Wedding
Bouquet Preservation…saver your special
memories of your wedding day through the preservation of your bridal bouque=
t!
An
article written by Brian Donaldson Co-Owner of
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There are several common flower drying methods to use.
Select the method that is right for you. The common methods are:
Air Drying
Flower Pressing
Silica Sand (Silica-Gel) Drying
Freeze Drying
Before selecting your drying method consider your bud=
get
and your expectations of how you would like your bouquet to look like after=
the
flowers are dried. As with anything nice, you will usually get what your pay
for.
Air drying is the least expensive as you simply allow
your flowers to dry up naturally. Air dried flowers will shrink considerabl=
y in
size; they will loose their original shape and in some instances will turn =
very
dark or black. Many people trying to air dry have noticed mold or rotted
flowers a few days after the wedding. While roses can be air dried, lilies =
and
orchids cannot be air dried. Many people have asked if they can hang flowers
upside down using hairspray if that will work? The answer is not to our
experience. Hairspray does not provide a thick enough coating to prevent fl=
ower
shedding. Hanging the flowers upside down does nothing to aid drying but may
help flowers from wilting downward with gravity, instead they will wilt
upwards? It is important to keep air circulation around the flowers as they=
dry
to try and prevent molding of the flowers. There is nothing wrong with havi=
ng
air-dried flowers. There you’re sentimental flowers and can be custom
framed along with your photo to make a beautiful decorative piece for you
walls.
Flower pressing is an art form dating back to ancient
times. Many old books may have flowers pressed and preserved between their =
pages
from years ago. There are flower pressing companies that will create beauti=
ful
framed art using flower presses. Framed pressed flowers are flat and allow =
the
use of flat picture frames and other types of flat displays for decorating =
in
your home. If you do not like the look of three dimensional flowers then yo=
u should
consider this drying method. Because of labor and materials prices for fram=
ed
pressed flowers can be as much as that of silica dried or freeze-dried.
Silica drying can produce good results with some flow=
ers but
not all flower varieties, sizes and shapes of flowers can be maintained wel=
l in
silica sand. For good results one should have experience using silica before
attempting to preserve a wedding bouquet. First check to see if your flower
types are known to dry well in silica before selecting this drying method. =
You
will need enough silica sand to bury each flower separately from your bouqu=
et. Flower
petals may detach with the weight of sand on the blooms. Silica can also be=
a
hazardous substance. One should carefully read warning labels and follow
directions when handling silica and avoid breathing its dust. The cost of p=
urchasing
enough silica sand to dry a large wedding bouquet may approach the cost of =
just
selecting a professional service to dry your flowers.
Freeze-drying is the latest technology for wedding
bouquet preservation. Orchids, lilies, and all varieties of flowers can be
freeze-dried with near perfect, life like results. Your flowers will keep m=
ost
of their size, shape, and color throughout the drying process and look
amazingly alive when dried. Unfortunately you cannot do this at home without
having an expensive vacuum freeze drying machine. Professional freeze dryin=
g of
your wedding bouquet will cost more than the other drying methods but if you
would like to save your wedding day blooms using the best drying method then
have your bouquet freeze dried. The fee to freeze dry a wedding bouquet may=
not
be much more than if your purchase enough silica sand to attempt the drying
yourself.
Lastly, the preservation of flowers is not only ̶=
0;the
drying method”. Preservation begins with the drying method used but p=
reservation
is really the methods and materials used to prolong and keep your flowers f=
or
years to come once they are dried.
The better the drying method; the better preservation=
encapsulation
your flowers should have. For instance; if you air dry flowers they will ne=
ver be
totally dry. The flowers will have whatever humidity amount in them that the
room air has in it. Similarly with pressed or silica dried flowers they will
not have all moisture removed when their drying process is complete. The ro=
om
humidity level whatever it is will remain in the flowers. When using these
methods your flowers will be dried at room temperature in regular room air =
that
has humidity. Flowers with humidity will not last their longest. Freeze-dri=
ed
flowers are dried in a vacuum chamber while frozen and are one hundred perc=
ent without
moisture when dry. Vacuum freeze drying is the only method that can do this=
.
Proper encapsulation in “sealed” preserva=
tion
framing ensures that the flowers will last their longest after they are dri=
ed.
Not all flower drying companies may provide this level of preservation for =
your
wedding flowers. Mountain View Freeze Dry provides shadowbox framing with
flowers in mind. We are a company that seals each frame and use UV filtering
glass allowing for flowers to last their longest. For more information on
floral freeze drying and framing of bridal bouquets please visit us online =
at www.mountainviewfreezedry.co=
m
or by phone at (603) 878-9190
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Fresh
Bouquet and the same
Bouquet
freeze-dried and preserved
in a sealed shadowbox frame