OK......so we ordered LONG stem tulips and 12' tulips came in today

12' is long stem for tulips. especially this late in the season (the best tulips are late jan - mid april). plus its mothers day so im certain farms are subbing just about whatever they can produce and get out the door. where did you order from? im curious to see what they are selling and considering to be long stem.

you have to order french tulips this time of year to get anything longer then that and they are expensive but gorgeous (sorry couldnt find a better pic):


anyway what you can do is buy some pipe cleaners and green floral stem wrap. cut the tulips, stick the pipe cleaner up the stem an inch or two, enough so it doesnt fall right out, and then tape the lower portion fo the stem all the way down the pipecleaner. it mimics the look of the stem but since there is no water source the tulips wont last longer than 12 hours and its time consuming.
tulips dont particularly like floral foam either so i would listen to some of the other brides suggestions and buy either crystal gems or go with the cellophane trick.
good luck and please post how it all turned out!

how about wrapping the vase inside or outside (as a cover up for what's being done inside the glass) and then fill up the bottom of your vases with another glass or something to boost it higher for your tulips?

althought trumpets are difficult to mimic cause they accentuate the long stems..
as a combination of what the brides above mentioned, you could line the trumpets with ti leaves or grass (whatever you can get at this point) and then put floral foam inside as high as you need to boost the tulips.
i still think the cellophane trick is by far your best bet. the tulips will be able to get all the water they need and it will still look very cool.