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Here at Wildling Weddings, we’re all about celebrating the most magical day of your life in the most sustainable way possible.
(Not so) fun fact: the average wedding contributes a whopping 14,500 kg CO2eq (or 14.5 tonnes CO2e), which could be reduced by as much as half if more mindful choices were made.
So, with that in mind, one area to start with would be wedding flowers preservation. And not only will this benefit the planet – you’ll have a beautiful keepsake that will last you for years to come.
Wedding Flowers Preservation
Your wedding bouquet not only boasts the wow factor but it is also personal to you and your wedding. It embodies your style, wedding colours, and your particular favourite flowers.
But after the big day, so many brides just pop them into a vase of water where they’ll live – if they’re lucky – for maybe two weeks and then they’re gone.
Personally, we find this to be a tragedy! Especially as there are so many ways of giving more life to those beautiful blooms!
We thought we’d put together an article on how to turn your bridal bouquet into what it really is – a work of art!
Photography by Wildling Weddings
Pressed Florals
Pressing flowers isn’t just an old-time sentiment that our grannies loved to do during their girlhood – it’s a fantastic way to create the ultimate wedding keepsake.
When done carefully and with precision, your wedding bouquet can be pressed and framed – preserving it into a beautiful glass ornament that can be kept or turned into gifts for your loved ones.
If you don’t feel like framing them, they can be glued into your wedding scrapbook. The options are plentiful.
Not only is it super inexpensive (you can invest in a flower press kit or do it the old-fashioned way: using a heavy book!), but it’s easy-peasy.
If you choose to go down the DIY pressed florals road, you will need clean, unused parchment paper and a heavy book. Your parchment paper plays the important role of not getting ink on your petals.
Gently separate your flowers and place them gently in between the parchment paper, ensuring the opening of the flower is facing upwards. It’s wise to have your paper ready inside the middle of the book to avoid unnecessary handling.
With care, close your book and leave for a period of two to three weeks, being sure to keep the book in a warm, dry area. To speed up the process you can then weigh down the book with other heavy books or a paperweight.
This method of preservation is particularly beneficial for flowers with delicate petals, which may be damaged during other preservation processes.
DIY Wedding Bouquet Preservation
The great thing about wedding bouquet preservation is you can do it yourself using a variety of options that are both simple and inexpensive.
Air Drying
Ahh, the OG wedding flower preservation method! This option has stood the test of time and remains a popular option to this day.
It also has the added bonus of being a super cost-effective (and by ‘cost-effective’, we mean FREE) and user-friendly preservation method – what’s not to like about that?!
You can do this either as the whole bouquet or per individual flower, and all you will need is a warm, dry spot to hang the blooms upside down for several weeks (an airing cupboard is perfect).
Wherever you choose to hang the flowers, make sure they are out of view of direct sunlight. After about a week, your flowers will be dry, fully preserved, and ready to be arranged in a vase or as a wreath.
Be mindful that, although they are preserved, they will have lost a little of their original colour, and will also be more fragile, so keep them away from children/pets and damp or drafty areas.
Freeze Drying
Again, a simple and wallet-friendly method, and arguably the one that will ensure your flowers remain the truest to their original colour. You can either freeze dry your bouquet yourself or pay a company to do it.
If you go DIY, be mindful that you will need access to a freeze dryer – you cannot simply just chuck the flowers in your food freezer to live next to your tub of Häagen-Dazs for a couple of days!
To do it yourself, a little prep is required: make sure you trim the stems of your flowers, remove any leaves, and keep them in fresh water for circa 12 hours before the freezing process.
Potpourri
No, the potpourri game did not end in the 1980s, contrary to popular belief!
Potpourri is a great way to add a nice fragrance to your home without harsh chemicals or ozone-unfriendly aerosols. And you get the double bonus of getting to enjoy your bridal bouquet for longer!
To begin with, you will need to dry out your flowers (see earlier methods), as well as your favourite essential oil blend, a fixative (such as bark or wood chips), and a glass jar (a Kilner or apothecary jar is ideal).
Separate your flower heads/petals into a bowl and pop your fixatives into another. Add circa 10 drops of your essential oil onto the wood and then mix well with your flowers.
Place the mix into your glass jar and close the lid, keeping it here in divine fragrance mode for around six weeks, being sure to keep it away from sunlight.
Once the time period is up, you can pop your potpourri into a bowl and enjoy the fresh aroma for several months.
Be mindful that the lifespan of potpourri is less than a year, so this method isn’t ideal for those wanting to preserve and enjoy their wedding blooms for years to come.
Shadow Boxing
No, we’re not talking about the type of shadow boxing that involves a mean right hook!
For those wanting to preserve their bridal bouquet in its exact composition to maintain its OG look, a shadow box frame is the way to go.
To create this 3D piece of art you will need a shadow box big enough to fit the entire head of the bouquet, plus space to store it in your home.
This will likely mean you will need to hire a company to create a bespoke frame, which will need to be done before the wedding, as you will need to send your bouquet to the company within 3 days maximum to ensure accurate preservation – so think ahead!
There are a few things to consider when going down this route: one is that the process can take as long as 18 weeks, so patience is key here.
Also, this method isn’t ideal for large, open flowers, such as sunflowers, peonies, and large chrysanthemums.
Photography by Wildling Weddings
Wedding Bouquet Preservation Companies in the UK
Sustainable wedding solutions, the perfect keepsake, and supporting local trade?! Count us in!
Precious Petals LTD
These guys have been in the wedding flowers preservation biz since 1988, so they know their stuff.
Based in Bramley, England, Precious Petals is one of the leading flower preservation companies in the UK and has even been commissioned to press bridal flowers for the royal family.
The Flower Preservation Studio
The Flower Preservation Studio specialises in freeze-drying and framing your wedding bouquet, and will even take last-minute bookings – ideal for those wrapped up in their wedding prep and have lost track of time!
Based in Dorset, England, this company was established in 2005 and offers nationwide services for post-wedding bloom care all across the UK.
Sal’s Forever Flowers
The multi-award-winning Sal’s Forever Flowers offers services to couples all over the UK, of which include flower preservation for paperweights, afternoon tea coaster set, jewellery, shadow box frames, acrylic options, and packages.
Starting at just £10, this company works with a variety of artists to create the wedding bouquet to suit your desires.
Petals Preserved
Focusing predominantly on resin, Petals Preserved offers bespoke handmade resin products in an array of sizes – and with payment plans available.
Based in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, this female-run indie business offers the ultimate option for preserving your blooms with their wedding-day beauty encapsulated in clear, sturdy resin – and the results are truly stunning!
FAQ
The cost of preserving your wedding flowers varies from company to company and depends on certain aspects, such as the type of flowers involved and the specific service you require.
However, most wedding bouquet preservation services in the UK will typically start at around £35.
Preserving your wedding flowers is a great way to turn an important part of your wedding into a keepsake that can be admired every day.
Preserved flowers are low maintenance, can act as beautiful decorations to your home, and do not take up much space.
Sooner is better, as the decomposition process will occur fairly quickly, so it’s wise to have your wedding bouquet preserved within 3 – 5 days of your ceremony.
The longer you leave them, the more they will wilt and become unsightly, and the harder they will be to preserve owing to fragility and discolouration.
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