Mountain View Freeze Dry presents…
Perfect Bridal Bouquet Preservation…What You Need to K=
now!
b=
y Deborah McCoy, President American Academy of We=
dding
Professionals™ Ó 2008, AAWP. All rights
reserved.
There are many different wa=
ys
to preserve bridal bouquets but some are better than others. So what’s
the best way? Let’s start with air drying.
Any bride can air dry a bouquet, meaning the flowers dry out on their own. S=
ome
hang their bouquets upside down to let them air and some even spray their
bouquets with hairspray—although it’s doubtful that the latter =
will
have any benefit. And there are downsides. Flowers that dry naturally lose =
their
shape, size and color—and eventually will turn brown. It’s also
essential that the flowers be aired in a cool, dry room and kept dry and co=
ol,
otherwise they’ll mold. In conclusion, this is not an option for those
serious about preserving their bridal bouquets, in as close to their origin=
al
beauty as possible.
![](3D"PerfectBridalBouquetPreservation_files/image002.jpg")
The next option is silica sand drying.
Available at most crafts’ stores, drying sand requires that the bride
bury her bouquet into the grainy crystals. You can imagine the damage that =
this
might cause the delicate blooms that make up a bouquet and besides,<=
span
style=3D'font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> t=
here’s
no guarantee that the flowers will dry as beautifully as when you stuck the=
m in
that bucket, not to mention the loose sand you’re going to find in the
frame once the bouquet is mounted.
There’s even more to
think about. You need to buy lots of silica sand to accommodate the size of
your bouquet. And without experience, you may crush the flowers due to the
weight of the sand when the bouquet is removed from the crystals. On top of=
it,
this stuff is expensive—and the dust that emanates from it, may be a health concern. (Read all manufacturers&#=
8217;
warnings before purchase.) In summary: You may find it less expensive and
troublesome to have your bridal bouquet professionally dried.
Flower pressing is our next
alternative and it’s self-explanatory. Everyone’s seen their
grandmother or mom press a flower (as a keepsake) in their favorite book of
poetry or their Bible. Now let’s take it a step further and press the
bridal bouquet into a pleasing design that may be framed. Naturally, this
can’t be done using a book so you’ll need to hire a professional
who works with a drying press for best results.
The last option is
freeze-drying, used for example, by the Mountain View Freeze Dry company. U=
sing
the latest technology, bridal flowers are instantly frozen within a vacuum
chamber, which optimally maintains their shape, size, and color. This proce=
ss
also preserves their lifelike look and once displayed, the flowers will keep
their beauty and be free of environmental pollutants, dust, humidity, and
insects. Additionally, the glass in which the bouquets are encased and seal=
ed,
filters harmful UV rays that cause blooms to fade. You can now understand w=
hy
your bouquet will remain a treasured heirloom for years to come and why
freeze-drying is the best option for bridal bouquet preservation.
For optimum results, bridal
bouquets should be shipped to Mountain View Freeze Dry, overnight, the Mond=
ay
following the wedding, guaranteeing that your flowers will be their freshes=
t when
they begin the preservation process.
![](3D"PerfectBridalBouquetPreservation_files/image003.gif")
De=
borah
McCoy is the author of four, major bridal reference books for mainstream
publishers, and is the author of the premier course on how to become a
professional wedding planner. www.aa-wp.com
![](3D"PerfectBridalBouquetPreservation_files/image005.gif")
<=
o:p>