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You can preserve your wedding bouquet as a nice memory of your big day and even use it as decoration in your home. You can either do it yourself or bring it to a professional to do it for you. There are three different ways you can perverse your wedding flowers and your bridal bouquet, a freeze-drying process, using silica gel method, or flower pressing. Each one works well at preserving your bouquet. Here are some tips for doing it professionally or by yourself.
Why You Should Avoid Preserving Flowers On Your Own
If you are planning on preserving your wedding bouquet, it is a good idea for you to not preserve flowers on your own. Unless it is something that you specialize in, chances are that you have absolutely no experience doing it. A wedding bouquet is something sacred, and therefore, you want to make sure that it gets preserved looking as nice as it possibly can.
You should be sure to take your flowers to a wedding florist or a company that specializes in preserving flowers by freeze-drying them. You will probably end up getting much better results than if you attempt preserving your flowers on your own. Many florists will include packages that allow you to send them the bouquet after the wedding and they will preserve it for you. Online websites are also available that allow you to send them the flowers and they will send them back to you preserved. There are also home kits that are available for purchase.
Professionally Is A Great Way For Flower Preservation
- Drop off the bouquet as soon after the wedding day as possible, the next day or the day after that. The sooner the better. If the floral arrangements are already dried out or damaged they may not be able to preserve it properly for you.
- To transport the bouquet you should store it in a Styrofoam cooler, which is very cheap to buy. Place some gel packs on the bottom of the cooler and then place tissue paper, wax paper, or paper towels on top of the gel packs.
- Next place the bouquet carefully inside making sure the gel packs do not touch the flowers as it could damage them. Pack the tissue paper or paper towels around the bouquet once they are safely in the Styrofoam cooler so they do not move around.
- Once you have delivered your bouquet to a professional you will have to wait until they are ready to be picked up.
- For freeze-drying it will take between 8-12 weeks.
- For silica gel, it will take between 6-8 weeks.
- For pressing it will also take between 6-8 weeks.
- The dried flowers will last your entire lifetime if you do not place them in direct sunlight, close to halogen lamps, and away from humidity.
DIY Preservation Process
- Make sure you are careful with the bouquet of fresh flowers to prevent any damage or bruising to the flowers. Then follow one of these steps to preserve the fresh bouquets for display and memories.
- You can purchase an airtight container and some silica gel from craft stores.
- Start by placing your actual flowers in a box and completely covering it with the silica gel.
- Leave it unopened for one full week (7 days) and it should be done.
- If you would like to place your bouquet in a frame to hang on your wall then follow these simple instructions.
- Separate the bouquet and place each flower between newspaper, or absorbent paper.
- Then cover the paper with heavy objects, like books to flatten the dry flowers.
- The easy way is to air-dry your fantastic blooms.
- Hang the beautiful flowers upside down in a warm, dry, dark environment.
- Leave it there until it is fully dried.
Other DIY Best Methods To Keep Your Wedding Flower Arrangement
There are other several different beautiful methods that you can choose to use if you decide to preserve your wedding bouquet on your own. Some of these methods may be easier for you to do than others. Here is a brief description of some of these methods.
Microwave drying is a preservation method
Microwave drying is a preservation method that is done by arranging a few thin flower blossoms between paper towels. You then heat them in the microwave for about one to two minutes and wait till they cool down. You will continue to repeat this method of preserving the flowers until the flowers are dry. Although this method is probably one of the easiest way, the results are often not the best.
Air drying is a preservation method
Air drying is a preservation method in which you hang your flowers upside down. The most important thing that you should know about this method is that to get the absolute best results, you should be sure to start drying out your flowers as soon as possible. If you wait too long, the petals of the flowers will begin to droop or fall off.
To air dry your flowers, you need to bundle the flowers together in small bunches, with a rubber band securing them at the ends. You need to make sure that you do not allow the blooms to touch one another. The amount of time that it will take to dry your flowers varies, but generally, it will take between five to ten days. To get the quickest, best results, you should hang your flowers in a room or closet that is both dry and dark.
What You Can Do With Your Preserved Wedding Bouquet
There are several different things that you can do with your wedding bouquet once it has been preserved. It can be used as a centrepiece on your kitchen table, or anywhere else that you want to put it. You can also display it as a reef or in a shadow box for a long time. Whatever you choose to do, make sure that it looks wonderful because these flowers will also have a significant meaning to you!
Displaying your Preserved wedding bouquet
Your wedding bouquet is a wonderful memento of that very special day. However, having your bouquet professionally preserved can be a costly and unnecessary expense. There is a way to preserve your wedding bouquet at home. After your wedding bouquet has been preserved and the entire process is done, there are also plenty of inexpensive display options for your beautiful piece of art.
You could line a box with a window with tissue paper and place the whole bouquet in the box as suggested on realsimple.com. This same website suggests that if you donít want to keep your whole bouquet, you have the option of removing some of the flower petals from the bouquet and pressing these petals between the pages of a book, such as the family Bible. There are also more unique ways to display your bouquet.
If you want to keep your entire bouquet of fresh blooms, a deep shadow box is a great idea. You can get shadow boxes at any craft store. There are also domes in which to keep your bouquet. Unlike the rather inexpensive shadow box counterpart, bouquet domes for a dried bouquet, while beautiful, cost around $100.
There are also unique ways to display flower petals or blooms from your delicate flower bouquet. You could place several flower petals or blooms in the frame containing your favorite wedding day photograph. You could also place a few flower petals or blooms in an acid-free scrapbook.
Perhaps the most inexpensive and creative way to display your wedding bouquet is by using an old, clear glass jar, such as a Ball jar or jelly jar that you already have on hand. Although time-consuming, the first step is to pull off all of the flower petals or blooms from your wedding bouquet. Next, place as many of the petals or blooms into the jar as will fit, then seal the jar. Next, decorate to your style. Some examples of materials to use include lace, ribbon, or even old scraps of fabric.
Preserving your wedding bouquet is a simple process as long as you remember to do your drying in a cool and dry place. Displaying your bouquet can be inexpensive, fun, and a way to express yourself.
Photo Credit: depositphotos.com
