How to Preserve Your Proposal Bouquet Beautifully: Ways to Make Your Memories Last
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“I wish to keep our proposal bouquet forever.”
“How can I preserve a bouquet beautifully?”
A bouquet given during a proposal carries special sentiment and significance. Many naturally wish to preserve its beauty for as long as possible.
This article introduces five different ways to beautifully preserve your proposal bouquet. We also detail the differences between DIY preservation and professional services, along with associated costs, to help you make the best choice.
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How Long Can a Fresh Bouquet Last?
Fresh flower bouquets can retain their beauty for approximately one week to ten days with proper care. However, the lifespan varies depending on the type of flower and the environment. For instance, roses and lilies tend to last relatively longer, whereas tulips and gerberas may be more short-lived.
To prolong the life of the flowers, regular water changes and stem trimming are crucial. Changing the water daily and cutting the stem tips at a diagonal angle helps the flowers absorb water more easily. Adding a flower preservative to the vase water is also effective.
Furthermore, keeping the bouquet in a cool spot away from direct sunlight or air conditioning drafts will help maintain freshness longer. For extended preservation, we highly recommend exploring preservation methods like drying or resin processing.
5 Ways to Preserve Your Bouquet
Bouquets can be preserved for a long time depending on the method used.
Here are five recommended preservation techniques.
Dried Flowers
Dried flowers are a popular preservation method for enjoying a bouquet long-term. The drying process slightly mutes the colors, but the resulting antique, natural look is highly appealing.
While there are various drying methods, here are four particularly recommended techniques:
Air Drying by Hanging
This is the easiest method. Simply tie the stems and hang the bouquet upside down in a cool, well-ventilated, shaded area. It takes about 2 to 3 weeks. The flowers retain their natural shape well, resulting in a rustic finish.
Drying with Silica Gel
Recommended if you want to preserve the color and shape more accurately. Bury the flowers in silica gel (a desiccant) for 1 to 2 weeks. The gel absorbs moisture, allowing the flowers to retain relatively bright colors.
Drying in the Microwave
Useful if you wish to complete the process quickly. Place the flowers in silica gel and heat them in the microwave for a few seconds at a time to remove moisture. Be careful, as overheating can cause discoloration or scorching.
Ironing
Place the flower between sheets of paper towels and gently press flat with a low-heat iron to remove moisture. This method produces a finish similar to pressed flowers and can be done quickly.
Pressed Flowers
Pressed flowers are another relatively easy preservation method. By flattening and drying the flowers, they can be incorporated into albums or bookmarks. Another benefit is that they can be preserved long-term.
The two most common methods for pressing flowers are as follows:
Book/Weight Method (Air Drying)
Place the flowers between newspapers or paper towels, sandwich them with baking (parchment) paper, and place them inside a heavy book.
Add more weight on top — heavier books or weights — and leave them to dry for 1 to 2 weeks.
Replace the paper towels every 1 to 2 days during drying for a cleaner finish.
Ironing
Place the flowers between paper towels and parchment paper, then apply a low-heat iron to dry them.
Provided you take care not to burn them, you can make pressed flowers in a single day.
Resin Processing
In Resin Processing (using UV or epoxy resin), dried or pressed flowers are encased in clear resin, allowing them to be turned into accessories or keychains.
The resin processing method is as follows:
1. Preparing the Pressed Flowers
First, prepare the pressed or dried flowers you wish to use.
Use only thoroughly dried specimens. Any lingering moisture will cause the resin to become cloudy.
2. Preparing the Resin Liquid
Pour a thin layer of resin into a silicone mold.
Use a toothpick to carefully remove any air bubbles.
3. Positioning the Flowers
Using tweezers, arrange the flowers over the resin layer as per your desired design.
Once arranged, slowly pour the remaining resin over the flowers to cover them completely.
4. Cure with UV Light
Cure the resin by exposing it to a UV light for 2 to 3 minutes until it hardens completely.
Gently remove the finished piece from the silicone mold.
5. Finish as an Accessory
Attach metal fittings to the cured resin piece to finish it as a jewelry item or keychain.
Herbarium
An Herbarium is an interior item where flowers and specialized oils are placed inside a lidded glass jar, allowing them to be enjoyed in a beautiful state for a long time. It is a popular way to stylishly preserve proposal bouquets or memorable flowers.
1. Preparing the Pressed Flowers
First, prepare the pressed or dried flowers you wish to use.
It is essential to use dried flowers, as fresh flowers will rot in the oil.
2. Placement in the Bottle
Use tweezers to carefully place the flowers inside the glass jar.
3. Pour the Oil
Two common oils used for herbariums are silicone oil and mineral oil. Silicone oil is clear and long-lasting, while mineral oil is appealing for its ease of handling and affordability.
Once the oil has been procured, slowly pour it into the jar containing the arranged flowers. Pouring too quickly will disturb the arrangement, so be careful. If the flowers float, gently secure them with a small amount of adhesive.
Once the oil is added, seal the lid to complete the process.
Preserved Flowers
Preserved Flowers are fresh flowers that have undergone a special chemical treatment to enable them to be stored long-term while maintaining a look and feel similar to fresh flowers.
We explain both how to make preserved flowers yourself and how to get them processed professionally.
DIY Method
When making preserved flowers yourself, you will need a commercially available glycerin solution.
Submerge the stems in the glycerin solution for 1 to 2 weeks.
Afterwards, remove the flowers and allow them to air dry. Your preserved flowers are now complete.
Professional Processing
When having bouquets processed by a professional, you can expect a high-quality finish.
The cost for having a full bouquet preserved ranges from approximately 20,000 JPY to 80,000 JPY, depending on the size and number of flowers.
For a Flawless Result, Professional Service is Recommended
When you want to preserve a precious bouquet from a proposal, wedding, or anniversary beautifully and for a long time, entrusting it to a professional is the most reliable method.
Professional processing involves specialized techniques and equipment that yield a finish unattainable through DIY methods. Furthermore, they can offer suggestions on how to best arrange the flowers during the preservation process.
When commissioning a professional, research the reviews and their reputation to verify they have a proven track record.
For a proposal bouquet, a vendor specializing in the bridal industry can offer greater peace of mind. Check the types of preservation methods they handle to ensure they can achieve the finish you desire.
If you wish to preserve the bouquet beautifully, we recommend reaching out to a professional as soon as possible. The better the fresh state of the flowers, the better the preserved result will be.
Try to book in advance or look for a company that can accept the request immediately.
Entrust Your Bouquet Preservation to Patisserie Flower
If you wish to preserve your proposal bouquet for the long term, please consider Patisserie Flower.
At Patisserie Flower, we handle various bouquet preservation methods, including the following:
Dry Flower Processing of Fresh Flowers: Uluru-After Bouquet
This process involves encasing a dried bouquet inside a hand-blown glass dome. It is palm-sized and perfect for displaying on an entryway shelf.
Names and dates can also be engraved.
Pressed Flower Processing of Fresh Flowers: Chocolat Bouquet Style
This product processes the bouquet into a pressed flower arrangement. Presented within a frame, it can be hung on the wall as a beautiful décor piece.
Dry Flower Processing of Fresh Flowers: Cubic-After Bouquet
This product involves drying the bouquet and displaying it in a natural wooden box for use as interior décor.
You can choose between a round shape or a style where the flowers are arranged to fill the entire box. Names and dates can be engraved onto the glass.
Summary
While fresh proposal bouquets have a limited lifespan, proper preservation techniques allow you to keep them beautiful for much longer.
You can try considering methods such as dried flowers, pressed flowers, resin processing, herbarium, or preserved flowers.
If you are unsure about the best way to propose, please consider using ‘How to Propose’.
At How to Propose, our professional proposal concierges suggest the optimal proposal plan tailored specifically to the two of you.
If interested, kindly take a moment to visit our website for further details.
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