Weddings are all about the details. The venue. The decor. The rentals. The flowers. The overall experience for your guests. Oftentimes, brides are so overwhelmed with deciding these details that they accidentally make mistakes, sometimes even big mistakes like forgetting to reserve your bouquet preservation! Having your bouquet preserved is an amazing way to commemorate your wedding. Not only will you have a beautiful piece to display in your new home with your spouse *swoon*, but will also have the most precious memories along with it. Read on to learn about the what is bouquet preservation along with the different types of bouquet preservation, when is the best time to schedule your preservation, how to schedule your bouquet preservation, and how to get your bouquet to your artist.
What is Bouquet Preservation?
Bouquet preservation is the process of storing your bouquet in a way that will protect its structure and keep it looking fresh for a lifetime. While a fresh bouquet is a beautiful keepsake after your wedding, it will inevitably wilt, brown, and web over time. By having you bouquet preserved, you can enjoy it for years to come without it losing its overall beauty. There are many different types of bouquet preservation techniques, including drying, pressing, and encasing in resin. Each method has its own benefits and risks, so it’s important to choose one that suits your flowers in your bouquet and personal style best.
Why is it important to have your Bouquet Preserved?
While your bouquet is still dew-fresh on the day of your wedding, it will quickly start to wilt and discolor immediately afterwards. The best way to preserve the beauty of your bouquet is by having it pressed, dried, or encased in resin. With these methods, you can transform your bouquet from wilted and wilting to a stunning focal-piece bouquet that will last a lifetime. Bouquet preservation also serves as a beautiful keepsake that you can display in your home forever. You can even have your artist create a flower shadow box to display your bouquet along with other wedding keepsakes like your wedding program and invitations. Because your bouquet is such a beautiful and meaningful piece, it’s important to preserve it so that you can keep it in pristine condition for years to come.
Types of Bouquet Preservation
There are a few methods of bouquet preservation, each with its own pros and cons. However, the most common forms of bouquet preservation include pressing, drying, and resin. Let’s take a closer look at each option.
Pressed - Pressing is the process of using heat and pressure to flatten and preserve your bouquet. When you have your bouquet pressed, it will be placed between large pieces of solid material and the moisture will leave the flowers as they flatten and preserve.
Drying - Air drying is a process that removes all the water from your bouquet by treating the blooms and greenery with some special concoction of preservation treatment and hanging them upside down in a climate controlled area to dry. With this method, your bouquet will change in color, typically dark colors will deepen and light colors will darken, like red will turn more purple and white will turn slightly yellow. Though still beautiful, this style is best suited for brides who want a more traditional and natural look, as well as those looking for a more economical option.
Resin - Resin preservation is the process that includes removing the blooms from the stems and placing them in silica gel for two to four weeks. Afterwards the flowers are designed in a mold and encased in resin in multiple layers. Each layer takes 24-48 hours to cure before more resin can be added so this process is very time consuming. This process takes the longest, requires the most material, and is the most expensive option with full pieces starting at a minimum of $350 and going to $995+.
3 Common Mistakes when it comes to Bouquet Preservation
The first and the most common mistake brides make is putting off reserving their bouquet preservation. Unfortunately, many brides are so caught up with the details of their wedding that they forget to prioritize reserving their preservation. This is bad because your preferred artist may be booked by the time you remember to reserve it. The second common mistake is not having someone else handle the logistics of having your bouquet preserved. It may seem like an easy task, but having your flowers shipped out to their respective preservation companies can be a stressful especially in a time crunch. Having your florist assist or your maid of honor help you navigate this process will ensure that it gets done. Lastly, the third most common mistake brides make is that they try to book their preservation after their wedding date. This is not ideal for a variety of reasons. First, your flowers will start to brown and wilt after the wedding so the end result may not be as good. Secondly, some companies require your bouquet to be received within 1 or 2 days of your wedding, so if it is days after that some companies may not take them. These are the main reasons, but there are definitely a few more. Read on to learn how to avoid these mistakes.
When is the Best Time to Schedule your Bouquet Preservation?
The best time to schedule your bouquet preservation is 3-6 months before your wedding (or even sooner-like right when you know your date). Because your bouquet will be wilted and wilting after your wedding, it’s best to get it to your artist as soon as possible. If you’re getting married in the summer or in a warm climate, it may be in your best interest to get it scheduled months prior to the wedding day so you have a plan for getting it to the artist quickly before the flowers start dying and the weather negatively affects them. While there are a variety of ways to preserve your bouquet, one thing is for certain: the sooner, the better! While it may be tempting to put it off until after your wedding, but if you wait too long to have your bouquet preserved, there’s a chance that it will wilt and die before it can be preserved or there is also a chance that your artist will be booked and not be able to preserve yours!
How to schedule your Bouquet Preservation
The first step to having your bouquet preserved is to find a preservation company. You can do a quick search online and find companies in your area that offer bouquet preservation services. Mackleys works with bouquets all across the country, so we highly recommend them especially because they offer all three types of preservation! Alternatively, you can ask your florist to recommend a preservation company they work with. Once you’ve found a few preservation companies, it’s time to reserve your date and pay your deposit to hold it, as well as choose the type of preservation you would like. Do you want to display it in a shadow box? Frame it with pressed flowers? Have it encased in resin? Most of the time you will be able to reserve your date online. The date you choose will be the date you plan to drop off your bouquet or the day your artist will receive it in the mail.
How to get your Bouquet to your Artist
While having your bouquet preserved is a wonderful idea, you may be wondering how to get it to your artist especially if there aren't any local options. It’s important to note that your bouquet will most likely have to travel across state lines to get to your preservation company. This means that it will have to travel by plane. To make sure your bouquet gets to its destination as quickly and safely as possible, you’ll want to pack it in a special bouquet box. There are a variety of bouquet boxes available on the market, but you can also make do with a regular shipping box and some packing peanuts.
Tips for Choosing the Right Bouquet Preservation Company
When choosing a bouquet preservation company, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure the company offers your preferred preservation type. Many only offer one kind. Secondly, make sure the company is in your budget. Prices vary by preservation type, location, and experience so research wisely and find the best company for you. Lastly, make sure the company offers affordable and competitive pricing. While preserving your bouquet is a wonderful idea, it can be costly. By choosing an affordable company, you will be able to preserve your bouquet without breaking the bank. But be careful, if you find a company that seems to be way cheaper than others, they may be a newer company with less experience or it may be a scam, so be careful.
Benefits of Bouquet Preservation
There are many benefits to preserving your bouquet. First, it will help your bouquet look great forever. You’ll have a beautiful piece to display in your home that will bring back the blissful memories of your wedding day. Even though scheduling the preserving your bouquet may seem like a daunting task, it’s an easy process that will be worth it in the long-run and you will be happy you did it.