After a wedding, there are several ways to preserve leftover food, decor, and flowers. Some ideas include donating them to your church, sending them home with friends who stayed to help clean up, donating them to a nursing home, assisted living, or hospital, checking with your caterer to see how they handle leftovers, donating to a local food bank or shelter, or sharing the leftovers among people hosting out-of-town guests.
To preserve your bouquet as a wedding day keepsake, prepare your flowers by trimming away unwanted parts such as the stem, leaves, or any discolored parts. Place the flowers flat on parchment paper inside the pages of a weighted hardback, apply 2-3 small drops of scented oil over the mixture, and mix the contents of the jar to create a moisture-free, papery texture.
Press the flowers by placing them on a heavy book, line a page with wax paper, and keep the book closed for a week to 10 days. Make different patterns with the flowers on heavy cardstock or tape.
Once the wedding is over, consider using leftover candle holders and candles to decorate your home, or hang decorative mirrors in every room. Fill a jar ¾ full with fresh rose petals and fill it to the top with carrier oil, like coconut, jojoba, or sweet almond. Store the jar in a cool, dark place for 4 to 6 weeks, shaking it regularly.
Additionally, make epoxy resin art by hanging the flowers upside down to dry, submerging them in silica gel, making a resin paperweight, and dipping the flowers in wax.
Remember to donate the flowers to a local church, funeral parlor, or charitable organization that can repurpose them, passing on the beauty of your wedding day to others.
📹 I Turn Old Flowers Into Art For A Living
How nice would it be to press flowers for a living? Special thanks to Lacie for sharing her story with us! Check out Framed …
Do you throw your wedding bouquet?
Does the person who catches the bouquet keep it? It’s up to you. If the person who catches the bouquet wants to keep it, they can. If not, many newlyweds give their flowers to guests as favors or donate them to charity the next day. What if a man catches the bouquet? While tradition says only unmarried women can partake in the bouquet toss, we leave modern interpretations to the hosts. Anyone can join the bouquet toss. If a man is hit by the bouquet, we’ll say it was meant for the recipient.
Popular Bouquet Toss Songs. If you’re tossing the bouquet, you’ll need a song. There are lots of songs to choose from. Here are some of our favorites for getting everyone to join in.
How do you reuse wedding flowers after wedding?
What to do with wedding flowers? Donate them. … Use them at home. … Have a bouquet station at your wedding. … Dry flowers. … Have your flowers photographed. Make candles. Hire a flower preserver. … Press flowers in glass. Flowers are a beautiful addition to every wedding, whether real or fake. Flowers make your venue look better and feel romantic. What do you do with your flowers after your wedding? Don’t throw them away! We’ve put together a list of things you can do with your flowers after the wedding. What do you do with the flowers after your wedding? Try these 20 ideas. What to do with real flowers after your wedding. 1. Donate them. There are different ways to donate your flowers. Stay local to help the community. Ask your local hospital, senior living home, or women’s shelter if they accept flower donations. There are also companies that will take your flowers after your wedding and donate them.
What do florists do with flowers after a wedding?
Centerpieces, installations, and intricate floral arrangements are more difficult. Some florists will reuse flowers for different occasions. Florists can also work with organizations that accept flowers after events. Or, the flowers will be thrown away.
All of the above depends on the type of floral arrangement. Flowers on a chuppah or ceiling are not reused because they are not in good condition. They sit without water for a few hours, becoming wilted and less useful for reuse.
What to do with dead bridal bouquet?
Frame Them: Place flowers between pages of a book and add more books on top. In about two weeks, your flowers will be dry. This is a great way to preserve your wedding flowers. Bouquets are a beautiful gift, but they don’t last forever. Instead of throwing away your bouquet, reuse it. You might not know what to do with dead flowers, but we’ve got some ideas. We’ve put together 17 ways to repurpose a bouquet. Make a wreath or floral surface cleaner with your dried flowers. These crafts let you enjoy your bouquet even after the flowers die. Make potpourri with your dead flowers. Use flowers that stay shaped and colored well after drying, like roses, lavender, and peonies. You can use any flowers.
Can you reuse wedding flowers?
2. Centerpiece flowers. Use your big floral arrangements from the ceremony as centerpieces at the reception. Put them in vases or on tall stands in the middle of your guest tables.
3. Lanterns and glass vases as centerpieces. Lanterns and glass vases are beautiful ceremony decorations year-round. Candlelight at the entrance or along the aisle is a great way to create a mood. Ask your church or venue if you can use a real flame. They may be banned for safety reasons. You can also mix these arrangements with flowers for guest tables at the reception. Put them on a wooden slice or tray with tea lights and greenery.
4. Photo op backdrop. Floral moon gates, pillars, arches, and flower walls are great ceremony backdrops. You don’t want to use it for just an hour. Move your centerpiece to the reception room. Put it behind the top table or in a space where you can add a bench or chairs and props. Then you have the perfect space for photos with your guests!
Can you repurpose bridesmaid bouquets as centerpieces?
Centerpieces. Bridesmaids bouquets can be used as centerpieces for reception tables. As an event designer, I usually put the bouquets in vases or containers to make a nice, matching look. After the ceremony, it’s a waste to throw away the flowers used by your bridesmaids. Since 2005, I’ve helped couples make the most of their wedding flowers. Here are ways to reuse bridesmaids’ bouquets at the reception. How to repurpose bridesmaids’ bouquets at the reception. You can use a bridesmaid’s bouquet as a centerpiece, cake decoration, cocktail table decoration, or chair accent at the reception. You can also reuse the bouquets as photo booth backdrops, keepsakes, art, or preserved flowers. You can make a meaningful plan to reuse the bouquets and add personal touches to the wedding. I’ll show you how to make your wedding flowers look better.
Do you get to keep flowers after wedding?
No one wants to say goodbye to their wedding flowers. They’ve spent a lot of time and money on them. After all the work on the flowers for the wedding, many couples wonder how to save some of them. You can save any big-day arrangement for years. You can save parts of the ceremony and reception decorations, the boutonnieres, and the bouquets if you plan ahead. Flowers are special because they are beautiful for a short time. After months of growth, your wedding flowers have reached their full potential, says Shannon Morrow, founder of Arvo Floral Studio. Couples want to make a keepsake from their flowers so they can remember their special day. Shannon Morrow is the founder and lead designer of Arvo Floral Studio. Arvo Floral Studio has served many couples on their wedding day. You can keep your blooms forever in many ways. Morrow says the best way to preserve flowers is to decide what’s practical and easy to do at home. Displaying your flowers year-round is the best way to enjoy them forever.
What do bridesmaids do with their bouquets after the ceremony?
Use bouquets for décor. During the reception, place the bouquets where they can be used as décor. Your florist can put the bridal bouquet with the other bouquets on a table or mantle in the reception area. Add decorations to an area you wouldn’t normally spend money on. The guest book table, dessert table, and coffee tables in any lounges are good for bouquet placements.
Decide if you’ll do a bouquet toss. Bouquet tosses are less common at modern weddings, but it’s nice to send the bouquet home with a glass vase so it can be enjoyed for another day or two. You can coordinate this with your florist. You could also choose someone to take the bouquet home instead of throwing it. This could be someone nearby or a creative bridesmaid.
What can I do with leftover bouquet flowers?
Recycle old bouquets. Dry your flowers to recycle them. … Pressed flowers. … Potpourri. … Dried flower cards. … Rose water mist. Dried flower crowns. Make a wreath with dried flowers. If you don’t want to throw away a special bouquet, preserve it by turning it into something new. You can recycle flowers in many ways, such as making dried bouquets, potpourri, or decorations like wreaths. We’ve found the best ways to reuse your old flowers so you can enjoy them longer. Dried flower bouquet. One way to recycle your fresh flower bouquet is to dry it. Air-dry or microwave flowers to make a dried flower bouquet. Select your favorite stems from the bouquet (make sure the flowers haven’t bloomed), let them dry, and put them in a vase. Pressed flowers. Pressing flowers is a great way to reuse wilting blooms. Once you try it, we guarantee you’ll love this vintage technique.
What to do with bridal flowers after wedding?
Air-dry your floral wedding bouquet. Hang your floral wedding bouquet to dry. Pressing. Pressing flowers is another simple way to preserve blooms. Silica gel. … Resin. … Wax. … Freeze-dry. … Artist’s concept.
Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. Read our full disclaimer. What will you do with your wedding flower bouquet after your elopement? Don’t wait to think of what to do with your bouquets. Your bouquet could get damaged if you pack it in your luggage. Be prepared for bouquet preservation early.
What is the etiquette for wedding flowers?
Wedding Flowers Etiquette. Who gets flowers is up to you and your partner! Everyone in the wedding party gets flowers.
Parents and grandparents of the couple also get flowers. But traditions and “proper etiquette” are just old-fashioned rules from the past. Do whatever you want. Who gets personal flowers? Here’s a list to get you started, but don’t take this as me telling you these are required!
You; Your partner; Children; Others involved in the ceremony; Relatives; Special guests.
Are you supposed to keep your wedding flowers?
Flowers are a big part of many weddings. Couples often preserve their blooms to look back on after the celebrations are over. They make beautiful memories. Before you preserve your bouquet, talk to your florist about preserving it. You can either do it yourself or hire a professional flower preservation service. Some flowers perform differently depending on the service you want. Some flowers are easier to dry at home than others. Some flowers are easier to press. Not all flowers can be preserved. Preserve your wedding flowers. 1. Pressing wedding flowers.
📹 What to do with your leftover wedding flowers? | Main Street Productions
… I’m so excited to tell you about a tip today that we absolutely love when our Brides do repurposing your wedding flowers now.
I’ve been playing around with pressing flowers and I’ve discovered that the best method (for amateurs) is to take books without glossy paper (the best is paper that’s like construction paper), fold one or two pieces of printer paper in half and put the flowers and petals in the sandwich of paper, then put the sandwich in the center of the book. I’ve tried just stacking books but oddly, I discovered that I got the best results by putting the thin books (with flowers) under my mattress, laying over the boards of the box frame. Then, every day or two I take the book out and carefully take the paper sandwich out (do not open it until the flowers are dry, if the paper feels damp or cold they are not dry) and carefully I put it in the center of another book and put it under my bed again. I let the first book dry out then I repeat this process until they are dry. I’ve found doing this method will dry them out faster and keep their colour much better. Note, this will warble the pages of the book and likely also stain them. I’ve also noticed that having stems or the bases of the flowers (the head) will make them less likely to keep their colour as they dry. Either it’s because too much liquid or potentially the plant is sucking the moisture back into the stem and it takes longer to dry. I’ve given up trying to press some flowers with their stems because of this. Once the plants are dried, you can remove the plants with one of two methods I use: you can press your finger pad against the pressed plant for a few seconds then lift your finger and hopefully the pressing comes with it.
What a neat story, thank you Lacie for sharing it with us! I’m so happy that you put your dream into a reality!! That achievement by itself is very empowering……… Plus, what you do is very unique & it makes it that much more special!😉😉 In all my years, I have never come across a business like yours!! Here’s to many, many, many more years of living your dream!! Cheers Lacie!!
Wow. I’ve had this idea for about 3 years. This year I finally decided to really do something about it and start my business! I loved sending my mother flowers but wanted them to last longer. Although seeing more people opening up similar businesses discourages me a little, I’ve been working on pressing flowers that typically people say don’t press (roses, sunflowers) or adding other mediums into my art.
Very nice. Glad you could make a biz out of it. A couple things, drying with wax or parchment paper, folded in half and put in a book works faster and better for color. Soooo many flowers lose color with your method. Taking out the middle of a large flower is GENIUS, thank you! There is also a microwave flower press sold that works very well. For fading flower…. a question below… many od the water based art ink sprays work well, “Tint It” Spray works well. Hydrangeas… you can seperate each flowerette and just leave alone to dry… actually, my plants died while still in the ground. They were perfect, no pressing and they dry in exact same shape as the live flower. Then spray with art ink & you have a beautiful bowl, vase, flower box, etc. I happened to find the ones I had pulled out & kept that I was always going to do something with someday… and now is my favorite flower to work with. Thanks for a gfrat article
Hello..I’ve been planning on sandwiching dried flowers between two panes of glass for a while – I went to view a business unit yesterday & realised just how good it would be for pressing & making flower pics, because of how much natural light flooded in. So I did a quick search to see if anyone else had thought about it & I was a tad surprised to see you had already started creating frames in the same way using glass..well done you😉 But I was also happy😊 for you! I’ve learned lots from perusal your articles – a big thank you for that👍you have saved me so much trial & error👏 I’ve been making & selling wildflower seed bombs for years & I grow alot of flowers & much of my own veg already on my creature friendly allotment here in Cardiff, Wales – flowers are a passion. I just wanted to let you know how great you are to share the information – I too believe in sharing knowledge 👏 And I’ll be using your tips for years to come💚👍🌸
Thank you very much you are an inspiration. And thank you for being honest and very helpful in in your description for pressing flowers. Your teaching skills are present in your presentation. I’m trying to start my own business. And dry flowers are one of the items that I’m going to start using and now I know how to press them thank you.
my sister used to dry flowers when she was a kid back in 80’s, but did different method in drying the flowers and plant leaves by placing them between sheets of her books, they dried very well just as you showed in your article, she did that for hobby and fun, but she never thinks to frame them. I like your idea, it is a piece of art.
Did some magical angel speak to you about me ? I’m now seeing this article and hear what, I’m a preschool teacher and I myself am getting that nag like right now. Just a few weeks ago I’ve started crafting and selling my products and I too am dedicating myself and one year to this baby of mine 😍. I’m just on you tube this morning looking for inspiration and ideas and bam, here you are talking about my life which was yours 8 months ago. Omg, thank you, this is all I needed ♥️♥️♥️
Oh my goodness, this women right here is definitely my soul friend. I love pressing flowers. Everytime my mom or my suster gets flowers I cannot stand to see them thrown away. There was this one time, where I need to take the dry flowers out of the dustbin, just because I could not stand them be thrown away. I live in a type of desert so I do not think my flower busnes will survive because people have very little to survive on. But I really love pressing flowers, it makes me happy so I will make sure that I will be the best in my business.
That was really fun to hear your story. Thanks for sharing many tips of the trade. I also have my own business with flowers but it is arranging flowers for weddings and other big events. I have been able to do it out of my home and I love it. It has been a steady business for me for the last 13 years. I do think it could be fun to also offer something like what you do for those that want that as well.
Have you tried using a Microfleur microwave flower press? Many white flowers come out whiter when pressed in it. Also, some other flowers do better in it, while some do better in the press you use. It may be something to experiment with and may give you a broader option of flowers you can use in your art.
Hello! Wow I’m so impressed! I need help and I don’t know where to turn, I have been pressing poppies, some of the poppies start to fade almost immediately after drying, turning white on edges soon the whole flower has no pigment left. same plant, same processing, maybe 1 out of 5 will change to white. I don’t know where to get help, then saw your article. Would love to hear if you have an idea thank you. Beautiful work!
So I made the press by myself! It’s not that hard. Got one large thing of plywood from home depot. Had them cut it in half for free. $7-10. Got the screws & the little knob things. I forgot the cost, but like I think the total cost of everything was $22. I got cardboard from Walmart for over $1. I am using printer paper which I hope it works.
ive looked at the plants being in resin and thought that in those bookmark molds, instead of plants, why not ethically gathered butterfly wings? i think that some wings would just look amazing as a bookmark and would go perfect with a lot of the other plants and flowers to go in the resin, assuming its that season. i honestly hope my vision isnt so controversial and isnt triggering to most people.
Have you dried flowers in the microwave.. I found that before finding you? Also do you use hairspray to help preserve them better? Or clear nail polish? If I did want to use polish or spray or clear Elmer’s glue? Do you know what I could lay them on.. to dry also?? I want to put them In or On little Beach jars.. my Husband and Grandson got me Flowers yesterday (also want to make a scrap book now 💙🧡💙) I’m making these little jars because a place called.. The Sponge Docks in Tarpon Sp FL. I’m putting all together with items I bought there as a surprise to my kids! The Sponge Docks is a special place.. we used to visit there all my life and my kids life and now it’s been years since we’ve been there cause I moved 3 hrs away from my Family and don’t drive now!! So then on my way home.. my sweet Husband stopped to pick flowers for Grandma 🥲🙏💗 on our way home from the visit with my kids and family.. WHAT A GREAT EARLY MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND WITH ALL MY LOVED ONES AND BABIES🥰 I can’t believe all this happened for Me!? And Father’s Day this year will mark 3 years ago I was in a 20 day Coma from an ear infection (something I never had.. I was 47.. So I did Not know what to do about it so I thought it would go away like a toothache or something? So I Lived Thru ALLOT.. other things could have Taken Me from them also) So Much Good at Once I’m beside myself🙏😇 So I want to mark these SO VERY PRECIOUS Moments and Memories as soon as possible for my Babies!
Please dó take notice of the way you get the butterflies, because there is not really an animal-friendly way of getting them. Usually those are farmed and haven’t flown a day in their life, they get gassed/poisoned as soon as they develop the ability to fly, because otherwise the wings might damage. Damaged butterflies have flown. Perfect ones haven’t.
This is a beautiful idea with the floating frame but it sounds like you can’t use all flowers so that kind of stinks. she started this based on not wanting to throw away her own bouquet, but they look like white roses to me, which she says don’t do well. I can see friends or customers wanting to preserve a special flower or bouquet but I’d hate to have to tell them they don’t have the right flowers to be pressed into a pretty frame. do you press them anyway or pass on those? you do a beautiful job! 🎉
If I wanna use the flowers inside frames, they must be pressed and dry or is it the same? The proccess is the same? I’ve seen some people microwave the flowers and then pressing inside books, for example. Which is the best way for best color and preservation? PLEAAAAASE someone help me!! I’m from Brazil and people don’t usually do this here lol I’m planning on selling little art pieces! I would really appreciate ❤❤❤
How do you keep those tried flowers (via hanging, not pressed) from crumble into pieces over time? My wedding bouquet was tried and left untouched for over 15 years. But when I went to move it,one day, petals/leaves started to fall bits by bits. I was devastated and wanted it to last longer. Any suggestions?
I think that’s awesome that you were able to do that however I am not married I have lupus I need health insurance and I would like to have a 401k that is funded also by my employer so unfortunately I can’t work for myself. But if I could and I was healthier I would like to be a farmer. I would like to grow microgreens and other vegetables during the summer and then go live in the south and work on people’s farms and learn
I answered and said, “If I have found favor in thy sight, O Lord, show this also to thy servant: whether after death, as soon as every one of us yields up his soul, we shall be kept in rest until those times come when thou wilt renew the creation, or whether we shall be tormented at once?” 76 He answered me and said, “I will show you that also, but do not be associated with those who have shown scorn, nor number yourself among those who are tormented. 77 For you have a treasure of works laid up with the Most High; but it will not be shown to you until the last times. \r \r 78 Now, concerning death, the teaching is: When the decisive decree has gone forth from the Most High that a man shall die, as the spirit leaves the body to return again to him who gave it, first of all it adores the glory of the Most High. 79 And if it is one of those who have shown scorn and have not kept the way of the Most High, and who have despised his law, and who have hated those who fear the Most High — 80 such spirits shall not enter into habitations, but shall immediately wander about in torments, ever grieving and sad, in seven ways. \r \r 81 The first way, because they have scorned the law of the Most High. 82 The second way, because they cannot now make a good repentance that they may live. 83 The third way, they shall see the reward laid up for those who have trusted the covenants of the Most High. 84 The fourth way, they shall consider the torment laid up for themselves in the last days. 85 The fifth way, they shall see how the habitations of the others are guarded by angels in profound quiet.