What's the best way to hold a flash when you have it on an off camera chord?

Sometimes I keep it slightly above and to the left, sometimes I try to bounce off a low ceiling.

Is there a proper technique for consistent results?

Gracias

Click to view attachmentI am not an expert but, it depends on what type of lighting pattern or effect that you are trying to achive. And as you keep using this style of lighting you will find that using remote/pocket wizards will give much more freedom.

That is really pretty!

+1 on Mildred's advise.
It really depends on what look you're going for, what lighting is available, what tools you have, what your surroundings are for bouncing light and what not. All that being said it's not always as difficult as it sounds and doing some test sessions before an event can teach you a lot. Playing with your gear and being comfortable with it is probably one of the most valuable lessons I've learned.

p.s. nice shot Mildred.

I once shot an outside wedding under a tent, and used strobes setup to bounce off of the ceiling (off white) and this produced a nice soft light that lit the dance floor very well