutoff for same-day?
2:00 PM ET for same-day Manhattan delivery. For time-specific delivery (must arrive by 11:00 AM, for instance), order 24–48 hours ahead.
Will it last through photos and dinner after?
Yes — a graduation bouquet from us typically holds full shape for 12+ hours. After the day, a fresh-water re-cut and vase extends it another 5–7 days.
What if I'm sending from out of town?
That's most of our graduation orders. Tell us the delivery address, time window, and recipient's phone — we handle the rest. We text when the bouquet is on the way and again when it's delivered.
The full campus list
We've put together a comprehensive campus-by-campus guide covering 40 NYC institutions — public and private undergrad, CUNY, conservatories, medical schools, graduate programs, and high schools — with notes for each.
Read the full Graduation Flowers in NYC guide →
Shop the collection
Twelve hand-designed bouquets curated for the graduate in your life. Same-day Manhattan delivery from $85. Order by 2pm ET.
Designed by Lena Yelagina from the Alaric Flower Design studio at 54 W 70th Street, New York. Family-owned, hand-designed since 2006.