Your wedding bouquet is a very special part of your attire for your big day. As beautiful as they are, you are most likely spending more money on flowers than you thought was possible for just plants – so why not take a few steps to try to save your bouquet?
Photo: Brit + Co
First of all, there are two ways to preserve your flowers, and the method that you choose will depend on what you plan to do with the flowers. You can either dry them, which allows them to stay 3-dimensional, or you can press them, which will make them super flat.
Photo: Brit + Co
To dry your flowers – You can either do this process by individual stems or by a full bouquet. For individual stems, first pick off any leaves that you don’t want and trim the stem to desired length. Then, hang the flowers upside down and use string, rubber bands or unscented dental floss to tie the bottoms of the stems or bouquet to a clothes hanger. Hang them in a dark, dry place (closet, attic, basement) with some air circulation for two to three weeks until completely dry. You can then lightly spray the flowers with hairspray to protect them. This method is ideal for big, round flowers like roses that won't press flat very easily.
Photo: Etsy
To press your flowers – This method works better with less bulky flowers, like an orchid, as opposed to a thick and bulbous bud like a rose, however anything is possible. First, remove the bud from the stem, you won’t need the stems for this method. Then find a large book (preferably one that you don’t care too much about because there is a chance it might get a little messy). A dictionary or encyclopedia usually works well for this. Open up to a random page, lay a 3-5 layers of paper towels down, place the flower down, lay another 3-5 paper towels on top and close the book. Depending on how thick the book is, you can do a couple of these at once. Then close the book and weigh it down. Leave it for about a week and check on the flowers then. It may need more time. Be delicate with them when they are done, they will be very breakable!
Photo: Blooms Floral Artistry
Easy options to do with your preserved flowers – Put pressed ones in a picture frame, put dried ones in a shadow box, break them up into pieces and funnel them into a clear glass Christmas ornament, keep them in a mason jar adorned with ribbon or string, or arrange thin pressed flowers on top of the picture mat surrounding a picture from your wedding.
Photo: Bridal Guide Magazine
Photo: Pegeen
Photo: Pinterest
Advanced options to do with your preserved flowers – Make a resin paperweight with the flowers suspended in the middle, place the thin pressed flowers on a serving tray and cover in resin to preserve, make handmade paper, position your pressed flowers between two sheets of contact paper to make bookmarks, make a jewelry dish by pressing the thin flowers into bake-at-home clay.
Photo: Postris
Photo: Flower Preservation Workshop
Don’t settle for just photos of your bouquet post-wedding, make sure to keep it and repurpose it. It’s a little extra work but it can be very sentimental and worth it to preserve.