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Bridal Bouquet Flowers: Flower Preservation
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Published: November 30, 2006
Wedding planning takes months of preparation. The big day, however, merely lasts a few hours. For this reason, many brides wish to savor every part of the planning process, down to the bridal bouquet.
Without a recognized flower preservation method, bridal bouquets begin to fall apart, wilt and otherwise deteriorate within six to 12 months.
For this reason, there are a myriad of different wedding bouquet preservation techniques including freeze drying, air drying, pressing and chemically maintaining wedding flowers.
Freeze dried flower preservation produces the most natural-looking results. Flowers will not appear brittle or lifeless; instead, properly freeze-dried bridal bouquets retain the vitality they held during the ceremony. According to Good Housekeeping, vacuum freeze drying produces the most natural-looking and long-lasting flower preservation results.
The freeze drying process, which takes three to four weeks to complete, begins with floral re-hydration. The bridal bouquet is photographed, dismantled and each flower is put in an individual re-hydration solution. This allows life to flow back into the flowers, so each can be preserved at their peak appearance. Next, flowers in the bridal bouquet are treated with one of 14 different solutions meant to open the cell structure of the flower, enabling it to better hold its color.
Once the freeze-drying process begins, the bridal bouquet remains under a vacuum for 10 to 17 days. The final step is color enhancement and sealing. A wire stem is added to reinforce the wedding flower's natural structure and a polymer coating is applied to protect the bridal bouquet from sunlight and moisture damage.
Freeze-dried flower preservation for bridal bouquets can cost anywhere between $160 and $700, depending on the amount and type of flower, as well as the intricateness of the display. These prices include display, preservation, replacement ribbon and a consultation with a flower preservation expert. Some companies, like Heller & Reid, will replace up to five damaged flowers free of cost. Any additional replacements cost $2 per flower.
If a bride chooses to have her wedding bouquet pressed, the original silhouette of the bouquet will be maintained. In this method, the bridal bouquet is dismantled, the wedding flowers are pressed and the bouquet is rearranged and framed. Pressing flowers works best on smaller blossoms, such as petunias, violas and daises, and last a lifetime.
It generally takes two weeks to have a bridal bouquet professionally pressed; however, a bride can choose to press the wedding flowers herself. To do this, individually press each flower between sheets of blotting paper. Put the flowers into a press, which can be created from two heavy boards. Flowers take approximately two weeks to completely dry out.
Air drying is another at-home method of bridal bouquet flower preservation. To do this, divide the flowers into smaller bunches and remove the leaves. Tie the stems with twine, wire or rubber bands and hang the bundles upside down in a dark and dry climate. The wedding flowers should dry within two weeks. This method of flower preservation is free, so it works well for budget-conscious brides; however, dried flowers quickly become brittle, lose their shape and often have a short life span.
Silica gel is another method of flower preservation for brides to consider. A white, sand-like powder, silica gel was created for floral drying. Silica gel can be found at most hobby or floral shops. A quick method for flower preservation, most flowers treated with silica gel dry within a week. Silica gel drying can be done professionally or at home. It usually takes three pounds of silica gel in order to dry 12 average-sized flowers.
Once dried, there are many ways for brides to display their wedding bouquets. Cascading bridal bouquets generally are displayed from a top view, while side views are used on smaller flower arrangements. Oftentimes, displays will incorporate photographs of the wedding party.
Choosing a frame is the final touch to make a truly personal bridal bouquet display. Circular, oval and square frames are available in a variety of colors. The frame color should be carefully chosen to complement the wedding flowers' colors. For example, a cherry frame looks good with rust, yellow, pink and white flowers. Gold frames look best with yellow, rust, gold or red flowers. Neutral colors, like black and silver, will work well with any color arrangement.
No matter the wedding flower preservation method, bridal bouquets require care and maintenance. Never display preserved wedding bouquets in direct sunlight or near a heat source. Also, keep the flowers away from humid areas, such as bathrooms.
Sources:
Heller & Reid Bouquet Preservation. 2002. 27 Nov. 2006.
"How to Preserve a Wedding Bouquet." 2006. eHow. 27 Nov. 2006.
Reid, Kathy. "Flower Preservation…the Options and the Results!" 2006. The Massachusetts Wedding Guide. 27 Nov. 2006.
Without a recognized flower preservation method, bridal bouquets begin to fall apart, wilt and otherwise deteriorate within six to 12 months.
Related Articles
Freeze dried flower preservation produces the most natural-looking results. Flowers will not appear brittle or lifeless; instead, properly freeze-dried bridal bouquets retain the vitality they held during the ceremony. According to Good Housekeeping, vacuum freeze drying produces the most natural-looking and long-lasting flower preservation results.
The freeze drying process, which takes three to four weeks to complete, begins with floral re-hydration. The bridal bouquet is photographed, dismantled and each flower is put in an individual re-hydration solution. This allows life to flow back into the flowers, so each can be preserved at their peak appearance. Next, flowers in the bridal bouquet are treated with one of 14 different solutions meant to open the cell structure of the flower, enabling it to better hold its color.
Once the freeze-drying process begins, the bridal bouquet remains under a vacuum for 10 to 17 days. The final step is color enhancement and sealing. A wire stem is added to reinforce the wedding flower's natural structure and a polymer coating is applied to protect the bridal bouquet from sunlight and moisture damage.
Freeze-dried flower preservation for bridal bouquets can cost anywhere between $160 and $700, depending on the amount and type of flower, as well as the intricateness of the display. These prices include display, preservation, replacement ribbon and a consultation with a flower preservation expert. Some companies, like Heller & Reid, will replace up to five damaged flowers free of cost. Any additional replacements cost $2 per flower.
If a bride chooses to have her wedding bouquet pressed, the original silhouette of the bouquet will be maintained. In this method, the bridal bouquet is dismantled, the wedding flowers are pressed and the bouquet is rearranged and framed. Pressing flowers works best on smaller blossoms, such as petunias, violas and daises, and last a lifetime.
It generally takes two weeks to have a bridal bouquet professionally pressed; however, a bride can choose to press the wedding flowers herself. To do this, individually press each flower between sheets of blotting paper. Put the flowers into a press, which can be created from two heavy boards. Flowers take approximately two weeks to completely dry out.
Air drying is another at-home method of bridal bouquet flower preservation. To do this, divide the flowers into smaller bunches and remove the leaves. Tie the stems with twine, wire or rubber bands and hang the bundles upside down in a dark and dry climate. The wedding flowers should dry within two weeks. This method of flower preservation is free, so it works well for budget-conscious brides; however, dried flowers quickly become brittle, lose their shape and often have a short life span.
Silica gel is another method of flower preservation for brides to consider. A white, sand-like powder, silica gel was created for floral drying. Silica gel can be found at most hobby or floral shops. A quick method for flower preservation, most flowers treated with silica gel dry within a week. Silica gel drying can be done professionally or at home. It usually takes three pounds of silica gel in order to dry 12 average-sized flowers.
Once dried, there are many ways for brides to display their wedding bouquets. Cascading bridal bouquets generally are displayed from a top view, while side views are used on smaller flower arrangements. Oftentimes, displays will incorporate photographs of the wedding party.
Choosing a frame is the final touch to make a truly personal bridal bouquet display. Circular, oval and square frames are available in a variety of colors. The frame color should be carefully chosen to complement the wedding flowers' colors. For example, a cherry frame looks good with rust, yellow, pink and white flowers. Gold frames look best with yellow, rust, gold or red flowers. Neutral colors, like black and silver, will work well with any color arrangement.
No matter the wedding flower preservation method, bridal bouquets require care and maintenance. Never display preserved wedding bouquets in direct sunlight or near a heat source. Also, keep the flowers away from humid areas, such as bathrooms.
Sources:
Heller & Reid Bouquet Preservation. 2002. 27 Nov. 2006.
"How to Preserve a Wedding Bouquet." 2006. eHow. 27 Nov. 2006.
Reid, Kathy. "Flower Preservation…the Options and the Results!" 2006. The Massachusetts Wedding Guide. 27 Nov. 2006.
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