Tips for Preserving your Wedding Bouquet
Beautiful and bright, wedding bouquets are a reminder of a lovely day past. Unlike the marriage, wedding bouquets can't last forever but there are ways to elongate their elegant life. Increasing the life of a bouquet is more simple than many people imagine. Anyone can do it!
Clean glass vases
Like people, flowers last longer in a nurturing environment. Some vases, particularly those made of metal can alter the pH of the water ultimately shortening the life of the flowers. It is important to clean the vase of bacteria before placing the flowers in its water. Bleach is great for removing harmful bacteria in this instance.
Warm water
Warmer water moves up the stems of the flowers quicker providing them with quicker refreshment.
Placement
Avoid cool and breezy areas, heat and indirect light as these will make the flowers wilt sooner.
Soft drink
To many peoples' surprise soft drinks such as Sprite and Lemonade can nourish the flowers and allow them to flourish a little longer. These soft drinks provide sugar for the plants to feed on while fixing the acidity of the water. It is recommended to mix 1 part Lemonade to 1 part water.
Copper
Copper helps give flower bouquets longevity by acting as a fungicide and keeping the flowers healthy. Copper (most often a penny) is often used in company with an aspirin which is believed to help flower stems remain strong.
Hair spray
Spraying a little hairspray on the underside of the bouquets leaves and flowers will help them remain strong and firm.
Vinegar
Much like adding sugar, adding vinegar to flowers helps them last a little longer. Adding a few tablespoons of vinegar each time you change the water will help to continue to increase the life of your flowers.
Vodka
Vodka works the same as bleach by limiting the bacteria in the water and providing a clearer source of nourishment. This can have amazing effects on the lifespan of a bouquet.
Last a little longer?
If you want your flowers to last a little longer to help keep that wedding memory alive there are many ways of keeping your bouquet around long after the flowers would have died.
Drying flowers, so they can be scrap booked or even framed is a wonderful way of keeping them with you.
Dried flowers
Hanging the bouquet upside down in a warm dry place such as a closet will help the flowers remain in bouquet form once dried. Drying flowers works better in a place that wont be disturbed often.
Pressed flowers
Pressing flowers can help keep the presence of single flowers but may not work if an entire bouquet is needed. To simply press flowers, place them in the pages of a heavy book between a few layers of paper towel and/or cardboard. This is to absorb the moisture. Leave them, and in a few weeks you'll have lovely pressed flowers ready to frame.
Pictures
Photos are a great way to keep the memory of those fresh flowers and beautiful day alive but may lack the personal feel of the dried flowers.
Simple and easy, each of these steps can further the life of your wedding bouquet without the need to leave the house!
