Preserving your wedding bouquet is such a sweet way to hold onto your wedding day—especially if you’re someone who values meaningful keepsakes. Whether you’re the crafty type or just curious about trying it yourself, DIY wedding flower preservation is totally doable with a little planning and care.
That said, there are a few things we’ve seen couples overlook when attempting to preserve their flowers at home. These four tips will help you avoid the most common mistakes and give your bouquet the best shot at turning into something beautiful and lasting.
- Don’t Toss Your Actual Bouquet
We get it—the bouquet toss is a tradition. But if you’re planning to preserve your original bouquet, you’ll want to set it aside and keep it safe. Wedding bouquets go through a lot over the course of the day, and by the end, they’ve probably been hugged, waved, danced with, and left in the sun. Tossing them across the dance floor can be the final straw for already-delicate blooms.
If the tradition is meaningful to you, just have your florist create a second, smaller bouquet for tossing. That way, you can keep your original one looking fresh and beautiful for preservation.
- Have a Flower-Sitter Lined Up
After the ceremony, you’re likely heading into a whirlwind of celebration, travel, or relaxation. Your bouquet needs attention during that time, or it might wilt before you get a chance to preserve it.
Ask someone you trust—maybe a sibling, friend, or your wedding planner—to care for the flowers once the party’s over. They can keep it in fresh water, away from heat, and prep it for pressing or drying when you’re ready. A few hours in the wrong conditions can make a big difference, so planning ahead really helps.
- Press or Dry Your Flowers Right Away
The sooner you begin preserving, the better. Waiting too long after your wedding can lead to petals fading, curling, or drying unevenly. Ideally, try to begin pressing or drying your flowers within a day or two after the wedding. If you’re traveling right after, have your designated helper get them started or safely pack them for shipping or transport.
And don’t forget: different flowers press differently. Thicker blooms may need to be split or trimmed, while some delicate petals can scorch in microwave presses. That leads us to the next tip…
- Practice First and Invest in the Right Materials
If you’ve never preserved flowers before, try a practice round before the big day. Grab a grocery store bouquet with flowers similar to what you’ll carry at your wedding and experiment with pressing or drying techniques. It’ll help you feel more confident when it’s time to preserve the real thing.
When it comes to framing, don’t skimp. Use archival-quality backing, non-reactive adhesives, and UV-protective glass or acrylic to help prevent yellowing and fading. Framing your flowers properly not only makes them look more polished—it helps them last for years without discoloring or breaking down.
And if all this sounds like a bit more than you want to handle on your own, you’re not alone. Plenty of couples start out planning to DIY, but end up handing things off to a pro. For a stress-free experience and guaranteed results, you can always explore professional wedding flower preservation as an alternative.
Whether you go the DIY route or choose to partner with an expert, the most important thing is that your bouquet gets the love and attention it deserves.
