There's something deeply special about preserving your wedding bouquet. Those flowers, carried close to your heart on one of the most meaningful days of your life, don’t have to be fleeting. With a little patience and the right technique, you can save them yourself — whether by pressing them flat or hanging them to dry — and turn them into lasting keepsakes you’ll treasure for years to come.
Pressing vs. Hanging to Dry
There are two main ways to preserve your flowers at home: pressing them or air drying them.
Pressing
Pressing works beautifully for delicate blooms like pansies, cosmos, daisies, and ferns. Once pressed flat and dry, they can be used for things like bookmarks, resin phone cases, floating glass frames, or coasters.
You can buy a flower press online (some are quite pretty!), or just make your own with a few heavy books, parchment or blotting paper, and a little patience. Place flowers between layers of paper and press them inside a book, stacking other books or weights on top. Keep them somewhere dry and change the paper every few days to prevent mold.
Hanging to Dry
This is the best method for preserving the full shape of flowers. Roses, lavender, eucalyptus, strawflowers, larkspur, and statice all dry well this way.
To do it: tie your bouquet stems together with string, remove extra foliage, and hang them upside down in a dark, dry spot with good airflow — like a closet or attic. The darker the spot, the better the color preservation.
When to Dry Them
Timing is key. Start drying your bouquet within a few days after the wedding. Flowers that are already wilting won’t hold their shape or colour well. If you’re going on a honeymoon, ask a friend or family member to dry the flowers for you — it only takes a few minutes to get them started.
Tips for Keeping Colour
-
Dry in darkness: Light fades petals fast.
-
Avoid humidity: Moisture encourages mold and browning.
-
Don’t wait too long: The fresher the flower, the better it dries.
-
Use silica gel (optional): For roses or more fragile blooms, silica gel can help them dry with better colour and shape. You can find it at most craft stores.
Common Wedding Flowers & Their Drying Notes
| Flower | Best Drying Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roses | Hang or silica gel | Dry when just opening for best shape |
| Eucalyptus | Hang | Keeps colour and scent beautifully |
| Strawflower | Hang | Naturally papery, holds shape well |
| Baby’s Breath | Hang | Dries quickly, very lightweight |
| Ranunculus | Press | Thick petals, press flat for best result |
| Peonies | Press or hang early | Can brown easily if left too long |
| Lavender | Hang | Classic for scent and durability |
| Cosmos | Press | Delicate and colourful pressed bloom |
| Lisianthus | Press or hang | Similar to rose, dries best when fresh |
| Ferns | Press | Adds lovely texture in frames or bookmarks |
Keepsake Ideas
Once your flowers are preserved, you can use them in all kinds of DIY crafts:
-
Floating glass frame with pressed petals and leaves — a simple, elegant wall hanging
-
Bookmarks — thoughtful gifts for bridesmaids or moms
-
Resin coasters — preserve a few petals forever in clear resin
-
Phone case — customize a clear case with petals and seal with UV resin
-
Shadowbox — arrange whole dried blooms along with your invitation or vows
-
Christmas ornament — tuck petals inside a glass bauble
-
Pressed flower art — arrange and frame like a botanical print
A Final Thought
Preserving your bouquet at home isn’t just a craft project — it’s a way of carrying a piece of your wedding day into your everyday life. Whether it’s a coaster on your coffee table or a little flower tucked in your book, it’s a quiet reminder of beauty, commitment, and the joy of that day.
And if you’re still planning your wedding and want to use flowers that preserve especially well, dried flower bouquets are a great option. I grow and dry all my flowers naturally, right here on my farm, and I’d love to help you create something that’s beautiful on your wedding day and lasts long after.