A number of Ksh 50 notes used to create a money bouquet and red roses pictured at Jo's Florist Studio at Olympic House in Nairobi on January 29, 2025.
For decades, the rose flower has become a symbol of love, romanticised on Valentine’s Day.
Every year on February 14, millions of people have exchanged the flowers to express their love — and estimates show upwards of 250 million roses are produced annually for Valentine’s Day.
This has been the norm until Kenyan lovers fell out of love with flowers.
Women who do not like flowers are now requesting bouquets made from wads of cash instead of red roses.
As the trend gains momentum, florists and gift shop owners are reimagining how money can be presented. Not in a plain white envelope, but folded, shaped, and carefully arranged into stunning bouquets, often accented with other items like chocolates or flowers, or bottles of whisky.
Ahead of this Valentine’s Day, florists in Nairobi are busy meticulously folding crisp bank notes into bouquets, some amounting to as high as Sh250,000.
Eva Wambui Ndichu of Peeva Party World is pictured with a bouquet of money at her shop in RNG Plaza on January 30, 2024.
Eva Wambui, an artiste at Peeva Party World in Nairobi, is one of those who has turned what was once a small experiment into a booming business.
“It all started when I was trying to figure out a unique birthday gift for a close friend,” she says.
“I wanted to gift something more memorable than just putting money in an envelope, so I started searching online for ideas. That’s when I stumbled upon the concept of cash bouquets. I thought, ‘Why not give it a try?’ It seemed more personal and thoughtful than simply handing over money,” she tells Nation Lifestyle.
So how much is affection at low cost?
A number of Sh50 notes used to make a money bouquet are pictured at Jo's Florist Studio at Olympic House in Nairobi on January 29, 2025.
“The amount of money used depends on the customer’s budget. The smallest bouquet I’ve done was for Sh100,000, but it can go even higher,” Ms Wambui says.
In traditional floral arrangements, charges are pegged on the number of stems used, but for cash bouquets, the cost depends on the amount of money used.
“We charge according to the notes used. Ideally according to per stick,” she says, referring to the skewers that hold the money.
Florists say they have an ideal amount to start with—about Sh2,000. Larger bouquets may require up to 40 notes of whichever denomination, and customers pay from Sh15,000. Additional items like flowers intertwined into the wads of cash and chocolates push up the price.
The wrapping paper is also matched to the denomination of the notes—purple wrapper for Sh100 notes, pink for Sh50 notes, and blue for Sh200 notes.
A number of Sh50 notes used to make a money bouquet are pictured at Jo's Florist Studio at Olympic House in Nairobi on January 29, 2025.
Ms Wambui’s creativity in designing these bouquets is not just about making them look good but also ensuring they resonate with the occasion.
“I once made a bouquet worth Sh100,000 for a mother who had just given birth. It was a push gift—something special to celebrate her incredible journey into motherhood. I folded the notes into tiny flowers and mixed them with real roses.”
Push gifts are presents given to new mothers after childbirth. “It’s a beautiful way to acknowledge the strength and endurance of mothers. And what could be better than giving them something that’s both beautiful and useful?” she says.
Norah Mogonnah, another florist and the founder of Flowerguru in Nairobi, has also seen a rising demand for cash bouquets. Some of the customers request for the boutiques to be made from dollar or euro notes.
“We’ve had several clients ask for US dollars or euros instead of Kenyan shillings. For those who don’t have dollars, they ask us to exchange the Kenyan shillings for dollars,” she says. “It adds a sense of luxury, especially for people sending gifts from abroad.”
The emotional responses that cash bouquets elicit are often more profound than those associated with traditional gifts. “I’ve had clients tell me that their loved ones were moved to tears when they received their cash bouquet,” Ms Mogonnah says. “It’s not just about the money—it’s the thought and effort behind the presentation that makes it so special.”
Ms Mogonnah’s journey into the world of cash bouquets began serendipitously.
“I didn’t plan to make cash bouquets,” she says. “It all started when a client came to me with a video from the Philippines, asking if I could recreate what they saw for their girlfriend’s birthday. I accepted. It took me almost half a day to finish that first bouquet.”
Although more time-consuming than traditional flower arrangements, especially if a person chooses smaller denominations, Ms Mogonnah says: “People are looking for meaningful gifts. They [cash bouquets] are the perfect combination of aesthetics and practicality.”
Despite the initial learning curve, Ms Mogonnah’s efforts paid off.
“I’ve been making cash bouquets ever since. The largest one I’ve ever made was for a couple celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. It contained Sh250,000, and I folded the notes into intricate shapes, combining them with fresh flowers. It was an extravagant gesture of love, and the recipient’s reaction was priceless.”
Money used to make the money bouquet pictured at Jo's Florist Studio at Olympic House in Nairobi on January 29, 2025.
What is the age profile of the buyer? "When we first started with the money bouquets, it was people in their mid-30s. But now, you’ll see fathers gifting their daughters or wives,” she says.
“The difficult part is getting new notes,” Ms Mogonnah admits. “And some clients are sceptical we’re using fake money.”
Joan Momanyi, the owner of Jo’s Florist, has also joined the cash bouquet trend. She entered the business just before Valentine’s Day in 2024. Since then, she has perfected her craft
How are the cash bouquets delivered?
“When someone orders a bouquet made from a lot of cash, say Sh100,000, we usually deliver it using an Uber for security reasons. We wrap it in such a way that no one can guess there’s money inside, and we make sure it’s delivered directly to the recipient’s doorstep,” she says.
