Wedding bouquets are not only beautiful and fragrant, but they also symbolise love, hope, and new beginnings. For brides, their wedding bouquet is often one of the most cherished items from their wedding day. Unfortunately, bouquets don't last forever. But with proper care and preservation, you can keep your wedding bouquet looking beautiful for years to come.
So you’ve spent months or even years planning your dream wedding, saving up money and spending endless hours creating the perfect day. You have photos and videos to reminisce on, but what about that wedding bouquet you spent all of that time picking out or putting together? What if we told you there was a way (or two) that means you could keep that arrangement forever!
Wedding bouquet preservation is a great way to cherish those stunning flowers and have them on display in your home for years.
We've have found four simple, affordable ways on how to preserve your wedding bouquet. We don't believe you should throw your bouquet away, as all of that time, money and memories deserve to be on display forever (or for 6 years at least).
Then, you can enjoy decorating with flowers once they have been preserved!
There are several ways to preserve your wedding bouquet. You can press flowers, dry them, or have them preserved in a shadow box. Whatever method you choose, make sure to take care of your bouquet so that it lasts for years to come.
How to Preserve Wedding Bouquet:
- Press the flowers
- Air-dry the bouquet
- Use silica gel
- Preserve with resin
1. Pressing Flowers
One of the simplest ways to preserve your wedding bouquet is to press the flowers. This can be done by placing the blooms between two sheets of paper and then putting them in a heavy book. Make sure to check on the flowers every few days to make sure they are drying properly. Once they are dry, you can frame them or use them to make a collage.
How to Press Flowers
The easiest and quickest way to press flowers is to use a book.
- Place each flower between two pieces of baking paper, within the pages of the book. Depending on the size of the book, you can press multiple flowers at once. If you are pressing multiple flowers, ensure they are spaced out enough so the moisture doesn't transfer between each flower.
- Then, get some more books or an object that is heavy (like a brick) to gently place on top of the closed book containing the flowers.
- Change the baking paper sheets every few days to absorb moisture. After two or three weeks, the flowers will be completely dry. When removing, use a pair of tweezers or gently pick up with your hands.
Place the pressed flowers in a frame or look into pressed flower jewellery, phone cases, and more.
2. Drying Flowers
Another popular method for preserving wedding bouquets is to dry the flowers. Learning how to dry flowers is very easy and it would have to hands down be the easiest way to preserve flowers. Drying flowers is another popular and very simple way to preserve your wedding bouquet. Anyone can air-dry flowers, all you need is a few things and a well ventilated, dark room.
How to Air Dry Flowers
- Hang your flowers upside down in a dark, cool, and dry place.
- Place each flower individually on a wire hanger or coat hanger.
- Group several smaller flowers together and tie them with string or ribbon.
- Once the flowers are dry (this could take anywhere from one to two weeks), you can place them in a vase, frame them, or create dried flower arrangements.
3. Preserve with Silica Gel
Remember those sachets you find in a new handbag or packet of taco wraps that says 'DO NOT EAT'? They are a product called silica gel which is used to absorb any moisture and humidity to keep food and products from spoiling. Silica gel looks similar to sand or salt and can be found online, at Bunnings and many other stores.
How to dry flowers with silica gel
Form a base of silica gel in an airtight container and place the flowers in amongst the product. Then, gently pour the silica gel around the petals, making sure the shape of the flower isn't compromised. Keep filling until the container is full to the top, and seal it with the lid.
Your flowers will look bright as silica gel preserves the colour of the flowers nicely. The flowers will take about a week to preserve, then take them out of the silica gel and spray with hairspray.
4. Use Epoxy Resin
Another great, yet a little more time-consuming way to preserve your bouquet is with epoxy resin. You can use clear, epoxy resin to preserve your flowers in various shapes.
How to preserve flowers with resin
Simply get a square (or shape of your choice) mould from a craft store, fill halfway with epoxy resin and carefully arrange the flowers in the liquid. Use more epoxy resin and fill to the top of the mould. Let it air dry and once you take the mould off, you will have a beautiful square box filled with your flowers.
We recommend doing some research and looking at some of the stunning art pieces that come out of this method such as these resin letters - they are gorgeous!
If you aren't up for getting some epoxy resin and getting to work, there are many different online stores who can do this for you.
Conclusion
No matter how you choose to preserve your wedding bouquet, make sure to do it soon after the wedding. The longer you wait, the more likely the flowers are to fade and lose their shape. With proper care and preservation, your wedding bouquet can be a beautiful reminder of your special day for years to come.
While we don't offer wedding bouquet preservation, we think it's a great idea to preserve those special flowers. And if you are going ahead with this DIY project, why not do the same for your bridesmaid bouquets and give them as a thank you gift!
Using one of these four ways to preserve your wedding bouquet is a great idea. Why not get crafty and turn your bouquet into an everlasting arrangement that you can feature in your home.
We love craft projects and would love to see your arrangements, simply tag us on Instagram or send us an email with your creation!