Bridal Bouquet Preservation

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Bridal Bouquet Preservation
FLORAGE

Wedding and Bridal Bouquets

BRIDAL FLORAL BOUQUET PRESERVATION

Established in 1982, Florage is the country's premier floral preservationist, known for preserving wedding flowers, and has been recognized by and featured in publications such as Bride and Groom, Houston Chronicle, and Texas State Floral Association's "Blooming Texas". Also Ms. Christie has been featured numerous times on several TV programs such as Good Morning Houston and ABC's 6:00 news, to name a few. The company's floral bridal bouquet preservation expertise with bridal bouquets has also been noted by numerous prominent individuals, and in the collections of First Lady Laura Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, among others.

The Signature Collection of wedding bouquets is a high quality line featuring custom-framed invitations and announcements. Our new gift merchandise is unique and exciting preserved floral décor in the form of "Flower Globes".

Saving your Bridal Bouquet brings richness and meaning to your life and helps stir emotions for years to come.

BRIDAL BOUQUET PREPARATION

It is important to remember to care for your special flowers after the wedding. To ensure that your beautiful floral memories of such a special day are able to be enjoyed for years to come please follow the instructions below:

-Flowers must be received within 2 days for best results.
-Place flowers in a large plastic bag. (i.e. large kitchen trash bag)
-Blow air into the bag since it is the carbon dioxide that keeps the flowers fresh.
-Twist tie the bag and place in the refrigerator. Do not place in freezer.

FREEZE-DRYING YOUR BRIDAL BOUQUET PREPARATION

The freeze-dried method is the newest and most effective method for floral preservation today. It is an innovative vacuum process that takes approximately four weeks depending on the flower. The freeze-drying machine drops the temperature to a –20°F then it slowly returns the flowers to room temperature over the four week period. This slow bouquet preservation process allows the flowers in your bridal bouquet to retain their original form, while the colors become enriched.

Each flower in your bridal bouquet is freeze dried separately to ensure an aesthetically pleasing shape. The individual wedding flowers are labeled and placed in the freeze-dry machine, carefully, to avoid any bruises to the flowers. The stems are removed to enable the bloom to stand upright. An average machine holds approximately 2,000 heads of flowers. After the four week period the freeze dried flowers from your bridal bouquet are delicately removed from the machine. This task usually takes about 4-5 hours.

Each freeze dried wedding flower is then dipped individually in a solution that seals the flower and allows them to be soft and pliable. The dried flowers are allowed to dry for a minimum of 36-48 hours. This additional process helps the flowers to last indefinitely.

The dried wedding flowers should be kept out of the direct sunlight and humidity to ensure their lasting quality. The hues of the flowers in your bridal bouquet may change somewhat with time depending on the type and variety of the flower.

Freeze-drying wedding flowers is a very labor intensive and time consuming process. However, this innovative technique allows your special flowers from your bridal bouquet to last indefinitely.

Freeze drying (technically known as "lyophilization") is the process of lowering the temperature of an object and then using a vacuum to extract all the moisture from the item.

The general process of freeze drying objects has been around for over 70 years. The process of freeze drying flowers began in 1989. By removing all the moisture from the flowers, the colors are preserved (though they may take on a slightly antiqued look), and as long as they are protected from exposure to sunlight, insects and humidity, they should last for years and years.

You may be surprised to discover that the freeze drying process has been applied successfully to such things as the preservation of historical documents such as valuable books and papers, animal trophies and pet preservation, and, of course, food and dried flowers and botanicals. The freeze drying process is used by museums, food producers, taxidermists, insurance companies, and scientists.
FLOWERS IN YOUR BRIDAL BOUQUET

Most all flowers used in bridal bouquets freeze-dry and press well.

The following are recommended for freeze-drying only:
Anthurium, Gardenia, Ginger, Heliconia, Hyacinth, Liatris, Calla Lilly, Narcissus, Cattleya and Japhet Orchid, Tuberose, Bird-of Paradise.

The flowers listed below are not normally preservable:
Bourvardia, Chrysanthemum, Lilac.

The centuries old art of pressing flowers is also very labor intense. Each flower is first taken apart and then painstakingly pressed, petal by petal, to preserve its rich and vivid color.

Flowers are preserved to give life long memories of events, and to enrich our lives. To savor these moments for ourselves, friends, and family only adds a higher quality of living for everyone.