How to Choose the Perfect Flowers for Preservation
Preserving your wedding bouquet is a wonderful way to remember your special day forever. Choosing the right flowers for preservation is crucial to ensure they look as beautiful in the years to come as they did on your wedding day. This guide will help you select the best flowers for long-lasting preservation, whether you’re considering pressing, drying, or resin preservation.
Why Flower Choice Matters in Preservation
Not all flowers preserve equally. Some flowers maintain their color, shape, and texture better than others. The type of preservation method you choose—whether pressing, drying, or encapsulating in resin—can also impact how your flowers will look over time.
Choosing the right flowers can make a difference in the longevity and appearance of your preserved bouquet. You want to pick flowers that not only hold sentimental value but also withstand the preservation process, leaving you with a keepsake you’ll cherish for years.
Flowers That Preserve Well
Here are some of the best flower types for preservation:
1. Roses:
Roses are classic wedding flowers, and they preserve beautifully. Their petals retain their shape and color during drying, making them perfect for resin preservation or drying in a shadow box.
2. Peonies:
Peonies are another great option due to their full, lush petals. Although they are more delicate, when properly preserved, their beauty can last a lifetime.
3. Hydrangeas:
Hydrangeas are excellent for preservation, especially for those who love flowers with texture. Their intricate clusters dry well and look stunning when preserved in shadow boxes or resin.
4. Baby’s Breath:
This delicate flower is often used as filler in wedding bouquets but holds its shape well during the preservation process. Baby’s Breath is a great accent for any preserved arrangement.
5. Lavender:
Lavender is perfect for both its visual appeal and fragrance. It dries naturally and preserves its form and scent, making it a wonderful addition to any preserved bouquet.
6. Carnations:
Carnations are sturdy flowers that dry and preserve well. Their durability makes them ideal for resin casting or pressing, holding their form and color over time.
Preservation Methods and Flower Selection
When selecting flowers for preservation, it’s important to consider the method of preservation. Different flowers respond better to certain techniques, so your choice of flowers might depend on how you want to preserve them.
Resin Preservation
For resin preservation, flowers with sturdy petals, like roses and carnations, work best. Delicate flowers with thin petals may become brittle over time or lose their vibrant colors when encapsulated in resin. Resin locks the flowers in a glass-like material, protecting their shape and appearance.
Pressing
Pressing flowers flattens them while preserving their natural beauty. Flowers like hydrangeas, roses, and lavender work well for pressing because they retain their color and form. Pressing is a great option for creating framed art or keepsakes, and flowers should be picked when they’re fresh to ensure the best results.
Drying
For brides who want to preserve their bouquet in a natural state, drying is an excellent option. Hanging flowers upside down in a cool, dark space allows them to maintain their shape while losing moisture. Flowers like baby’s breath, lavender, and carnations dry exceptionally well, creating long-lasting displays.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Flowers
Color Retention
Some flowers lose their vibrancy after being preserved. Flowers like roses, peonies, and carnations tend to keep their color well, while delicate blooms may fade over time. If color retention is important to you, select blooms that are known for maintaining their color post-preservation.
Petal Structure
Flowers with thicker petals, such as carnations or roses, tend to preserve better than those with thinner, more delicate petals like tulips. Delicate petals can become fragile during the drying or pressing process, so opting for flowers with a strong structure can enhance your final product.
Flower Size
Consider the size of the flowers in your bouquet. Larger blooms, such as peonies or sunflowers, may require more care in preservation, particularly if you plan to press them. Smaller blooms like roses and hydrangeas tend to preserve easily and can be arranged in various keepsakes.
Customizing Your Preserved Bouquet
One of the joys of preserving your wedding bouquet is that you can get creative with the final product. You can customize how your bouquet is displayed after preservation, adding a personal touch to the process.
Framed Art:
Pressed flowers are ideal for creating framed pieces of art that you can hang in your home. This type of preservation allows you to display the natural beauty of your wedding flowers in a meaningful and artistic way.
Resin Jewelry or Keepsakes:
Resin preservation lets you turn your flowers into keepsakes, such as coasters, ring holders, or jewelry. By choosing flowers with sturdy petals, you ensure that your resin keepsakes maintain their beauty over time.
Shadow Boxes:
For those who prefer a more traditional preservation method, dried flowers can be displayed in shadow boxes. This technique lets you preserve the bouquet in a natural, three-dimensional state, creating a stunning display that captures the essence of your wedding day.
Let’s Preserve Your Perfect Day Together
Choosing the right flowers for preservation ensures that your bouquet will last a lifetime. If you’re looking to preserve your wedding flowers, contact us to learn more about your options!
