Guest Blog written by Wall Space. Looking to enjoy your beautiful bouquet long after your big day? In this article, Clare Price from Wall Space shares her tips on preserving your wedding flowers and gives us three unique presentation ideas.
Whether you’re having a small and intimate affair or a large and lavish ceremony, your wedding bouquet is no doubt a priority when planning the event. The flowers are a particularly special part of the big day for the couple. After all, brides hold their wedding flowers during one of the most important parts of the wedding — walking down the aisle! And with all the careful planning that goes into finding the perfect floral arrangement, from the colours to the shape of the bouquet, it would be a real shame to leave them to wilt.
Fortunately, there’s no need to say goodbye to your wedding flowers as there are plenty of ways to preserve and display them so you can enjoy seeing them every day. To help you make the most of your wedding bouquet, I’ve put together some advice on preserving your floral arrangement, as well as some creative presentation ideas.
How to dry your flowers
There are multiple ways to dry your wedding flowers, and the good news is that most of
them are relatively straightforward. The simplest and most popular method of drying is air
drying, which involves the following steps:
Prepare the flowers by removing damaged or very wilted petals.
Gather the flowers into small bunches and tie them with string or twine. Avoid packing the flowers too tightly as this can restrict air circulation.
Hang the small bunches upside down from a hanger, hook, or line in a dark, dry, and well-ventilated space, such as an attic or garage.
Leave the bouquet to dry for around 2–3 weeks. Check them periodically to ensure they are drying properly.
Another popular drying method is pressing flowers, which can be a particularly good option for those looking to get creative and use their wedding bouquet to make a framed piece of art. Follow the steps below to press your flowers:
Prepare the flowers by removing any damaged or very wilted petals.
Place the flowers between two sheets of absorbent paper.
Insert the paper with flowers inside a heavy book, or a flower press if you have one. If you are using books to press the flowers, add more books or weights on top to increase pressure.
Leave the flowers to press for 2–4 weeks. You should also check on the flowers every few days and change the paper if it becomes damp.
There are a few other drying methods which are popular amongst newlyweds, such as
microwave drying or oven drying. However, there is a higher chance that something may go
wrong which could lead to your flowers becoming damaged beyond repair, so I’d
recommend using one of the safer drying techniques.
Every bride and groom-to-be knows just how busy the lead-up to the big day is, so
preserving flowers after the ceremony may be the last thing on your mind. However, there
are a couple of things to bear in mind when ordering your bouquet which can help make the
preservation process easier. One request to make to the florist is to avoid using
preservatives on the bouquet. While this may seem counterproductive, spray preservatives
can cause your flowers to brown when pressed. You should also avoid doing the traditional
bouquet toss with the arrangement you want to preserve and instead have a backup
bouquet to toss.
The best flowers for drying
If you are still in the midst of deciding on your bouquet, you may want to think about the long
term and consider choosing the flowers based in part on how well they dry. The good news
is that there are plenty of perfect wedding florals which dry well, allowing you to enjoy your
bouquet on the big day and beyond. Here are some of the best flowers for drying to add to
your arrangement:
Roses
Sunflowers
Pansies
Hydrangeas
Lavender
Poppies
Marigolds
Proteas
Alliums
Coneflowers
Baby’s breath
3 ways to frame your bouquet
You now know how to dry your bouquet ready for presentation, but what is the best way to
display your wedding flowers at home? Below are three meaningful ways to present your
flowers to serve as a beautiful reminder of your special day.
1. With a wedding invitation
A wedding invitation is very special for most couples, as it gives their loved ones their first
glimpse into what to expect for the big day. So what better way to display your flowers than
with one of your wedding invitations? This perfectly captures every part of the event, from
the exciting lead-up with the invitation to the big day itself with the dried flowers.
To do this, simply keep one of your wedding invitations back and invest in a premium frame.
Once your dried flowers are ready, place the invitation in the middle of the frame and place
the dried flowers around it to create a beautiful border.
2. Create a wedding gallery wall
Your wedding day will of course be one of the most special days of your life, and you can
use your floral arrangements to make a whole wall of reminders of the special day. Framing
different parts of your bouquet to make a gallery wall is a tasteful and meaningful way to
have your special day on display in your home at all times. To create a gallery wall, simply
display parts of your bouquet in a few separate frames of varying sizes and hang them on
your wall. Complete the gallery wall with a couple of snaps from the big day, such as a photo
of you and your spouse and a photo with your nearest and dearest.
3. With your favourite photo from the big day
If you don’t have the space for a whole wedding wall but still want to keep your bouquet to
remember the special day, why not combine your favourite wedding photo of you and your
spouse with the dried flowers from the floral arrangement? Not only is this a great way to
display your bouquet, but it is perfect for adding a creative flair and a pop of colour to your
favourite wedding photos.
This is just as simple as displaying your bouquet with your wedding invitation. Simply place
your favourite couple’s wedding photo in a high-quality frame and surround the snap with
your dried flowers.
Your wedding is a day you will always want reminders of, and preserving and
displaying your bouquet is the perfect way to help yourself reminisce. Use the
preservation tips above and take inspiration from these bouquet display ideas to
enjoy the beauty of your wedding floral arrangement for years to come.
Smitten Weddings also recommends looking into artists who can preserve your flowers for you, such as these amazing suppliers: Fleur & Glass, Spring & Press, Flower Preservation Workshop, Suspended Petals, . Be sure to check out the blog for even more wedding ideas and news.
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