Just Married? How long will my flowers last?
I get this question at least once a week - My wedding was last weekend, can I still preserve my flowers?
The short answer is YES! There’s still time to preserve your bouquet, but there are many factors that determine the next steps if you want to preserve your flowers:
How fresh were your flowers on your wedding day?
Do you have cascading or traditional stem bouquet? Cascading is held together with wire and green foam where a posy or traditional bouquet has stems the same length and can still be placed in a vase of water.
How was the bouquet treated during and after your wedding?
What types of flowers do you have?
What are you looking for in your preserved artwork?
In my experience, the most popular wedding flowers, like roses, peonies, orchids, and calla lilies will look good and preserve well for about 10 days after being cut from the farm. If your flowers are locally sourced or minimal time has lapsed from cutting until your wedding day, they have a better chance of preserving well. As a result, most wedding flowers can hold their beauty for up to a week after your wedding day except for cascading bouquets that can only hold their freshness for up to three days. However, freshness is also impacted by heat, bruising, storage conditions, time in water, and more.
After your wedding day, do your best to avoid accelerating decomposition by:
Keeping your flowers in shaded and cool area (orchids prefer the opposite and do well with bright light and humidity)
Never wrapping them in plastic as suffocating them accelerates decomposition
Trimming the stems by less than an inch and setting the stems in fresh water daily
Expedite the time to professional drying and treat your flowers with care:
Using an alternative bouquet if you’re doing a flower toss
Ensuring your preservationist is available and complete all agreement steps first
Following these six-steps for flower shipping
Hand delivering or use overnight shipping
Assigning the task of shipping/delivery to your maid-of-honor or family members If you can’t care for your flowers
Flowers have unique attributes and personalities, some last longer than others. If time is against you, be prepared to accept that:
White flowers will begin to turn yellow-brown
Delicate flowers, like orchids, anemones, and lilies, wilt faster and develop clear spots if bruised
Roses and peonies will open and lay flat
All of the above assume that you want to preserve the exact flowers from your day with the most vibrant colors possible. Many of my clients have alternative visions for their preservation, like:
Air drying at home first, which results in a more nostalgic look with darker colors and browns instead of vibrant greens and colors
Sending centerpieces and decorative flowers so there are more blooms to enhance the final artwork
Sending cake toppers, charms, and heirlooms with your flowers to preserve together
Requesting replacement blooms if certain flowers are past the point of saving
Requesting a complete recreation or alternative flower choices
My goal is to ensure that your precious memories are preserved for a lifetime. I want every client’s custom artwork to always reminded them of the joy and love on their special day. Whether you were married yesterday or years ago, I would be honored to find the best way to create the floral artwork that always remind you and your family of your love.