FLOWER PRESERVATION EXPLAINED
What Actually Happens To Your Flowers
Preservation isn't drying flowers in a vase. It's a slow, hands-on process that takes weeks — here's every stage of it, and what we can make from your blooms.
THE PROCESS
The Six Stages of Transformation
01
Intake
Your flowers arrive within a few days of the event. They're unwrapped, photographed, and assessed bloom by bloom.
04
Designing
Dried petals are rebuilt into a composition that echoes the agreed upon arrangement, and on the background you've chosen. Color correction is also done at this stage. Your frame is built in-house, and painted or stained.
02
Preparing
Heads are trimmed, thick blooms split, and greenery separated so every piece can dry at an even rate.
05
Your Approval
You see a photo of the layout and can ask for changes before anything is fixed in place.
03
Pressing
Blooms go under weight in blotting layers or Silica for several weeks, changed regularly to pull moisture out and lock color in.
06
Sealing
The piece is sealed under glass, fitted with hanging hardware, and packed for pickup.
WHAT WE PRESERVE
Preservation Services
WEDDINGS
Wedding Bouquet Preservation
Your bridal bouquet — and bridesmaid stems, boutonnières, or ceremony arrangements if you'd like — pressed and composed into framed art. Vow cards, invitations, ribbon, and lettering can be worked into the design.
Frame sizes from small keepsake to a statement wall piece
Choice of background: white, black, or clear glass
Optional date, names, or quote in your chosen lettering
MEMORIAL
Funeral & Sympathy Florals
Flowers from a service, casket spray, or sympathy arrangement, preserved quickly and handled with care. Many families order several smaller frames so siblings and grandchildren each have one.
Priority intake — contact us as soon as you're able
Matching sets for multiple family members
Names, dates, or a line of scripture can be included
PETS
Pet Memorial Pieces
Losing an animal is its own kind of grief. Flowers from their resting place, a garden they loved, or sympathy blooms sent by friends are pressed and shaped into a tribute — most often a paw print built petal by petal.
Paw print, heart, or portrait silhouettes in pressed petals
Their name, dates, or a short line included in the design
A collar tag, fur, or small memento can be set in a shadow box
CUSTOM
Custom Keepsakes & Gifts
Not every meaningful bouquet comes from a wedding. Anniversary roses, a first Mother's Day arrangement, prom corsages, baby shower flowers, or blooms cut from your own garden — all of them press beautifully, and all of them make a gift nobody else can give.
Shadow boxes, floating glass, and traditional pressed frames
Sets of smaller frames so several family members each have one
Gift orders welcome — we'll coordinate quietly with the recipient
Flower Preservation Explained
Why is flower preservation expensive?
I understand the sticker shock when you see a price tag for a single frame, it's natural to wonder what justifies that cost. But did you know that framing an art print alone at a frame shop can cost just as much, if not more? Think about it: A large, framed photograph can cost as much as an artwork made with your own flowers. You can rest assured that the framer doesn’t spend anywhere near the time a preservation flower artist does to preserve your flowers.
The time investment: 12 to 16 hours per piece
Creating a single masterpiece requires anywhere between 12 and 16 hours of skilled labor, spread across several weeks depending upon the design chosen.
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Initial prep and pressing/drying (4 to 6 hours over several weeks): This stage involves carefully prepping each bloom, placing them in the press or silica sand/desiccant with precision, and changing the blotting paper every couple of days to prevent mold and ensure even drying. Each flower is carefully watched for weeks. This is not a set it and forget it art!
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Design work (5 to 7 hours): Once the flowers are pressed/dried, I reassemble petals as needed, perform color correction to restore any color lost during preserving, create design mock-ups for client approval, and then carefully glue each element into the approved arrangement.
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Finishing touches (2 hours): Frame assembly, lots of cleaning to remove any debris/dust.
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Miscellaneous (1 hour): Client communication, progress photos and videos, and documentation of the finished piece for my portfolio.
Material and business costs: The hidden expenses
Beyond the hours spent creating your piece, there are significant material and operational costs that go into running a flower preservation practice. These vary by artist and studio, and so many of them are not immediately obvious.
Some of these hidden expenses include:
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electricity for running dehumidifiers 24/7 (humidity is not our friend!)
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specialized blotting paper that needs regular replacement and drying
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Silica sand, and lots of it
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archival-quality framing materials (conservation glass, acid-free matting, frames and framing supplies)
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website hosting
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client management software
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bookkeeping service
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business insurance
What affects flower preservation pricing?
Several factors influence the final cost of your preserved piece:
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Preservation method: Traditional pressing, foam pressing, silica drying, and freeze-drying each have different material costs and time requirements. Many preservation artists, like me, use a combination of methods to achieve optimal results for each flower type.
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Flower complexity: Some flowers preserve great with minimal intervention. Roses in darker hues, anemones, and eucalyptus are stars of the preservation world. Others, like white hydrangeas, orchids, and dahlias, require extensive color correction and specialized handling.
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Frame size and materials: Archival-quality materials (conservation glass, acid-free matting, quality frames) cost significantly more than standard options, and they make a meaningful difference in how your piece ages over time.
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Quality preservation takes time, typically several months and even up to a year from start to finish. Be wary of anyone promising extremely quick turnarounds, as they may be cutting corners. The most reputable artists and studios stand behind their work.
What materials do you use for pressed flower frames?
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Conservation grade glass with 99% UV protection.
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100% cotton archival mats
How do I pay you?
To ensure a smooth booking process, a non-refundable deposit of $50 is required at the time of booking and contract signing. When I pick up your bouquet or you deliver it to my studio, 50% of the total price will be due. The remaining balance will be payable upon completion of the final piece. This payment structure is designed to provide flexibility, making it easier for everyone to preserve their cherished flowers.