Standing among the vibrant blooms on a wedding day, there’s often a sense that they’re more than just decorations—they’re woven into the very fabric of the occasion, symbolizing love, joy, and unforgettable memories.
Preserving these flowers can feel like capturing a piece of that day, a way to keep their beauty alive as a lasting reminder of each special moment.
Also, let’s be honest, wedding flowers cost a fortune! This way the cost is more than just one day.
In this article, we’ll look at creative ways to keep your wedding flowers alive.
We’ll cover everything from flower pressing to modern resin art. Learn how to turn your special day into lasting keepsakes.
Introduction to Preserving Your Wedding Flowers
Preserving your wedding flowers is a beautiful way to keep memories of your special day.
Your bridal bouquet and the flowers that decorated your ceremony and reception can be turned into keepsakes.
These keepsakes let you relive the magic of your wedding for years.
Why Preserve Your Wedding Bouquet?
Preserving your wedding bouquet is a meaningful way to hold onto your wedding memories.
The flowers you carried or held during your vows represent the love and excitement of your big day.
By preserving these blooms, you can create a cherished memento to display or share with loved ones.
Types of Flower Preservation Methods
There are several ways to preserve your wedding flowers, each with its own benefits. Some popular options include:
- Flower pressing – This classic method allows you to flatten and dry your blooms, creating a beautiful and delicate keepsake.
- Drying bouquets – Hanging your bouquet or individual flowers to air-dry is a simple and effective way to preserve their shape and color.
- Silica gel drying – Burying your flowers in silica gel crystals helps to absorb moisture and maintain the integrity of the petals.
- Freeze-drying – This high-tech process preserves the three-dimensional structure of your flowers, ensuring they retain their original form.
- Floral resin embedments – Encapsulating your blooms in clear resin creates a unique and eye-catching display.
Each preservation method has its own advantages. The choice depends on your personal preferences and desired outcome.
In the following sections, we’ll explore these techniques in more detail.
This will help you decide which one is right for preserving your wedding flower preservation ideas, keepsake floral arrangements, and dried wedding bouquet.
Wedding Flower Preservation Ideas
Keeping your wedding flowers alive can bring back the joy of your big day. You can try flower pressing or floral resin embedments for a lasting memory. These methods let you enjoy your bouquet’s beauty for years.
Creating keepsake floral arrangements with dried wedding bouquet petals is a classic choice. It shows off the flowers in a beautiful way. For something new, floral keepsake shadowboxes let you display bridal bouquet petals in a unique frame.
Freeze-drying wedding flowers is a cool way to keep them looking real. It turns your flowers into a stunning floral resin embedment that’s like a piece of art.
Flower pressing techniques are simple yet elegant. They can make pressed flower jewelry and other keepsakes. Imagine wearing a piece of your wedding day or keeping a pressed bloom in a locket.
Choosing to preserve your wedding flowers is a special and fulfilling act.
With some creativity and the right methods, your bridal bouquet can become a treasured keepsake for life.
Pressing Flowers for Timeless Beauty
Flower pressing is a classic method. It involves flattening flowers between heavy books or in a flower press.
This way, you can make stunning, dried floral pieces that can be framed in a shadow box like above, used in scrapbooks, or even made into pressed flower jewelry.
Step-by-Step Guide to Flower Pressing
Pressing bridal bouquet petals is easy and rewarding. Here’s how to make your own keepsake floral arrangements:
- Choose the flowers you want to preserve. Roses, peonies, and baby’s breath are great for pressing.
- Gently clean and dry the flowers, getting rid of any extra moisture.
- Put the flowers between two clean, absorbent blotting papers or sheets of cardboard.
- Place the flowers in a heavy book or flower press, making sure they’re flat and not on top of each other.
- Close the book or press and let the flowers dry for 2-4 weeks. Check them now and then to replace the blotting papers.
- After they’re dry, carefully take out the pressed flowers. Mount them in a frame, scrapbook, or use them to make unique pressed flower jewelry.
With a bit of patience and care, you can turn your wedding flowers into beautiful, lasting keepsakes. These will always remind you of your special day.
Drying Bouquets: A Classic Approach
Drying your bouquet is a classic way to do this. It turns your delicate flowers into a beautiful, dried keepsake that lasts for years.
This is the easiest option but not always the nicest option. The flowers will go dry, lose their color and can be stiff.
To dry your wedding flowers, start by arranging them carefully. Make sure the stems are together and the flowers are shown off. Then, tie the stems with a ribbon or string.
Hang the bouquet upside down in a dry, dark, and well-ventilated spot.
After a couple of weeks, the flowers will dry out. You’ll have a beautiful, vintage floral arrangement. This can be used to make many keepsake floral arrangements and floral keepsake shadowboxes.
You can display it in a vase, use it in a shadow box, or make other keepsake floral arrangements.
“Preserving the beauty of your wedding flowers is a meaningful way to hold onto the memories of your special day.”
Silica Gel Drying Technique
The silica gel drying method is effective for keeping bridal bouquet petals fresh.
It helps your dried wedding bouquet keep its shape and colors, making it a lovely keepsake for years.
I would say this is the best technique and I am always surprised by how fresh and real the flowers still look. Some flowers work better than others though.
Advantages of Silica Gel Drying
The silica gel drying process has many benefits. It needs to be fine silica gel, I use this one.
It’s a gentle way to preserve flowers, keeping their delicate structures and colors intact.
Plus, you can reuse silica gel, which saves money.
Tips for Successful Silica Gel Drying
- Use a sturdy, airtight container to hold the flowers and silica gel, such as a plastic or glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Gently arrange the flowers in the container, ensuring they are not overcrowded or touching each other.
- Fully cover the flowers with a layer of silica gel, allowing the desiccant to surround and support the delicate blooms.
- Check the flowers periodically and add more silica gel if necessary to maintain an even coverage.
- Allow the flowers to dry for the recommended time, typically 1-2 weeks, before carefully removing them from the container.
Freeze-Drying: Preserving Flowers in 3D
Freeze-drying is a modern way to keep your wedding flowers alive.
It lets you keep the flowers’ three-dimensional shape, making beautiful keepsakes that last for years.
You must prearrange this before your wedding and send your bouquet off ASAP. It can be a costly option but it will give you a great quality preserved bouquet.
Understanding the Freeze-Drying Process
Freeze-drying, or lyophilization, is a special method. It freezes the flowers quickly and then removes water through sublimation.
This keeps the flowers’ natural shape, volume, and colors, preserving their beauty.
- The flowers are carefully selected and prepared, often with the stems removed.
- They are then placed in a freeze-drying chamber, where the temperature is lowered to extremely cold levels, typically around -40°C (-40°F).
- As the water in the flowers freezes, it is gradually removed through a process of sublimation, where the frozen water transitions directly from a solid to a gas, without passing through the liquid phase.
- This gentle, gradual drying process helps the flowers retain their natural shape, volume, and vivid hues, creating a stunning three-dimensional keepsake.
The result is a beautifully preserved floral masterpiece. It can be displayed in your home as a cherished memento of your special day.
Freeze-dried wedding flowers make for exceptional keepsake floral arrangements.
They can even be put into floral keepsake shadowboxes, keeping your wedding day memories alive for years.
Preserving flowers in resin
For a modern twist on keeping flowers, try encasing them in resin. I am a little obsessed with resin lately and think this is the best option.
You can use it as jewelry, decor, or a keepsake from your wedding.
One great thing about floral resin items is they last forever. Unlike dried flowers, they don’t fade or crumble. This makes them perfect for lasting wedding memories.
They’re a special way to keep your wedding memories alive. With some creativity, your wedding flowers can become beautiful keepsakes that remind you of your big day.
This option is not easy as getting the resin mix right and working quick enough while also reducing air bubble can be a challenge. If you plan to do this yourself I would suggest practising before the wedding and doing lots of research.
Or if you love the look there are lots of people who offer this as an option, her are some of our favourite:
Pressed Flower Jewelry and Keepsakes
Keeping your wedding flowers alive doesn’t have to stop with your bouquet.
You can press and encase delicate blooms to make beautiful, unique jewelry and keepsakes. These pieces let you hold onto your wedding day memories for years.
Creative Ideas for Pressed Flower Jewelry
Pressed flower jewelry is a touching way to keep your bridal bouquet petals alive.
You can make everything from elegant earrings and necklaces to chic brooches and rings.
Here are some creative ideas for making flower jewelry for your wedding and beyond:
- Pendant necklaces with a pressed flower center
- Resin-encased flower charms on a bracelet or keychain
- Delicate flower studs or drop earrings
- Pressed floral pins or brooches to add a touch to your wedding look
- Flower-adorned rings for a special and personalized keepsake floral arrangement
Each piece of pressed flower jewelry is unique, showing off the natural beauty of the flowers. You can use your bridal bouquet flowers or pick a special mix of petals from your wedding flowers.
Floral Keepsake Shadowboxes
Floral keepsake shadowboxes are a beautiful way to remember your big day. They let you arrange dried or pressed flowers in a frame, showing off your wedding bouquet’s beauty.
Shadowboxes are like three-dimensional canvases. They let you layer and arrange your flowers in a way that’s both beautiful and unique.
You can choose a simple design with one flower or a more complex one with many. Either way, it will be a stunning reminder of your wedding.
Creating your floral shadowbox is a fun and creative journey. You can play with different designs and textures.
Adding things like ribbons, lace, or small trinkets can make it even more special. The end result will be a beautiful piece that captures the essence of your wedding.
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