Florist Reveals Best Method To Save Your Wedding Bouquet

Arena Flowers expert Asta Foufas advises that wedding roses can be pressed or even microwaved, but warns against freezing

Asta warns against trying hairspray preservation hacks seen on social media

However, household items such as cornstarch and nail polish can help preserve flowers

Whether it’s the first flowers received in a relationship or being sent a dozen red roses for a meaningful anniversary, there is an enormous amount of sentimental value wrapped up in the delicate life of flowers.

With wedding season nearly upon us, Asta Foufas, the Product & Technical Director at Arena Flowers, has shared how to get the most sentimental value possible from your romantic bouquets, revealing her expert tips for the best (and worst) methods of preserving flowers, ensuring those precious petals last for years to come.

According to Asta, the key is using the right preservation method for your particular flowers’ petals; it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. Asta also shares how to avoid the common preservation mistakes that could ruin your petals.

Florist-Approved Tricks to Preserve Your Wedding Rose Petals

Roses remain an ever-popular flower for weddings and luckily, they’re one of the easiest to preserve. Air drying and pressing are the most reliable methods, but microwaving and oven drying can often work well for those short on time.

Air drying is the most natural method for roses, but patience is key. For two weeks, the petals need to be kept in a dark, well-ventilated space to prevent mold and colour fade. Asta advises: “Keeping the roses in the dark helps avoid the colour fading that direct sunlight can cause. Another top tip is to avoid stacking rose petals on top of one another as they won’t dry evenly.”

Pressing might take longer (around two weeks) but is great for decorative use. Asta shares her process:“Remember not to press fresh or wet petals; you’ll need to air dry them slightly first. Use clean paper or tissue in a heavy book and add something heavy on top. Check frequently and change paper/tissue if it gets damp.” 

Microwaving is a fast way to preserve romantic roses, but it is not a foolproof method. Asta warns “Don’t microwave too many petals at one time, and don’t increase the power settings.”

Oven drying is effective for bulk preserving a large number of roses, but Asta warns: “Check on your roses frequently to avoid burning. And don’t use high temperatures, as rose petals can get damaged and discolour.”

Avoid freezing rose petals. Freezing is a bad idea for long-term preservation of rose petals according to Asta, as once defrosted, rose petals will lose their texture and shape.

How to Preserve Other Popular Bouquet Flowers

While roses may be a wedding staple, according to Arena Flowers, tulips and carnations are also among the most popular romantic flowers. However, not all flowers preserve as well as roses. Asta explains, “Tulips, for example, havemore delicate petals due to having a higher water content than roses, which makes them more challenging to preserve”. Asta recommends pressing or air-drying as the best preservation methods for tulips, but do expect to see some curling.

Carnations are on the other hand are surprisingly sturdy and easy to preserve. “The best methods for preserving carnations are air drying, silica gel drying, pressing, oven drying or microwaving” says Asta. 

Wedding Florist Debunks Nail polish, Hairspray & Other Social Media Hacks 

Different blooms require different preservation methods, and from silica gel to hairspray, influencers have tried all kinds of tricks to make flowers last. Asta sheds light on which preservation hacks seen on social media actually work:

Silica gel alternatives: “Using cornstarch instead of silica gel to dry and preserve flowers can work, as can sand. Sand is a natural, eco-friendly method for preserving flowers, best for sunflowers or roses. Another surprisingly effective household item for drawing moisture out of petals is rice, which works as a great eco-friendly alternative to silica gel”

Nail polish: “Nail polish can actually be effective when used sparingly. Dipping just the edges of flower petals in clear nail polish can help protect them from breakage.”

Hairspray: “Hairspray can make flowers sticky and end up attracting more dust. It also makes your stems very brittle. Hairspray is not a long-term preservation method, and only really works as a temporary solution. If you must use it, only use a very light, single coat of hairspray, and make sure it is unscented and does not have colour or glitter.” 

Wedding Flowers That Are Difficult To Preserve

Asta’s final words of warning when it comes to petal preservation is that, regardless of how many hacks and tricks are out there, be mindful that some flowers just don’t preserve that well. If you’re hoping to hold onto orchids, daisies or poppies, you may be out of luck. Asta reveals that these flowers, along with violets, sweet peas, irises, anemones, cherry blossoms and ranunculus, are notoriously difficult to preserve as the fragile petals tend to shrivel, brown, or break apart during the drying process.

It’s also important to remember that if you’re thinking about preserving your flowers, how you care for them beforehand matters. Keep them in fresh water, away from direct sunlight or heat sources, and handle them gently to avoid petal damage before you even start the preservation process.

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