How to Plan Your Bouquet for Optimal Preservation
Your wedding bouquet is more than a bundle of blooms—it’s a piece of your story. And if you plan to preserve it, a little preparation before the big day makes all the difference. By choosing the right flowers, caring for them properly, and planning ahead with your wedding bouquet preservation artist, you’ll end up with a keepsake that stays beautiful for decades.
These tips will help your flowers look their very best!
1. Choose Flowers That Preserve Beautifully
Not all flowers dry or press equally well. When you’re planning your bouquet with preservation in mind, work with your florist to choose blooms known for their longevity and color retention.
Best flowers for preservation: roses, ranunculus, peonies, stock, delphinium, dahlias, sunflowers, hydrangea, larkspur, and eucalyptus. These blooms tend to hold up beautifully in pressed bouquet designs.
2. Tell Your Florist You’re Preserving Your Bouquet
Let your florist know early that you plan to preserve your bouquet. Florists can choose varieties and design styles that work wonderfully for drying or pressing. If you’re using Michigan-grown wedding flowers, many local varieties dry exceptionally well, creating vibrant preserved art.
They may recommend:
Long-lasting, preservation-friendly stems
Avoiding crowing glory or other hydrating chemicals and sprays.
Minimizing floral foam so blooms hydrate better
3. Hydrate Your Bouquet for the Best Results
The fresher the bouquet, the better the final preserved piece. Keep your bouquet hydrated before and after the ceremony to prevent browning and wilting.
Hydration tips:
Keep the bouquet in water until you absolutely need it
Store it in a cool, shaded place
After photos, return it to water
Give all of your stems a fresh cut after your event and store in clean water.
This is especially important if you’re planning pressed flower frames where every petal detail counts.
4. Drop Off or Ship Your Bouquet Quickly
Timing is everything in bouquet preservation. The sooner we receive your flowers, the stronger their colors and structure will be.
After the wedding:
Place your bouquet in water
Give your blooms a fresh cut
Keep it cool
Never freeze it
Our studio offers local Michigan bouquet drop-off and priority shipping instructions for out-of-area brides.
5. Decide What Kind of Keepsake You Want
Thinking ahead about the final artwork helps your preservation artist choose the best blooms from your bouquet.
Popular options include:
Pressed flower frames
Wedding flower shadow boxes
Pressed flower ornaments
Dried flower décor for your home.
If you have a favorite bloom or specific layout style, we can highlight those in your finished wedding flower keepsake.
6. Trust the Preservation Process
Some color shifts are natural when flowers are dried or pressed—especially pinks, purples, and reds. But planning ahead helps ensure:
Better color retention
Stronger, fuller petals
Cleaner details
A polished, heirloom-quality finish
Your bouquet was meaningful on your wedding day. Preserving your bridal bouquet helps you keep that joy and beauty forever.
Final Thoughts
Planning ahead is the key to a stunning final piece and a little preparation ensures your bouquet becomes a piece of art you’ll treasure for years.
If you’re ready to book your date or ask a question about bouquet preservation, we’d love to help.
