How to choose a flower preservation service

The flower preservation industry has grown significantly over the past decade. What was once a handful of artists working from home studios now includes national companies processing thousands of orders annually, small studios with dedicated teams, and independent artists crafting one piece at a time.

When you start searching for someone to preserve your wedding bouquet or memorial flowers, you'll encounter wildly different business models. The right choice depends on what matters most to you: speed, personalization, price, artistic style, or some combination.

This guide breaks down the three main types of flower preservation services in the US, explains what each offers and what each sacrifices, and helps you identify which model fits your needs.

I've been in this industry since 2021 as an independent artist, and I've watched it evolve. I have opinions, which I'll try to keep in check while giving you an honest overview of your options.

The three types of flower preservation services

Large flower preservation companies

These are genuine entrepreneurial success stories. Scaling a labor-intensive craft business is extraordinarily difficult, and the founders who have done it deserve credit. These companies process thousands of bouquets per year, sometimes operating out of two or more locations with teams of 20+ people supporting highly systematized workflows.

• How they operate: An assembly-line approach where different team members handle different stages. One group manages intake and client communication. Another handles pressing or drying. Others focus on design, finishing, and shipping. Your bouquet moves through a system designed for volume and consistency.

• Typical turnaround: 3 to 6 months, which is faster than smaller operations.

• Product offerings: Most large companies offer both pressed flower frames and resin pieces. The breadth of options is a selling point, though designs tend to follow templates with varying degrees of customization available.

• Pricing: Tends to be mid-range. Volume allows for some economies of scale, though overhead costs for staff, facilities, and equipment are significant. One thing to know: large studios typically treat color correction and museum-quality materials as upgrades rather than including them in the base price. Ask specifically about what's included.

• The trade-off: Consistency and speed come at the cost of deep personalization. Communication typically happens through customer service representatives rather than the person handling your flowers. You're working with a company, and the experience reflects that.

These companies exist because they solve a real problem. Many brides want reliable preservation without extensive back-and-forth or uncertainty about timelines. The question is whether the production approach matches what you're looking for.

Small studios

Small studios occupy the middle ground between large companies and solo artists. A lead artist runs the operation with anywhere from one to five helpers or assistants, accepting dozens to a few hundred commissions per year.

• How they operate: The lead artist typically handles design decisions, client communication, and quality control. Assistants help with prep work, pressing, resin pouring, cleaning, and administrative tasks. This structure allows the studio to take on more volume while maintaining the lead artist's creative vision and standards.

• Typical turnaround: 4 to 8 months, slower than large companies but often faster than independent artists working alone.

• Product offerings: Varies by studio. Some specialize in one method while others offer both pressed frames and resin pieces. The lead artist's specialty and the studio's physical space usually determine the focus. Resin block work, for instance, requires generous studio space, specialized equipment, and controlled temperature and humidity conditions that not every studio can accommodate.

• Pricing: Often comparable to or slightly higher than large companies, reflecting more personalized service. Like large studios, many small studios treat color correction and archival materials as add-ons rather than standard inclusions. Clarify what the quoted price covers.

• The trade-off: You get more personal attention than a large company offers, with shorter wait times than working with a solo artist. The experience falls somewhere in between. You may communicate primarily with the lead artist or primarily with an assistant, depending on how the studio structures client relationships.

Small studios represent a growing segment of the industry. They appeal to clients who want some degree of personal connection without extended timelines. Quality varies significantly from studio to studio. Some maintain exceptional standards because the lead artist reviews every piece before it ships. Others struggle with consistency as they scale. Ask to see a range of their work, including pieces that have aged.

Independent artists

Independent artists are solo practitioners or artists with occasional part-time help, typically accepting fewer than 100 commissions per year. Many take far fewer to maintain the quality and creative investment they want for each piece.

• How they operate: One person handles everything from client intake to final packaging. Every decision runs through the same creative mind. The relationship is direct: you communicate with the person who will touch every petal of your bouquet.

• Typical turnaround: 5 to 12 months, sometimes longer during peak wedding season. The extended timeline reflects careful, unhurried work and the reality that one person can only do so much.

• Product offerings: The split between pressed flower specialists and resin artists is fairly even among independents. I've observed some artists dropping pressed work altogether in recent years because it's significantly more time-intensive than resin. Others, like me, focus primarily on pressed flowers with a limited range of resin pieces. Pouring large resin blocks requires generous studio space, specialized equipment, and controlled environmental conditions that many home studios can't provide, so you'll find fewer independents offering that particular service.

• Pricing: Ranges widely. Newer artists building their portfolios may price comparably to large companies. Established artists with waitlists and refined techniques often charge more. Many independent artists, myself included, build color correction and archival materials into the base price rather than treating them as upgrades.

• The trade-off: Maximum creative collaboration and personalization come with the longest wait times. Independent artists often choose their clients as much as clients choose them. During busy seasons, many have waitlists or close bookings entirely.

I'm obviously biased here. Running Bloom & Make as an independent artist means I know the joys and struggles of this model firsthand. The hardest part is balancing artistic fulfillment with business realities. The artists who find that balance build deeply loyal client bases and create genuinely distinctive work. The reality for clients is that solo artists have less backup capacity, and timelines can stretch when life happens.

What services do preservation providers actually offer?

Pressed flower frames

Flowers are carefully flattened over several weeks, then arranged into two-dimensional artwork and framed. Professional pressing involves humidity control, regular paper changes to prevent mold, and often deconstructing and reconstructing blooms petal by petal. The results, when done well and framed with archival materials, can last decades.

Who offers pressed work: All three service types. Large companies and small studios often use templated designs with customization options. Independent artists typically offer more collaborative, one-of-a-kind compositions.

Resin preservation

Flowers are dried (often using silica gel), then suspended in clear resin that hardens into blocks, jewelry, coasters, trays, or other objects. The aesthetic is completely different from pressed work: three-dimensional flowers encased in a glass-like material.

Who offers resin work: All three service types, though the specific products vary. Jewelry and smaller pieces are widely available. Large resin blocks and furniture-scale pieces require significant studio infrastructure, so you'll find them primarily at larger operations or studios specifically set up for that work.

One thing to know about resin: It yellows over time, typically becoming visible within 12 to 18 months. This happens regardless of who makes the piece or what quality resin they use. UV-stabilized formulations slow the process but don't prevent it. Ask any preservation service what to expect from their resin pieces as they age.

Other offerings

Functional décor like coasters, serving trays, and cutting boards are usually resin-based. Jewelry and small keepsakes (pendants, ornaments, paperweights) are available across service types at lower price points. Shadow boxes displaying three-dimensional freeze-dried flowers are less common and mostly offered by larger operations with freeze-drying equipment. Bouquet recreation, where the artist sources matching flowers if your original bouquet is too far gone, is available from providers with florist connections.

Five questions to help you decide

The "best" flower preservation service depends entirely on what you value. These questions can help clarify your priorities before you start reaching out.

1. How important is turnaround time?

If speed matters most, large companies typically deliver in 3 to 6 months. If you need your piece by a specific date, whether a holiday, anniversary, or upcoming move, this may be your best starting point.

If you can wait, independent artists and small studios often quote 5 to 12 months or longer. The extended timeline reflects careful, unhurried work and limited capacity. If you're not in a rush, the wait can be worth it for the experience and result you want.

Peak wedding season (May through October) stretches everyone's timelines. Book early regardless of which service type you choose.

2. How much creative input do you want?

If you want guidance and simplicity, large companies with templated designs remove decision fatigue. You choose from established options, and the team executes. The result will look like their other work, which may be exactly what you want if you love their style.

If you want collaboration, independent artists and small studios with hands-on lead artists typically offer more back-and-forth on design. Expect mood boards, mock-ups, and revisions as part of the process.

More creative involvement requires more of your time and attention. Some clients love this process. Others find it overwhelming during an already busy season of life. Know yourself.

3. Does the story behind your piece matter to you?

If provenance matters, working with an independent artist or small studio means you know exactly who created your piece. You get to know the artist more closely through the process. The finished work has a human story attached to it.

If the result is what counts, large companies create beautiful work too. If you care more about the final product than the relationship behind it, a larger operation might suit you fine.

Twenty years from now, when someone asks about the piece on your wall, what do you want to say about where it came from?

4. What's your budget?

General ranges for reference:

• Framed pressed flower art runs $250 to $500 at the low end, $500 to $1,200 mid-range, and $1,200 to $2,500 or more for high-end custom work with archival materials and intricate designs.

• Resin blocks and functional pieces range from $150 to $800 depending on size and complexity.

• Jewelry and small keepsakes typically fall between $30 and $200.

Where to find value: Newer independent artists building their portfolios sometimes offer lower prices than established names. The quality can be excellent. The trade-off is less track record to evaluate.

Where to invest: If longevity matters, ask specifically about archival materials like acid-free matting, museum glass, and UV protection. These cost more and make a meaningful difference over decades. Remember that many larger operations treat these as upgrades. Clarify what's included in any quote you receive.

5. What happens if something goes wrong?

Flower preservation involves organic materials and complex processes. Problems can occur. Before committing to any service, understand their policies.

Questions to ask:

• What's your policy if flowers are damaged during preservation?

• What if I'm not happy with the design?

• What's the process for addressing issues after I receive my piece?

Large companies typically have formal policies and customer service teams dedicated to resolving problems. Small studios and independent artists handle issues more personally, and established artists stake their reputation on every piece. The approaches differ, but reputable providers across all service types will work with you to make things right.

What matters is that you understand the policy before you ship your flowers. Ask directly, and make sure the answer is documented in your contract.

Finding the right fit

Large flower preservation companies offer speed, consistency, and breadth of options. Small studios balance personal attention with reasonable capacity and timelines. Independent artists provide the deepest creative collaboration with the longest wait times and the most distinctive results.

The question isn't which type of service is objectively best. The question is which model aligns with what matters to you for these particular flowers.

A few tips before you book

Ask for a contract. A detailed contract protects both you and the artist or company. It should clearly outline the preservation method, timeline, pricing, and what happens if something goes wrong. If a provider won't put the terms in writing, that tells you something.

Clarify what's included. Base prices can be misleading if color correction, archival materials, or shipping are treated as add-ons. Ask specifically what the quoted price covers so you can compare options accurately.

Ask to see aged work. Anyone can show you freshly completed pieces. The real test is how their work holds up over time. Request examples of pieces that are two, five, or ten years old. An established provider should be able to show you how their work ages.

Understand the policy for issues. Clarify what happens if you're not satisfied with the result or if problems emerge after you receive your piece. The time to ask is before you commit, not after something goes wrong.

At my flower preservation practice, Bloom & Make, I work as an independent artist creating pressed-flower frames and select resin pieces in Chicago. I take a limited number of commissions each year so I can give each piece the time and attention it deserves. Color correction and archival materials are standard, and I work directly with every client from the first conversation to the final delivery. If that sounds like what you're looking for, I'd love to hear about your vision.

Whoever you choose, take your time with the decision. Your preserved flowers will hang on your wall for decades. The choice is worth getting right.