MODERN WEDDING BOUQUET PRESERVATION
Your wedding flowers, your story.
You choose them carefully to reflect your theme, your style, your personality. You place them into your hair as you're getting ready. Little hands sprinkle them down the aisle. You hold them as you take the walk that starts the next chapter in your life.
Your wedding bouquet holds the most beautiful story- your love story. I ensure that this story is preserved and to be cherished forever.
Your bouquet will be carefully prepped, dried, and cast in resin. Keepsakes can be made to give to the bridal party and family who have helped you along this adventure.
I'm now taking reservations for bridal bouquet floral preservation in the Pittsburgh area 2024 and onward.
Contact me to learn more about the process, investment, and to make a reservation.
Step 1
Reserve
Before I begin any custom designs, I will first schedule a time with you to pick up your special occasion flowers as soon as you’re ready to part with them. Please keep flowers in water and out of direct sunlight while waiting for pickup. If you are not in the Pittsburgh area, you may ship your flowers directly to Jen’s studio. Timeline of preservation typically takes 6-8 weeks. A 50% deposit of quoted price is due at the time of pickup.
Step 2
Drying
To preserve the delicate elements of your bouquet, I use a fine silica powder to begin the drying process. The silica helps the flowers retain most of their original color and shape through the drying process. Some color changes may occur depending on the kind and color of your blooms.
Step 3
Design & Resin
Each batch of epoxy resin is carefully mixed by hand and poured over your delicately arranged flowers. Florals are suspended in layers of clear resin, as if they were frozen in ice.
Step 4
Finishing
When the resin piece is removed from the mold, I finish it by carefully polishing and pouring a flood coat of resin. Then, it’s ready to leave the studio. I will contact you for drop-off and to collect the final payment
Additionally, I can ship via USPS/FedEx.
floral preservation process
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My wedding is soon! Do you have availability for my bouquet?Contact me- I might! I typically only book 1 bouquet each week, but can be flexible if reservations are made well in advance. You can check out my calendar here. Dates in green, I am likely still available; dates in red, I am unavailable.
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How should I care for my flowers between my wedding day and drop-off to you?You want to keep your flowers out of extreme tempertures and sunlight to make sure I receive it looking as close as possible to what it looked like on your wedding day. Try to keep it in a cool, dry place, and in water until we're able to meet.
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What if I don't live in Pittsburgh?I offer free pick-up and drop-off of flowers with a 10-mile radius of my Pittsburgh studio: zip code 15212. If you live farther I can meet you within a 20-mile radius for an additional fee, or receive shipments of your special flowers to my studio and can ship your finished piece back to you within the United States. I want to make this process as stress-free as possible- you've got enough to think about an plan for your wedding already. Floral preservation shouldn't be another stressor. Unfortunately, due to regulations surrounding the shipment of fresh florals between borders, I am unable to accept flowers from outside of the U.S.
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Can all flowers be preserved to look the same as on my wedding day?As an artist, I'm always up for a challenge, but there are certain florals that do not preserve as well as others. These include calla lilies, king protea and any high moisture flower. I am unable to preserve plants (like succulents) and recommend you remove them from your bouquet, or I can plant them for you if you wish. Some flowers dry darker, such as red roses. Some flowers like lilies and orchids dry very thin and can look translucent once embedded in the resin. Some white roses dry more yellow than others and can have a "vintage" look to them. Once receiving your bouquet, I will carefully evaluate each flower and piece of greenery. Not all the flowers in your bouquet will make it to your finished piece- I only use the best ones.
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Do you preserve flowers other than wedding bouquets?At this time, I am not able to accept flowers from funerals or other special occasions. As this is not my full-time work and I have a generally busy schedule day-to-day, the floral preservation work I do must be scheduled well in advance to ensure I have the time, energy, and availability to put in my best work for your piece.
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Can you use flowers I dried myself?Yes! I am happy to try - but be aware that air dried flowers are generally more brittle and difficult to use for this process. If you contact me and send me pictures of what you've got I'd be able to give you a better answer.
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How should I display my piece?I recommend displaying your art somewhere in your home where you can see and enjoy it daily. A shelf, side table, desk or mantle make a perfect place (especially when paired with your favorite wedding photo). Your piece is freestanding- turn it, play with it- find which way looks best to you- no framing or mounting is necessary.
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Does resin last over time?Resin is a great medium for presevation because it will last through generations. The only thing I recommend is to keep the resin out of constant direct sunlight and do not store them in a place with extreme heat. Heat and constant sunlight will cause the resin to yellow and age.
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Do pieces look "perfect?""The answer is no. These are handmade works of art and while I strive for perfection, resin is a clear medium and not a perfect science. Each flower will dry differently and react with the resin differenlty. Some minor scratching or imperfections may be present on the sides of the pieces due to the process of unmolding. My goal is to have a crystal clear front and back of your piece of art.
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Do you accept returns?Custom items are nonrefundable. Contact me with issues and questions specifically related to your piece.
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Can I DIY this?You might be able to! I would recommend a large amount of practice prior to touching your own flowers, as there are many steps that can go wrong along the way for the first time- DIYer, and even the seasoned professional. There are loads of YouTube videos out there that you may benefit from watching and learning from. Like most things wedding-related, the professionals that you hire who have time, experience, and practice are generally the best options for getting a good or service that is high quality and that will stand up to the test of time. If you have questions about the DIY process, feel free to reach out.
