Franklin Dean
Wedding bouquets are often preserved as keepsakes, and there are many ways to do this. Some people opt for DIY methods like drying, pressing, or freezing flowers, while others prefer to hire professionals to create paintings, illustrations, or resin blocks. Preserving flowers requires quick action to ensure freshness, and certain methods require craft skills and expertise. Planning ahead and deciding on a preservation method before the wedding can help ensure a successful outcome.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preservation methods | Air-drying, pressing, silica gel dip, resin, wax dip, freeze-drying, painting, framing |
| Timing | Some methods require quick action, e.g. air-drying should be done when petals are vibrant and colourful |
| Skill level | Some methods are simple DIY projects, while others require professional help |
| Display options | Framing, creating wreaths or vase arrangements, resin products, wax-dipped flowers |
| Travel considerations | Transporting flowers while travelling may be challenging due to legality and baggage concerns |
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Drying flowers
If you want to preserve the colour of your flowers, you can try using silica crystals, which can be purchased from hobby shops. This method involves submerging the flower heads in the crystals and will not preserve the stems.
Another option is to press the flowers. While this method will not preserve the original shape of the flowers, it is a nice, simple way to keep them. You can also create a custom commemorative piece of art that features your preserved bouquet, such as a framed display or a hand-drawn or painted version of your bouquet.
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Pressing flowers
One way to press flowers is to use a flower pressing kit. The kit provides layers of paper and a Velcro strap to press it all together. You can decide whether to press the flowers petal by petal, whole, or a mix of both. For whole flowers, you can trim the bulky parts and remove some petals so that they lay flatter. It is also important to note that some flowers press better than others. For example, purple, pink, and blue flowers tend to press well, while white flowers do not.
Another way to press flowers is to use wax paper and heavy books. You can place the flowers between the pages of a heavy book, ensuring that there is wax paper between the book and the flowers. This method may be accelerated by hot and dry weather.
You can also press flowers using a microwave. First, lay your stems out on a paper towel, spacing them out evenly. Once you have laid out the stems, put the cloth or paper towel on cardboard. This method requires a couple of hours of dedication.
After pressing the flowers, you can place them in a frame to display them. You can also include a photograph or invitation from your wedding in the frame. It is important to note that pressed flowers will eventually fade, so it is best to keep them away from direct sunlight to prolong their color.
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Wax-dipping flowers
Wax-dipping is an excellent way to preserve your wedding bouquet flowers. The process is simple and can be done at home, allowing you to cherish your special day for years to come. Here is a step-by-step guide to creating your own wax-dipped flowers:
Prepare the Flowers:
Start by choosing flowers that are in good condition, preferably with sturdy petals. Remove any excess foliage, thorns, and damaged parts from the flowers. It is best to do this preparation shortly before or after the wedding to ensure the flowers are in their best condition.
Melt the Wax:
The next step is to melt your chosen wax. You can use paraffin wax, beeswax, or soy wax. Melt the wax in a double boiler over low heat or use a microwave-safe container, melting it in short intervals and stirring between each interval. Keep the wax temperature at around 100° F, using a candy thermometer to monitor it.
Dip the Flowers:
Now you are ready to dip your flowers. Hold them by their stems and carefully immerse the blooms in the melted wax. Experiment with different dipping techniques to achieve the desired wax coverage and texture. Remember that some flowers with delicate petals might not be suitable, as the wax can alter their appearance.
Cooling and Display:
After dipping, place the stems in a bottle or vase to cool. Wax-preserved flowers are relatively fragile, so handle them gently. You can display them in a sweet bird's nest dish or get creative and incorporate them into various crafts or displays.
Additional Tips:
If you have many flowers to dip, continue melting the wax in short increments and adding more wax flakes as needed. The goal is to create a lifelike appearance, so take care not to overheat the wax, as this can affect its clarity. Additionally, consider cutting the stems to 8-10 inches to make dipping easier.
With these steps, you can create beautifully preserved wax-dipped flowers from your wedding bouquet, capturing the essence of your special day.
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Freezing flowers
Freezing is a great way to preserve your wedding bouquet. It is a fast and effective method that can help retain the original appearance of the flowers, including their colour and shape. Here is a step-by-step guide to freezing your wedding flowers:
Preparation:
First, cut the stems of your flowers with a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, being careful not to smash or pierce the stems. Then, place the flowers in a vase or container with room-temperature water and let them absorb the water for about 12 hours. This step ensures that the flowers absorb enough water to retain their full shape during the drying process.
Next, remove the leaves and cut the stems to your desired length. Consider removing most of the stem as the shorter the stem, the faster the freeze-drying process will be.
Freezing:
Take apart your bouquet so that the flowers can lay in a single layer on the dryer trays. It is okay if the flowers touch each other, but it is best to space them out. Most freeze dryer machines can accommodate about three trays at once, so there is no need to crowd the flowers onto one tray. Ensure that the flowers do not exceed the height of the tray edges.
Place the trays into the freeze dryer, cover the door with the provided blackout cover, and seal the door tightly. The blackout cover provides extra insulation for the freezing process.
Professional Service:
Freeze drying flowers can be a costly and time-consuming process, requiring specialised equipment that can freeze flowers well below freezing temperature. Unless you plan to freeze dry flowers regularly, it is more cost-effective to use a professional service. They will have the necessary equipment to freeze the flowers quickly and effectively, preserving their original brightness and colour.
Post-Freezing:
Once the flowers are completely frozen, they can be transferred to a freeze-dry chamber, where a vacuum pump slowly removes the moisture and ice crystals from the flower cells. This process, called sublimation, converts the ice crystals from a solid to a gaseous state without passing through the liquid phase.
Finally, you can place your freeze-dried flowers into a frame or shadow box to display and enjoy them for years to come.
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Painting flowers
One option for what to do with your wedding bouquet is to have it painted. You could hire an artist to do this, or you could paint it yourself. Here is a step-by-step guide to painting flowers for beginners using either oils or watercolours.
If you're using oils, begin by applying thick, dark paint for the shadows, scraping and smoothing with a palette knife and varying the colour mix. You can then blend with kitchen roll to create a softer, fluffier texture for the grasses. Use a selection of greens for the grasses, and mix in some purples for the shadows. After leaving this to dry, you can resume work with the palette knife, using a toothbrush to flick on some fine marks to imply movement.
Start by tracing the outlines of the flowers in pencil, using a template. Mask the flower shapes to protect them while painting the background. You can use masking fluid (liquid latex) and a synthetic brush to do this. Leave the masking fluid to dry for a few minutes, then paint the background. To enhance the flowers as the focus of the painting, use hard-edged detail (glazing), while keeping the background loose and abstract.
General Tips
- Use analogous colours (hues that are close to each other on the colour wheel) to produce a harmonious gradient of hues.
- Choose a time when you can be calm without interruptions.
- Work in a clear, uncluttered space near natural light if possible.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to preserve your wedding bouquet, including air-drying, pressing, silica gel dip, resin, wax dip, and freeze-drying. You can also opt for professional services that offer bouquet preservation in the form of paintings, framed art, or illustrations.
To air-dry your wedding bouquet, cut away any tape or ties. Hang the stems one by one, upside down, in a dry and temperate area. Let the flowers air-dry for at least a week or longer if it is cool. You can then arrange the dried flowers in a vase or create a wreath.
To press your wedding bouquet, select the flowers you want to press and spread them out on clean wax paper. Arrange them in a way that you are happy with as you won't be able to manipulate them once they are dried and pressed. Place the wax paper with the flowers inside the pages of a heavy book and weigh it down. Leave it to dry for about 7 to 10 days. Once dry, you can frame the flowers or display them as you wish.
Silica gel is a desiccant that absorbs moisture and acts as a drying agent. It accelerates the drying process of flowers while preserving their form and color. You can dry your flowers for 2 to 7 days, depending on their moisture level.
You can search online or on social media platforms like Instagram to find professionals offering bouquet preservation services. These services include creating commemorative pieces of art, paintings, or framed displays of your bouquet.
