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The Complete Guide to Preserving Your Wedding Bouquet

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Your wedding bouquet is more than just flowers—it’s a cherished keepsake from one of the most important days of your life. Preserving it allows you to enjoy those memories for years to come. Here’s everything you need to know about different preservation methods, their pros and cons, and how to achieve the best results.

Planning Ahead

Before the Wedding:

  • Inform your florist that you plan to preserve your bouquet. They can use flowers that preserve better and avoid certain delicate blooms.
  • Best flowers for preserving include roses, peonies, hydrangeas, baby’s breath, lavender, and eucalyptus.
  • Flowers to avoid include tulips, calla lilies, and orchids, which don’t preserve as well.
  • Keep your bouquet fresh by storing it in water whenever possible on your wedding day.
  • Act quickly after the wedding. The fresher the flowers, the better they’ll preserve.

Method 1: Air Drying (Hanging Method)

This is the most traditional and budget-friendly option.

How to do it:

  1. Remove any wilted petals or leaves within 24 hours of the wedding.
  2. Group flowers in small bunches and secure stems with rubber bands or string.
  3. Hang bouquet upside down in a dark, dry, well-ventilated space (like a closet or attic).
  4. Keep away from direct sunlight, which causes fading.
  5. Leave for 2-3 weeks until completely dry and crispy to the touch.

Best for: Roses, lavender, baby’s breath, statice, and wheat.

Pros: Inexpensive, DIY-friendly, maintains bouquet shape relatively well.

Cons: Colors fade significantly, flowers become brittle, takes several weeks, requires proper storage space.

Method 2: Silica Gel Drying

This method preserves color and shape better than air drying.

How to do it:

  1. Purchase silica gel crystals from a craft store (enough to completely cover your flowers).
  2. Pour a 1-2 inch layer of silica gel in an airtight container.
  3. Trim stems short and place flowers face-up in the gel.
  4. Gently pour more silica gel around and over the flowers until completely covered.
  5. Seal the container and leave undisturbed for 3-7 days (smaller blooms dry faster).
  6. Carefully remove flowers and brush away excess gel with a soft brush.
  7. Spray with hairspray or acrylic sealer to protect against humidity.

Best for: Roses, peonies, ranunculus, and most multi-petaled flowers.

Pros: Better color retention, faster than air drying, maintains three-dimensional shape.

Cons: Flowers remain fragile, requires materials cost, labor-intensive for large bouquets.

Method 3: Pressing

Perfect for creating framed art or incorporating into other crafts.

How to do it:

  1. Disassemble your bouquet within 24 hours.
  2. Place individual flowers and leaves between sheets of parchment paper.
  3. Sandwich between heavy books or use a flower press.
  4. Change the parchment paper after a few days to prevent mold.
  5. Leave pressed for 2-4 weeks until completely flat and dry.
  6. Use tweezers to carefully remove pressed flowers.

Best for: Flat flowers like pansies, daisies, individual rose petals, and foliage.

Pros: Great for DIY framing projects, easy to do, inexpensive.

Cons: Flowers are completely flattened, some color loss, not suitable for thick blooms.

Method 4: Professional Freeze-Drying

This is the gold standard for preservation, though the most expensive.

How it works: Professional preservationists place your bouquet in a specialized freeze-drying chamber where moisture is removed at sub-zero temperatures over several weeks. This maintains color, shape, and texture better than any other method.

What to expect:

  • Ship or deliver your bouquet to the preservationist within 24-48 hours of the wedding.
  • Process takes 4-12 weeks.
  • Cost typically ranges from $150-$500+ depending on bouquet size.
  • Many companies include display cases or shadow boxes.

Best for: Anyone wanting the highest quality preservation who has the budget.

Pros: Best color retention, maintains original shape and texture, looks most lifelike, lasts decades with proper care.

Cons: Expensive, requires shipping to professionals, long turnaround time.

Method 5: Resin Preservation

Modern method that encases flowers in clear resin for a unique keepsake.

DIY approach:

  1. Dry flowers first using silica gel method.
  2. Purchase jewelry-grade epoxy resin.
  3. Pour a thin layer in a mold, arrange flowers, then cover with more resin.
  4. Follow resin manufacturer’s instructions for curing time.

Professional approach: Many artisans now specialize in creating resin paperweights, coasters, jewelry, or decorative pieces from wedding flowers.

Best for: Creating functional keepsakes like jewelry, paperweights, or ornaments.

Pros: Completely seals and protects flowers, creates unique pieces, very durable.

Cons: Requires skill for DIY, professional services can be costly, flowers appear magnified and may look different.

Displaying Your Preserved Bouquet

Shadow Boxes and Display Cases:

  • Use UV-protective glass to prevent fading.
  • Include wedding details like date, names, or vows.
  • Keep away from direct sunlight and humidity.

Framing Pressed Flowers:

  • Use acid-free matting and backing.
  • Consider professional framing for archival quality.
  • Create artistic arrangements or recreate bouquet shape.

Storage Alternatives: If not displaying immediately, store in a cool, dry, dark place in an airtight container with silica gel packets to absorb moisture.

Maintenance and Care

  • Dust carefully with a soft brush or compressed air.
  • Never use water or cleaning products.
  • Keep in stable temperature environments.
  • Avoid humid areas like bathrooms.
  • Expect some color fading over many years, even with best preservation.
  • Handle minimally, as dried flowers are extremely fragile.

Alternative Ideas

If full bouquet preservation isn’t feasible, consider:

  • Preserving just a few key blooms in resin jewelry.
  • Pressing several flowers to give as gifts to wedding party members.
  • Saving and drying just the ribbon or wrapping.
  • Taking a single preserved rose for a shadow box with your invitation and photos.
  • Having petals incorporated into handmade paper for thank-you notes.

Final Tips

The key to successful preservation is acting quickly. The sooner you begin the preservation process after your wedding, the better your results will be. Consider having someone designated to care for your bouquet immediately after the reception ends. With proper preservation and care, your wedding bouquet can remain a beautiful reminder of your special day for decades to come.