Wedding bouquet preservation is growing in popularity, but couples do not always have a chance to plan for it before the wedding. Brides and grooms often toss or dry their bridal flowers, not knowing what else to do with them. I have good news for your if you did the latter – I can make you your very own dried wedding bouquet shadow box!
A Little Bit of Background
I normally work with flowers from the time they are fresh until they are pressed. However, I received several inquiries this past year to create with already dried wedding bouquets. Brides do not want to throw out their beautiful, meaningful flowers from such an important event. The easiest way to preserve the bouquets is to hang them upside down, as many of the brides I have worked with have done. I decided to expand my business to include these gorgeous, yet fragile, blooms.
The Commission
I finished my first piece with these flowers – a dried wedding bouquet shadow box – earlier this summer. The bride and I met to discuss designs, and she was adamant that she did not want a bouquet recreation. I love when my clients have a clear vision. It makes it easier for everybody! After I sent her a few design ideas, I set to work.
I have to say, it is a bit nerve-wracking to cut the stems of such important flowers. These same stems that a bride perhaps nervously held onto as she walked down the aisle and saw her beloved for the first time that day. The end design is worth the anxiety, though.
The Process
I will often lay out flowers before I adhere them, as I do not want to mess up a piece permanently with a rash decision. This is more difficult to do with dried flowers. They are very fragile and do not sit nicely unless they are secured. Thankfully, I was able to start with the greenery and move forward with the featured flowers soon after that.
Another way in which pressed and dried flowers differ is that dried flowers require a lot more glue strength to stay put. This is why more intense glue, such as hot glue, E6000, and even clear caulk is preferred. I burned my fingers more than once working with hot glue on this piece. I am sure I could invest in a pair of heat resistant gloves, but that would require some foresight on my part, right?
The Finished Product
The bride loved the idea of negative space, and, I have to tell you, so did I! Less can be so much more. The colors of the flowers complemented the neutrals of the shadow box as well. Berries, eucalyptus, roses, and more, all dried perfectly.
This piece has gotten so much love that I now have brides planning on having their bouquets dried after their weddings. Please contact me if you have an already-dried bouquet. There is so much I can do with it!
Would you like to see more of my custom orders? Check out my gallery of commissions here! To see my latest art and jewelry, please check out my Instagram page here.