Can I preserve my wedding flowers?

Preserving your wedding bouquet is a wonderful way to cherish the memories of your special day. Whether you choose a DIY method or opt for professional preservation, you'll have a beautiful keepsake to remind you of your love and commitment.

Here's a breakdown of DIY and professional methods, along with some additional creative ideas to cherish your bridal bouquet:

DIY Preservation Methods

• Air Drying: This is the simplest and most cost-effective method.
• How: Tie the stems together and hang the bouquet upside down in a cool, dark, and dry place for several weeks.
• Pros: Easy and inexpensive.
• Cons: Colors may fade, and the bouquet may shrink.
• Pressing: Ideal for bouquets with delicate flowers.
• How: Separate the flowers and place them between sheets of absorbent paper, then press them between heavy books or a flower press for several weeks.
• Pros: Simple and preserves the flowers' shape.
• Cons: Flowers will be flattened and may discolour.
• Silica Gel: This method helps maintain the flowers' original shape and color better than air drying.
• How: Bury the flowers in a container filled with silica gel for several days.
• Pros: Preserves color and shape well.
• Cons: Requires silica gel, and some flowers may not be suitable.
• Wax Dipping: A traditional method that adds a protective layer to the flowers.
• How: Dip each flower in melted paraffin wax, then allow them to dry.
• Pros: Preserves color and shape, adds a subtle sheen.
• Cons: Can be messy, and the wax may crack over time.

Professional Preservation Methods

• Freeze Drying: This is the most effective way to preserve the bouquet's original shape, color, and texture.
• How: A professional freeze-dries the flowers, removing moisture while maintaining their structure.
• Pros: Best results for preserving the bouquet's original appearance.
• Cons: Can be expensive.
• Resin Preservation: Flowers are encased in resin, creating a beautiful and long-lasting keepsake.
• How: A professional dries the flowers and arranges them in a mold before pouring resin over them.
• Pros: Creates a unique and durable keepsake.
• Cons: Can be expensive, and the resin may yellow over time.

Creative Ideas Beyond photography

• Floral Art: Commission a custom painting or illustration of your bouquet.
• Embroidered Art: Using various embroidery techniques, the artist meticulously recreates the flowers on the fabric. 
• Jewelry: Have your flowers preserved and incorporated into jewelry, such as a necklace or earrings.
• Keepsake Box: Create a shadow box or display case to showcase your preserved bouquet along with other wedding mementos.

Additional Tips

• Act quickly: The sooner you preserve your bouquet, the better the results.
• Handle with care: Be gentle when handling your bouquet to avoid damaging the flowers.
• Consider professional help: If you're unsure about DIY methods or want the best possible results, consider hiring a professional preservationist.

Preserving your wedding bouquet is a beautiful way to keep a tangible reminder of your special day, and with so many increadibly talented creatives out there, the options are vast. 

What a wonderful idea, to get to keep your bouquet even after your wedding is over. 

The easiest way to preserve your bouquet is to naturally dry it out by hanging it upside down for a few weeks/months. This option works better for native flowers 

If you bouquet was made up of soft seasonal flowers my reccomendation would be to either send it off to a professional who you can find on instagram or etsy as they will turn it into a beautiful oiece of art. Otherwise you could dable in drying with glycerine. This is an easy process but not alwasy 100% effective.

I hope this has helped :) Brianna

Hi there,

There are several popular methods to preserve your wedding bouquet, each offering a unique look and varying in the level of effort required to find a specialist. Keep in mind that not all flowers are suitable for every preservation method, so it’s best to discuss your options with your florist during the consultation to ensure the chosen blooms can be successfully preserved. Here are some of the main options:

1. Air Drying

How: Hang your bouquet upside down in a dry, dark, well-ventilated area for several weeks.

Result: Flowers become dried and somewhat fragile, with colours often fading to muted tones.

Best for: A rustic, vintage look.

2. Pressing (this is my personal favourite ;-)

How: Separate individual blooms and press them between sheets of parchment paper inside a heavy book for several weeks.

Result: Flat, delicate flowers perfect for framing or adding to a scrapbook.

Best for: Creating a minimalist keepsake or framed artwork.

3. Silica Gel Drying

How: Place your flowers in a container and cover them completely with silica gel crystals for 1-2 weeks.

Result: Flowers retain more of their original shape and colour.

Best for: A more natural, vibrant look compared to air drying.

4. Resin Preservation

How: Encapsulate individual flowers or the whole bouquet in clear resin moulds (such as a block, orb, or coasters).

Result: A long-lasting, modern display piece with a glossy finish.

Best for: A unique and contemporary keepsake.

5. Freeze-Drying

How: A professional service freezes your bouquet in a vacuum chamber, removing moisture while preserving the shape and colour.

Result: Flowers look almost identical to their fresh state.

Best for: High-quality preservation with long-lasting results.

Hope this helps!
Siobhain

Hi there,

 I'm not a fan of alot of preserving styles however a more recent trend of getting them sealed in resin then shaped as an ornament, coaster, paperweight etc looks pretty good. If you google resin flower bouquet prservation you should see a company pop up close to you.

You sure can but not all flowers are created equal in terms of preservation, so you might find that some dry out while others just shrivel and turn brown. You could get a bouquet with dried accents to be sure of keeping some of the elements. There is an awesome company that preserves bouquets called Old Leaf Designs, they do pressed flowers, designed in artistic compositions in frames. You can check them out on Instagram for some inspo.

Personally I am a fan of this pressed and framed style because it doesn't gather dust as much as a regular dried bouquet and the flowers seem to retain their colours and shapes better over time being protected by the frame.

Hope that helps.

Rachel

Yes, you can :)

The two main methods I know of are:

Preserving pieces in resin products (e.g. Indi and Soak)

and

Pressing pieces into framed floral art prints (e.g. Created with Joy Art)

Kind regards,

Kathryn Sommerlad

The Long Paddock Florist

It is possible to dry your wedding bouquet, but it really depends on the content, native flowers work the best. If you want your bouquet to cherish as a beautiful keepsake after your big day,  I recommend opting for an everlasting bouquet in the first place featuring dried and preserved flowers, then your bouquet can be placed in a vase and enjoyed for many years to come.

Hi thank you for reaching out .

You can have your bouquet preserved professionally.

We do not offer this service and I am unaware of anyone else in Wollongong.

Your best bet would be to google "wedding bouquet preservation Sydney"..

Kind regards Lina