FAQ’s

• Can my flowers still be preserved if they are starting to wilt/dry out?

  Usually yes! In certain cases, these flowers may still be able to be preserved in shadow boxes, though the look may not appear as neat and organic as is typical for professional preservation methods. Depending on the type of flowers, some couples have chosen to replace some of the more damaged flowers and preserve a mix of original flowers from the wedding and new fresh ones to be more visually appealing. New flowers can usually be sourced for a fee.

  Brides who have dried their bouquets themselves have even brought their bouquet up to several years after the wedding to be displayed in a shadow box. Dull floral can usually be color corrected as well to increase vibrancy and create a color that will last a lifetime.

• How can I keep my flowers fresh until drop off?

  If you have access to a refrigerator, keep the entire bouquet in its vase of water and place in the refrigerator after the wedding until you are ready to drop off. If not, keep it in water in the coolest place available out of direct sunlight.
  

• Do you ship?

  Fresh flowers can be rush shipped overnight to PA Floral Preservation. Completed preservations can be shipped back anywhere in the continental US (client pays shipping).

• What bridal bouquet preservation frame styles do you offer?Flower preservation and design services include choice of frame or shadow box available in various sizes. Clients may select from the following design styles:

  • 2” deep wooden shadow box with glass front. Meant to highlight dried flowers maintaining natural shape. Available in white, wood, or black tones. Matching boutonniere boxes available. Custom shadow boxes are now being offered in a variety of metal and wood tones.

  • Reclaimed barn wood frame with regular or UV protective conservation glass panels. Ideal for displaying pressed florals. Available in natural or white wash.

  • Black or gold toned herbary keepsake frames in various shapes, including square, rectangle, or octagon. Keepsake frames highlight a small amount of pressed flowers.

  • New: modern more sleek metal floating frames available in black or gold tone and thin white, wood, or black wood floating frames available in full size.

  Custom frames are available in a variety of wood and metal options in sizes from 5×7 to 40×40.

• Should I go with pressed flowers or a shadow box?

  I recommend a shadow box if you want to include any charms or objects or your bouquet contains any of the following:
  1. Globe thistle, pine cones, echinacea, scabiosa, or any super thick flowers. Sometimes these can be preserved when flattened, but occasionally they cannot be included in pressed frames.
  
  I recommend a pressed frame if you have anthurium or chrysanthemums in your bouquet as they don’t hold up well in the drying chamber.

1. What keepsake items can be included in each floral preservation?

   • Hanging shadow boxes can contain wedding bouquets, invitations, photos, vows, swatches of dress fabric, groom boutonnieres, cuff links, hair pins, sea shells, etc. to be preserved.

   • Reclaimed barnwood frames have the option to include a photo, invitation, or vows, along with pressed wedding bouquet.

   • Most herbary frames are smaller and include only flowers.

• How do I reserve my floral preservation?
  
  Fill out the contact form here and see if your date is available. Once your date is confirmed, let me know what size and style preservation you are interested in so I can send you a quote and invoice. Once invoice is paid you will be on the books!
  

• How does payment work?

  Full payment must be rendered by date of flower drop off to reserve bouquet preservation. Couples may provide a 50% deposit to reserve dried floral work if booking for an event greater than 60 days away and complete the other 50% upon drop off. If booking for an event that is less than 60 days in advance or already happened, couples must complete full payment to reserve booking.
  Acceptable forms of payment include credit card, cash, check, and Venmo. A small processing fee of 3.5% is added to credit card payments on invoice.

• How do gift cards work?

  A loved one may submit an inquiry to purchase a preservation gift card by completing the form on this page. A digital version of the certificate will be emailed either to you or the couple per your choice. A decorative paper copy can also be mailed to you to gift the couple or directly to them for a processing fee of $2.

  Gift cards do not expire and can be used to completely cover the cost of one preservation service or as a contribution toward the service of the couple’s choosing. Full payment must be made at time of booking.

• When do I need to book my bouquet preservation service?

  It is best to book preservations as far in advance as possible. We are currently booking on average 3-6 months in advance. Depending on availability, bouquet preservation can also be booked a few days before or after the wedding or event has taken place, though during peak wedding season this may incur a rush fee.

• What is the ideal timeline to have my wedding flowers preserved?

  Ideally, all fresh bouquets should be delivered within 72 hours of the wedding or event to ensure they are preserved at their freshest. For bouquets from past events, shadow boxes can be created out of saved flowers at any time. For clients in the Philadelphia and surrounding suburb area, flowers can be dropped off to my location in Worcester, PA 19403 or picked up for an additional fee pending availability.

• How long does preservation take?

  Floral preservation is typically ready for pick up within 3-4 months, though may take longer during seasons of high volume.

• What packages are available?

  Couples can choose from a simple frame to hang in their home, or add on complimenting smaller frame packages including a boutonniere shadow box, or pressings with family photos as gifts for the bride or groom’s parents, bridesmaids, siblings, or grandparents.

  Families or members of the wedding party may also arrange to give a preservation service to the couple as a wedding gift.

How are the flowers preserved?

For framed bouquet preservation, bridal flowers are pressed using a heat press system that locks in some but not all of the original color of the bride’s bouquet. It is important to note that this style is more vintage looking, and white flowers may display with more of an antique yellow look, while colorful flowers may tend to appear a little bit darker, for example a bright red rose may appear a deep crimson after being pressed.

For shadow boxes, the bouquet is dry-preserved in an airtight chamber that retains the size and natural shape of the flowers, as well as most of the original color, though these flowers may tend to darken a little bit as well. With both methods, the flowers are then sealed in your frame or box of choice to prevent air from discoloring your flowers preserving the life of your bouquet.

Should I color correct my flowers?

This is completely a personal decision! Color correcting is optional and is meant to enhance the natural color and extend the longevity of your blooms’ brightness over the years. The flowers that I genuinely recommend it for would be white stock, roses, and ranunculus as well as soft blush pink roses as these tend to press a greyish color. Orange roses also turn out purple toned after pressing.

Some folks like the vintage look and others prefer for their flowers to stay brightly colored or stark white forever. The color correction is a pigment that is added to the petals for pressed flowers after they are done drying. If you're not sure, you can always ask to see a photo of your flowers when they are done drying and make a decision before they are styled..

Will the flowers last forever?

Yes. Your flowers tell a story. Unless you choose to color correct your blooms, they will fade in color over the years, but I love how the natural process of time creates slow change. I don't use synthetic sprays, resins, or chemicals on your heirlooms; When you select a frame or shadowbox, I seal it so air cannot get in, which slows the aging process, but you should expect that they'll change a little over time. If kept out of direct sunlight, away from humidity, and handled with care, your bouquet will last a lifetime.