A insider look on how to preserve your flowers for years to come.

Preserving your wedding bouquet is truly a wonderful way to create a tangible piece of art from one of the most special moments in your life.

By preserving your bouquet with Fort Flowers you can ensure that the love, joy and beauty of your wedding day continues to live on long after the day itself.

Here's what you need to know to successfully embark on this sentimental journey:

What is the importance of pressing your flowers?

The act of pressing your flowers is not just a simple task, but a beautiful way to create a tangible and breathtaking reminder of your wedding day. This process, which might initially seem straightforward, has a profound emotional significance and is a popular form of flower preservation. It allows you to hold onto a cherished piece of that special day, capturing the intense joy, profound love, and deep emotional connection experienced during those magical moments. They provide a lasting keepsake, a treasured memento that you can cherish, revisit, and relive time and time again. These preserved bouquets will be a constant reminder of your shared love and the vows you made, adding an extra layer of emotional depth and significance to your cherished keepsake.

Are there any flowers you can and can't press?

The art of flower pressing can be applied to most types of flowers, but it's worth noting that certain species are more apt for this process than others. Most flowers are dried and pressed with each petal individually and then reassembled after the process is done. We cannot guarantee that every flower/ greenery will make the final product. If you would like to have your whole bouquet done, we will give you any flowers/ greenery that don’t end up in your final arrangement.

Will my flowers from my bouquet change color when they are dried and pressed?

Flower pressing is a delicate art that involves carefully flattening flowers to preserve their natural beauty. During the pressing process, the vibrant colors of fresh flowers may undergo subtle transformations, resulting in a unique aesthetic. Typically, flowers tend to lose some of their intensity and may transition to softer hues. For instance, bright reds might evolve into deeper burgundy tones, while vivid blues may become more subdued. Whites often take on an antique or ivory appearance, and yellows can mellow into softer, buttery shades. These color changes are part of the drying process as the moisture is taken out of the flower. However, we do color correction to ensure your framed wedding bouquet is as true to the original as possible.

Do you color enhance arrangements?

We do offer color enhancement/ correction! We believe that every flower is beautiful even if it changes color after being pressed, however we give everyone the option to add this service on.

Color enhancing serves as an effective method to restore the vibrant and natural colors of the flowers, making them appear as fresh and lively as they were before the drying process. Whatever method you pick, your arrangement will end up being beautiful and custom to your bouquet.

Why should you send your whole bouquet to be pressed and not just a few flowers?

If your bridal bouquet or wedding flowers hold a significant sentimental value or if your objective is to preserve as many flowers as possible, we highly recommend sending your entire bouquet to us for us to press. The more flowers we have to work with, the higher your chances of obtaining an excellent end result. This is because, in the process of pressing, some flowers may not press well or might get damaged during shipping. Therefore, having a larger selection of flowers increases the likelihood of a successful floral preservation process. It also provides us with the opportunity to choose the best flowers for your arrangement.

The process — how to get your flowers booked and sent to us!

The step by step process

05) PRESSING BEGINS

06) ARRANGING

02) FILL IN YOUR DETAILS

01) PICK YOUR FRAME

04) WE’LL START PREPPING

03) PACKAGE YOUR FLOWERS

08) HANG & ENJOY FOR YEARS

07) PACKAGE AND SEND

What does the process look like once the flowers arrive?

Upon receiving your flowers, we devote between 1 to 3 hours preparing them to undergo the pressing process. This stage is crucial as it ensures the flowers are in the optimal condition for pressing. Once prepared, they are carefully placed in our presses for 6-10 weeks. During this time, we closely monitor the drying process to ensure they retain their beauty and color.

Following the pressing and drying process, we then transition to the assembly and arranging phase. Most flowers are dried with each petal individually and then glued back together.

Once we have them arranged we make sure to send you a proof of the arrangement. This allows you to view and approve the design before we proceed to the finalization stage.

It's important to note that due to the detailed and careful nature of this process, the total turnaround time from when we receive your flowers to when the finalized framed piece is ready, typically spans around 3 months. This ensures we can maintain the highest quality and care in preserving your flowers.

Do you press and frame memorial flowers to be preserved too?

Yes, we dry and preserve any type of flowers, including memorial flowers.

Rest assured, we handle every shipment with the utmost care to ensure your flowers arrive in perfect condition, ready for floral bouquet preservation.

Tips for shipping your wedding bouquet to be preserved

During shipment, it's crucial to keep the flowers in an upright position. This helps to prevent any unnecessary pressure on the stems and keeps the flowers looking their best.

Avoid wrapping your flowers in plastic or placing them in a freezer as this can cause damage to the delicate petals and stems.

Opt to pack the flowers yourself instead of using styrofoam. This material can generate static which can harm the flowers.

Aim to ship as quickly as possible. The less time the flowers spend in transit, the better their condition upon arrival. Ensure to mark the box with a clear "Fragile" label so it is handled with care.

Frequently asked question + aftercare

The Proccess

Yes, preserving a wedding bouquet is worth it if the flowers hold significant meaning for you. It can provide a lasting keepsake that you can cherish and revisit time and time again.
The sooner the better! Fall dates especially fill up fast, so we encourage you to book as soon as you know that you want a pressed floral arrangement. But don’t fret, we do take them up to 7 days after your event.
We are based in Fort Wayne, Indiana so we can either meet up if you’re in the area or you can express mail right to our door.
The entire process takes 3 months. The drying process alone takes 6 weeks, and we don’t want to rush the process so we estimate 3 months from start to finish.
Yes, we do! We will press & preserve all white bouquets, however we encourage you to incorporate greenery to the bouquet to add some color and texture. We preserve our flowers naturally so white flowers tend to turn tan and brown over time.
You can get your wedding flowers pressed by hiring a professional or doing it yourself. The guide above provides detailed instructions on how to ship your flowers for professional pressing.
With proper care, a pressed bouquet can last for many years. The pressing process removes moisture from the flowers, which helps to preserve them.
The cost to preserve a wedding bouquet can vary greatly depending on the method of preservation and whether you hire a professional. Our prices are all listed in our shop where you purchase and order your frame.
The pressing process takes about 6 weeks, and the total turnaround time from receiving the flowers to the final framed piece is typically around 3 months. We recommend shipping flowers as soon as possible while they are fresh so we can dry and press them correctly.
To ensure pressed flowers keep their color, they can undergo a color correcting process. This involves adding colors to the flowers after they have been dried to restore their vibrant and natural colors. We include this with all our pressed flowers to make sure your flowers are as beautiful and as close to the original as possible.

PICK YOUR FRAME NOW

Flower Pressing

No, there's a distinction between the two. Even though they might look similar, the methods used to produce them and their longevity vary.
Yes, pressed flowers are often secured in a frame with glue to keep them in place.
Flowers with thinner petals, such as violets and pansies, are particularly well-suited for pressing. They retain their shape and color quite well after the pressing process.
After the wedding, you can preserve your flowers by pressing them. These pressed flowers can be displayed in a frame or used in other keepsakes. By hiring someone to press your flowers, you can obtain a beautiful framed display of your flowers to hang on your wall and cherish for years to come.
After pressing and drying your wedding bouquet, the flowers are arranged in a design that showcases their unique beauty before being framed. A proof of the final arrangement is typically sent for approval before the design is finalized.
Usually, dried and preserved flowers lose their scent because the preservation process removes the flowers' moisture. However, if these flowers have a smell, it could be due to improper drying or preservation, which can lead to mold.
No, not all pressed flowers turn brown. However, it's common for their color to darken significantly or even change completely during the drying process. This is where color correcting comes in, a process that restores the vibrant and natural colors of the flowers.
If not properly dried before pressing, flowers can go moldy. To prevent mold growth, ensure flowers are completely dry before pressing. We take the utmost care to make sure this doesn't happen.
Hairspray should not be used on pressed flowers. It's important to keep them away from moisture and direct sunlight to maintain their color and shape.