Flower preservation explained
A preservation artist's honest guide to flower preservation process, options, costs, and more
If you're holding onto flowers from a wedding, memorial, or moment that mattered, you're probably wondering what happens next. Can they actually be preserved? What does the process involve? Is it worth the investment?
I'm Ana, a pressed flower artist based in Chicago and I have been preserving flowers since 2021. I've answered so many questions from clients trying to figure out their options, often after getting conflicting information online.
I wrote a series of articles because I believe you deserve straightforward answers, not marketing fluff. My goal is to help you understand what professional preservation actually involves so you can make the right decision for your flowers, whether that's working with me or someone else, or deciding preservation isn't for you at all.
If you're still weighing your options or wondering whether your bouquet can be saved, start here!
How to choose a flower preservation service
The flower preservation industry now includes national companies, small studios with dedicated teams, and independent artists working solo. Each offers something different in terms of turnaround, pricing, and personalization. There are so many options to consider!
In this article, I break down what each service type provides, what many charge extra for, and five questions to help you figure out which approach fits your flowers and expections.
Why quality flower preservation can take up to a year
A year feels like a long time to wait for a single frame. I know. When I tell clients they won't hear from me for 10 months, I can see the surprise. It's a fair reaction. But quality flower preservation requires up to 22 hours of skilled labor spread across several weeks of drying, design work, and custom framing by my trusted framers.
I want to walk you through the process so you can make an informed choice about what matters most for your flowers.
Pressed flower frames vs. resin blocks: which is right for you?
You've decided to preserve your bouquet. You've researched artists, compared portfolios, maybe even reached out for quotes. And now you're stuck on a question that feels surprisingly high-stakes: pressed frame or resin block?
Both options create beautiful keepsakes, but they age in completely different ways. Pressed frames with archival materials can look stunning for decades. Resin yellows within 12 to 24 months, no matter the quality. Functional resin pieces like coasters also accumulate scratches with use.
I walk through the practical differences, what questions to ask yourself, and how to choose the option that fits your home and your habits.
Floating frames for flower preservation: What you need to know before choosing
Floating frames create that striking "suspended in air" look everyone loves on Instagram. Two panes of glass, pressed flowers between them, clean modern aesthetic.
But before you choose this framing style for your preserved wedding bouquet or memorial flowers, there are practical realities most preservation artists won't discuss upfront. Permanent sealing. Trapped debris. Wall color dependency. UV protection from both sides.
I walk through what you actually need to know to make an informed decision rather than choosing based on photos alone.
Why local preservation artists near you beat out-of-state studios
I've been in the flower preservation world long enough to watch it change. What was once a handful of solo artists working out of home studios has grown into something much bigger. National flower preservation companies now accept thousands of orders per year, with large teams and streamlined processes designed to move bouquets through their systems as quickly as possible.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. There's room for everyone in this industry, and different people have different needs. But if you're searching for “wedding flower preservation near me” and trying to decide who should preserve your flowers, here's my honest case for choosing small and local.
How much does wedding bouquet preservation cost?
When clients first reach out about preserving their bridal bouquet or memorial flowers, one of the first questions I hear is: "How much does flower preservation cost?" It's a fair question, and one that deserves a thoughtful, transparent answer.
I've put together this guide to pull back the curtain on what goes into creating a single pressed flower frame. My hope is that by the end, you'll understand why flower preservation is priced the way it is, and why the investment is worth every penny when you're holding a piece of art that captures your most treasured memories.
What large flower preservation studios won't tell you (and why it matters)
If you've been researching flower preservation, you've probably stumbled across some big names by now. Large studios with beautiful websites, impressive turnaround times, and the ability to ship your bouquet across the country. It all looks very polished, very professional.
And honestly? Those businesses have figured out something genuinely hard. Scaling a labor-intensive craft like flower preservation takes real entrepreneurial grit. I respect that.
But here's the thing: scaling requires tradeoffs. And those tradeoffs don't always make it onto the homepage. So I want to share a few things I wish more brides knew before deciding who gets to preserve their flowers.
What is flower preservation?
Here's the simple answer: preserved flowers are real flowers that have been treated to maintain their appearance for years or decades instead of days. The more complicated answer is that there are several ways to do this, each with different results, costs, and trade-offs.
I'm a pressed flower artist, so I have opinions on which methods work best. I'll try to keep those in check and give you an honest overview of what's out there. By the end, you'll have a clear sense of your options and which might be right for your flowers.
How long do flowers really last? Fresh vs. preserved comparison
Here's the math that catches most people off guard. You spend weeks choosing your wedding flowers. You invest thousands of dollars in arrangements that take your breath away. And within a week of your wedding, they're wilting in a vase or browning in a trash bag.
The lifespan of flowers depends entirely on what you do with them. Fresh flowers, air-dried flowers, and professionally preserved flowers exist on completely different timelines. I want to walk through each category honestly so you can make an informed decision about your own blooms.
My approach to flower preservation
I used to stuff my folktale books with weeds and wildflowers as I spent my childhood summers at my grandmother’s house. Invariably, I’d forget about them until the following summer. As I opened the same books on lazy afternoons a year later, crunchy leaves would fall out - a happy surprise followed by a pang of regret that they had browned and wrinkled.
Today, as I open my flower presses to check on the blooms from my cutting garden, a wedding bouquet or a special occasion arrangement, I see something completely different.