How to Preserve Wedding Bouquet: 7 Proven Methods (2026)
TLDR
There is no single best way to preserve a wedding bouquet. Silica gel gives the best DIY results for shape and color. Pressing works best for framed wall art. Air drying is the easiest but sacrifices color. Microwave drying speeds things up but requires practice. If the bouquet is highly sentimental and failure would hurt, hire a professional. Whatever you choose, start within a day or two of the wedding, because freshness is the biggest factor in how well any method works. And skip the preservative spray, it causes more problems than it solves.
The average couple spends about $2,700 on wedding flowers, and roughly 63% of couples want to preserve wedding items like their bridal bouquet or invitations. That desire makes sense. Flowers are one of the most personal, visible parts of a wedding. But they start dying the moment they are cut.
Preserving a wedding bouquet is not really one task. It is a series of trade offs between shape, color, cost, timing, and risk. The method that keeps the best 3D shape is not the cheapest. The easiest method produces the dullest results. The most photogenic option on social media (resin) is also the most likely to go wrong.
This guide breaks down every major preservation method, what it actually costs, which flowers cooperate and which ones don’t, and how to avoid the mistakes that ruin irreplaceable bouquets.
If you already know you’d rather skip the DIY process entirely, custom framed flower portraits offer preserved real flower art that’s ready to hang without any drying, pressing, or resin work on your end.
If Your Wedding Was Yesterday, Read This First
Before anything else: put the stems in clean water, move the bouquet somewhere cool and dark, and keep it away from direct sunlight and hot cars. Take photos from the front, back, sides, and top. Remove any visibly damaged petals or browning leaves.
Then decide whether you are doing this yourself or hiring a professional. That decision should happen today, not next week. Professionals typically need the bouquet within days of the wedding while petals are still vibrant and unstained. Every hour of delay narrows your options.
If someone else is handling logistics (a friend, parent, wedding planner, or florist), make sure they know the plan.
Separate Blooms by Type Before You Start
One step that most guides skip: before drying, pressing, or doing anything else, separate your bouquet by flower type. Different flowers have different moisture levels, petal thicknesses, and drying times. A rose and a peony do not dry at the same rate. Neither do a dahlia and a sprig of baby’s breath.
Mixing thick, moisture heavy blooms with thin, papery ones in the same drying container or press leads to uneven results. The thin flowers over dry and become brittle while the thick ones stay damp and develop mold.
Group similar flowers together:
- Thick, dense blooms (roses, peonies, dahlias, ranunculus) in one batch
- Thin, flat flowers (pansies, individual petals, small wildflowers) in another
- Greenery and foliage separately
This takes ten minutes and dramatically improves outcomes across every method. Practitioners on Reddit’s r/florists consistently recommend it, noting that mixed batches are the single most common reason DIY preservation fails.
Why You Should Avoid Preservative Spray
A lot of wedding blogs recommend hitting your bouquet with hairspray or commercial “flower preservative spray” right after the ceremony. This sounds logical but actually causes problems.
Preservative sprays coat the surface of petals, which can trap moisture inside the flower rather than letting it evaporate. That trapped moisture leads to browning, soft spots, and mold, exactly the things you’re trying to prevent. Several users on Reddit’s r/weddingplanning have reported that sprayed flowers turned brown or developed a sticky, discolored film during drying.
Hairspray is even worse. It yellows over time, attracts dust, and creates a stiff, unnatural sheen that makes flowers look plastic.
The better approach is simple: keep the bouquet hydrated in clean water and cool air until you’re ready to start the actual preservation process. No sprays, no coatings, no shortcuts. Freshness and a quick start matter far more than any spray product.
Wedding Bouquet Preservation Glossary
The word “preserve” gets used loosely. A pressed flat flower and a freeze dried 3D bloom and a resin coaster are all called “preserved,” but they look nothing alike. Here are the terms worth knowing before choosing a method.
Wedding bouquet preservation: Any process that slows decay and turns wedding flowers into a keepsake. It covers dried, pressed, resin, freeze dried, and framed floral art.
Air drying: Hanging flowers upside down until moisture leaves the petals and stems. Simple and cheap, but color fades and stems become brittle.
Silica gel: A granular desiccant that pulls moisture from petals while supporting the flower’s natural shape. One of the best DIY options for 3D blooms, though dried petals become delicate. Containers must be airtight, or the silica absorbs room moisture and flowers dry too slowly or not at all.
Desiccant: Any material that absorbs moisture. Silica gel is the most common for flowers, but sand and borax mixtures also exist.
Pressed bouquet: Flowers flattened under pressure, dried, arranged, and usually framed. Best for wall art, not for keeping the original bouquet shape. For a deeper walkthrough, see this guide on preserving flowers for framing.
Shadow box: A deeper frame that can hold 3D dried flowers. Important because shallow frames will crush dried blooms. A floral preservationist on Reddit’s r/florists warned that shadow boxes need adequate depth, or flowers get smashed against the glass.
Floating frame: Pressed flowers displayed between two panes of glass or acrylic. Gives a clean, modern look.
Resin casting: Dried flowers sealed inside epoxy resin to create trays, blocks, coasters, or paperweights. Flowers must be completely dried first or they rot inside the resin.
Freeze drying: A professional process where frozen flowers lose moisture through sublimation under vacuum. Often the most realistic looking result, but it requires expensive equipment and is best left to professionals.
Glycerin preservation: Replacing plant moisture with a glycerin solution. Better for greenery and foliage than for most bouquet flowers.
Wax dipping: Coating flowers in melted wax for a temporary near fresh look. Not permanent. Typically lasts about six months at most.
UV protective glass: Framing glass that filters UV light to slow fading. Helps extend the life of pressed or dried displays but does not make flowers permanent.
Acid free backing: Archival paper or board that is less likely to discolor flowers over time. Important for framed pressed pieces.
Color correction: Enhancement by a preservation artist to replace or brighten faded blooms. Useful if you want a vivid final piece rather than a fully natural, muted look.
Compare Bouquet Preservation Methods
This table summarizes the trade offs. Pick based on what you want the final result to look and feel like, not based on what seems easiest.
| Method | Best for | Timeline | DIY difficulty | Cost range | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air drying | Rustic dried look, low budget | 2 to 3 weeks | Easy | Low | Fading, brittleness, mold in humid rooms |
| Silica gel | 3D blooms with better shape and color | 3 to 10 days | Medium | Moderate | Brittle petals, insufficient drying if container leaks |
| Pressing | Framed wall art, petals, minimal decor | 1 to 4 weeks | Medium | Low to moderate | Mold, browning, flattened shape |
| Microwave drying | Quick results, small batches | Minutes per batch | Medium | Low to moderate | Scorching, uneven drying, trial and error needed |
| Oven drying | Faster air drying alternative | 1 to 3 hours | Medium | Low | Browning, over drying, color loss |
| Resin | Trays, coasters, blocks, ring holders | Flowers must be dried first, then resin cures | Hard | Moderate to high | Rot, air bubbles, discoloration, yellowing |
| Freeze drying | Near fresh professional 3D result | Days of processing, months of total turnaround | Professional only | High | Cost, booking lead times, shipping logistics |
| Glycerin | Greenery and foliage accents | 2 to 3 weeks | Medium | Low to moderate | Not suited for most flowers, changes texture |
| Wax dipping | Temporary near fresh appearance | Short | Medium | Low to moderate | Lasts only about six months |
How to Air Dry a Wedding Bouquet
Air drying is the most forgiving entry point. You don’t need special supplies. But set your expectations: the flowers will look vintage and muted, not fresh.
- Remove ribbons, pins, tape, and excess foliage.
- Cut away damaged petals and brown spots.
- Separate blooms by type (thick blooms in one bunch, thin ones in another).
- Split a large bouquet into smaller bunches or single stems. Drying works better when air circulates around each flower.
- Tie stems with rubber bands or twine.
- Hang upside down in a dark, dry, warm, well ventilated space. A closet, spare room, or attic works. Avoid bathrooms and kitchens.
- Leave for two to three weeks, or until fully dry.
- Display in a vase, under a glass dome, or in a shadow box.
Air drying works well for baby’s breath, lavender, eucalyptus, grasses, and sturdy roses. It struggles with thick, moisture heavy blooms.
One thing the guides don’t always mention: humidity is the enemy. If your home is humid, mold becomes a real threat. Check the flowers every few days during the drying process and look for dark, soft spots.
How to Preserve a Wedding Bouquet with Silica Gel
Silica gel is the strongest DIY method for preserving both shape and color. Iowa State University Extension calls it “probably the best material for drying flowers” because fast drying helps retain color. Missouri Extension adds that it can be reused for years.
Here’s how to do it:
- Choose an airtight container large enough that flowers won’t be crushed. Plastic food storage containers work well.
- Pour a 1 to 2 inch base layer of silica gel.
- Trim stems if needed. For framed or shadow box displays, flower heads alone are often easier to work with.
- Place blooms face up on the silica. Group similar flower types together in separate containers.
- Gently sift more silica around and between the petals, working slowly so you don’t flatten anything.
- Cover flowers completely.
- Seal the container tightly. This step matters more than people realize. If the seal isn’t airtight, the silica absorbs moisture from the room instead of the flowers, and drying stalls.
- Wait. General guidelines suggest 3 to 7 days for most flowers, up to 10 days for dense blooms. A preservation business owner on Reddit’s r/florists reported using a minimum of five days and a maximum of 15 days depending on flower type.
- Remove gently by pouring off silica until petals are visible.
- Brush away residue with a soft artist’s brush or gentle air.
Removing too soon leads to drooping petals. Removing too late makes petals brittle and breakable. There is no universal timer, so check carefully.
Silica gel works especially well for roses, peonies, dahlias, ranunculus, and zinnias. These are flowers where the 3D shape is part of what makes them beautiful. For more on which blooms cooperate, see this breakdown of which wedding flowers preserve best.
How to Microwave Dry Wedding Flowers
Microwave drying is the fastest preservation method available at home. It combines silica gel with short bursts of microwave energy to pull moisture out of petals in minutes rather than days. The results can be excellent, but the margin for error is thin.
Here’s the process:
- Use a microwave safe container (no metal lids, no sealed airtight containers that could build pressure).
- Pour a 1 to 2 inch layer of silica gel in the bottom.
- Place one or two flower heads on the silica, face up.
- Gently cover with more silica gel until flowers are completely buried.
- Place the uncovered container in the microwave alongside a small cup of water (this helps prevent scorching).
- Microwave on medium power in 30 second intervals. Most flowers take 1 to 3 minutes total, but this varies wildly by bloom type and microwave wattage.
- Let the container sit undisturbed for 10 to 30 minutes after microwaving. The flowers continue drying as they cool.
- Carefully remove flowers and brush off silica residue.
A few critical warnings. Do not microwave an entire bouquet at once. Work in small batches of one or two similar flowers at a time. Thin petaled flowers (daisies, cosmos) need far less time than thick ones (roses, peonies), which is another reason separating by type matters.
Practitioners on YouTube walkthroughs consistently emphasize the trial and error aspect. One preservation artist shared that she always tests with a grocery store flower of the same variety first, because 10 seconds too long can scorch petals or turn them brown. That’s not a risk worth taking with irreplaceable wedding flowers.
Microwave drying works best as a supplement to other methods. Use it for a few select blooms where you want fast results and the 3D shape silica gel provides, then air dry or press the rest of the bouquet.
How to Oven Dry Wedding Flowers
Oven drying sits between air drying and microwave drying in terms of speed and effort. It produces results in hours rather than weeks, without the precision demands of a microwave.
- Preheat the oven to its lowest setting, typically 150°F to 200°F (65°C to 93°C). Anything above 200°F risks browning.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate flowers by type and size. Remove stems or trim short.
- Arrange flowers in a single layer, not touching each other.
- Place in the oven with the door slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape.
- Check every 30 minutes. Most flowers take 1 to 3 hours depending on thickness.
- Flowers are done when petals feel dry and papery but are not yet brittle or crumbly.
The biggest risk with oven drying is over doing it. Flowers go from “almost done” to “scorched” faster than you’d expect, and darker flowers show heat damage more visibly than lighter ones. Colors also shift more with oven drying than with silica gel, trending toward muted, earthy tones.
Oven drying works reasonably well for roses, small wildflowers, and individual petals. It is not ideal for delicate, thin petaled blooms that can curl and crisp quickly. It’s also a poor choice for large, moisture heavy flowers like full peonies or hydrangea clusters, which tend to brown at the center before the outer petals finish drying.
Honestly, oven drying is best treated as a fallback. If you have silica gel on hand, that will produce better results for the same flowers. But if you need something dried quickly and don’t have silica gel or a flower press, the oven can get the job done.
How to Press Wedding Bouquet Flowers
Pressing creates flat art. If you want a framed preserved flower piece for your wall, pressing is the natural path. It works best with simple, relatively flat flowers like pansies, small blooms, individual petals, ferns, and leaves.
- Select the best flowers, petals, and greenery from your bouquet.
- Avoid pressing thick, wet, bulky flowers whole. Peonies and garden roses often need to be separated into individual petals.
- Place flowers between parchment paper, blotting paper, or clean coffee filters.
- Use a flower press, heavy books, or a microwave press.
- Change the absorbent paper if moisture builds up.
- Wait until fully dry (one to four weeks depending on method and flower thickness).
- Arrange in a frame with acid free backing and UV protective glass.
Frame construction matters more than most guides acknowledge. For Keeps Florals argues that pressed flower frames benefit from UV protective glass, a sealed environment, adequate depth, and spacers to prevent flowers from being compressed against the glass. For a detailed walkthrough of framing options, see this guide on how to preserve flowers in a frame.
Here’s what you need to know about color: all flowers change in the press. Colors darken. Centers can brown. Pinks sometimes shift purple. White flowers frequently turn cream, gold, or brown. This is not a defect. It is what happens when organic material dries.
A cautionary note from a real DIYer: one r/weddingplanning user who tested pressing, hanging, and silica gel reported that pressing was their least recommended method because more than 75% of the flowers they pressed had to be thrown away due to mold, even with regular paper changes. They found pressing worked only for small or already somewhat dry flowers.
Can You Preserve a Wedding Bouquet in Resin?
Yes, but not the way most people think.
Resin preservation looks stunning on Instagram: flowers suspended in crystal clear blocks, trays with petals visible under the surface, initials filled with tiny blooms. The reality is messier. Flowers must be fully dried before they go into resin, or they will rot, brown, or discolor inside.
The Knot’s resin instructions start by drying flowers, preferably with silica gel, before placing them in resin. A Reddit user who DIYed resin preservation confirmed this: if flowers are not completely dried, they can decompose inside the resin. A florist in the same thread agreed and warned that drying changes both color and structure.
Steps for resin, if you proceed:
- Dry flowers completely first (silica gel is usually best for maintaining shape).
- Practice on grocery store flowers before using your wedding bouquet. Resin has a learning curve, and you get one shot with the real thing.
- Mix resin according to product instructions exactly.
- Pour a thin base layer.
- Place dried flowers carefully.
- Pour additional layers to reduce air bubbles. Resin practitioners recommend thin, staged pours for larger flowers.
- Pop bubbles with a toothpick or heat gun.
- Cure fully before unmolding.
One more thing worth considering: resin is not necessarily cheaper as a DIY project. A Reddit user who went through the process reported it was more work and more expensive than expected, and not cheaper than hiring a professional in their case. Several practitioners on Reddit also note that resin can yellow over time, especially with cheaper formulations or UV exposure.
If you want preserved flower art without the risk of a resin project, there are methods that skip resin entirely. This overview of how to preserve flowers without resin covers the alternatives.
Professional Bouquet Preservation: When It Is Worth It
Hire a professional when:
- The bouquet was expensive or deeply sentimental.
- You are leaving for a honeymoon immediately and cannot start DIY within a day or two.
- The bouquet contains delicate, rare, or pale flowers that are prone to browning.
- You want a polished framed piece or resin work but have no experience.
- You want freeze drying (this requires specialized equipment you won’t have at home).
- The project outpaces your skill set, and you only get one shot.
Professional methods include pressing and framing, silica gel drying with artistic arrangement, freeze drying, shadow box assembly, and resin casting. Most professionals will guide you through shipping or drop off.
A practical tip from Reddit’s r/weddingplanning: fresh flower shipping can run around $200 for overnight delivery. Multiple users recommend finding a local preservation artist near the wedding venue to avoid that cost. If you’re having a destination wedding, this is worth researching ahead of time.
How Much Does Bouquet Preservation Cost?
DIY is cheaper, but it is not free. Silica gel, airtight containers, frames, UV glass, resin, molds, and replacement supplies add up.
Professional preservation costs vary widely:
- Basic pressing or drying: $150 to $250
- Average professional preservation: $250 to $600
- Framed or resin keepsakes: $300 to $500+
- Large shadow boxes, 3D displays, or complex resin: $700 to $1,000+
Real vendor pricing adds context. Pressed Bouquet charges $354 for an 11x14 shadow box and $487 to $594 for 16x20 pressed frames. Pressed Arrow lists $240 for 8x10, $340 for 11x14, and $440 for 16x20. Pressed Blooms Co. charges $350 for 11x14 and $400 for 16x20, with a $50 last minute fee.
Keep in mind: shipping, rush fees, deposits, frame upgrades, UV glass, and bouquet size all change the final number.
For couples who want preserved real flowers as display art without the logistics of shipping a fresh bouquet to a preservation artist, romantic preserved flower keepsakes offer another path. These pieces use preserved flowers arranged into original designs rather than recreating the exact bouquet.
Which Flowers Preserve Best?
Not all flowers behave the same way when dried, pressed, or otherwise preserved. This matters.
| Flower | Best method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roses | Silica gel, air drying, professional pressing | Dense blooms that dry well. White roses may shift to cream or brown. |
| Peonies | Silica gel, professional preservation | Suitable for silica gel drying but often too large to press whole. |
| Ranunculus | Silica gel, careful air drying | Can distort or become fragile. Reddit users report mixed outcomes. |
| Hydrangea | Press individual clusters, air dry, professional | Fades easily. Moisture causes problems. |
| Baby’s breath | Air drying, silica gel | Short silica drying time. Easy to work with. |
| Lavender and grasses | Air drying | Naturally suit the dried rustic look. |
| Ferns and foliage | Glycerin, pressing, air drying | Glycerin works well for leafy materials. |
| Succulents | Ask a professional | Hold too much water to press. Many preservation artists won’t attempt them. |
| White flowers | Professional preservation, or accept color change | White flowers almost always shift to cream, gold, or brown during drying. |
The white flower problem deserves its own warning. If your bouquet is primarily white, prepare for color change. Pressed Bouquet states plainly that white flowers turn cream, gold, and brown. No method reliably keeps white flowers white.
For a more detailed look at how specific varieties respond to different methods, see this guide on best flower types for preservation.
How to Display Preserved Wedding Flowers
The display choice matters as much as the drying method. A beautifully dried bouquet stuffed in a shoebox defeats the purpose.
Pressed frame: The most popular choice for wall art. Works with flat or deconstructed flowers. Use UV glass and acid free backing for longevity.
Shadow box: Necessary for 3D dried flowers that have depth. Make sure the box is deep enough. For a step by step approach, this guide on preserving flowers in a shadow box covers materials, assembly, and display tips.
Glass dome: Classic and elegant for small dried arrangements. Protects from dust.
Resin object: Trays, coasters, blocks, paperweights. Photogenic but functional. Some Reddit users note that resin objects can feel “plastic” and collect dust, and prefer wall mounted art because it feels more timeless.
Preserved floral artwork: Rather than preserving the literal bouquet, some couples opt for artistic floral pieces that capture the feeling. This includes love themed preserved flower art or narrative designs with wedding dates and names through personalization options.
Whatever you choose, think about where it will hang or sit in your home. Preserved flowers are meant to be seen, not stored.
How to Care for Preserved Wedding Flowers
Preserved flowers are real organic materials. They will change over time no matter what you do. Good care slows that change.
- Keep displays out of direct sunlight. Colors can fade noticeably after four to seven years of sun exposure.
- Avoid bathrooms, kitchens, and other humid rooms. Humidity can cause mold even on dried flowers.
- Do not touch petals. Oils from your hands accelerate degradation.
- Keep away from heat sources like radiators or fireplaces.
- Dust gently with cool air from a can of compressed air, or use a very soft brush.
- Use sealed frames or display cases whenever possible.
- Never water preserved or dried flowers.
For more detail on caring for preserved floral art, Luxe Bloomia’s preserved flower care FAQs cover what to do and what to avoid.
How Long Does a Preserved Wedding Bouquet Last?
It depends on the method, materials, and display conditions. Avoid any source that tells you “forever.”
Missouri Botanical Garden notes that dried plant material may last several months without deteriorating when stored properly, but even the best dried flowers eventually fade. Pressed flowers behind UV glass with acid free backing can look good for years, sometimes a decade or more, but gradual change is inevitable.
Preserved flowers treated with glycerin based solutions, like those used in framed floral art, typically last 2 to 5 years indoors with proper care. That is a realistic expectation, and it is honest.
The goal is not to freeze time. It is to slow it enough that you get years of enjoyment from something that would otherwise last days.
Is Preserving Your Wedding Bouquet Worth It?
This is a personal question, and the answer is genuinely different for everyone.
Practitioners on Reddit are split. Some say preserved bouquets become their favorite piece of wedding decor, something subtle that lives on a wall and brings the day back every time they walk by. Others say photos are enough and the bouquet served its purpose at the ceremony.
A few things to consider:
- If you spent thousands on florals and feel a pang at the thought of them in a trash bag, preservation is probably worth exploring.
- If DIY failure would cause real distress, the peace of mind from a professional is worth the cost.
- If you want a keepsake but don’t want to deal with fragile dried flowers, preserved floral artwork captures the emotion through real flowers without requiring you to manage the drying process yourself.
- If photos feel like enough, that is completely valid. There is no obligation to preserve anything.
The best preserved bouquets are the ones their owners actually enjoy seeing every day. Whether that is a shadow box, a pressed frame, a resin tray, or a piece of floral art on the wall, the method matters less than the result.
What Not to Do
A quick list of mistakes that ruin bouquets:
- Do not wait a week to start. Freshness determines success.
- Do not leave the bouquet in direct sunlight or a hot car.
- Do not spray the bouquet with hairspray or preservative spray before drying.
- Do not put fresh flowers into resin. They will rot.
- Do not mix flower types in the same drying container without accounting for different drying times.
- Do not press thick, wet blooms without separating or preparing them first.
- Do not assume white flowers will stay white.
- Do not use a shallow frame for flowers with depth.
- Do not toss the real bouquet if you want to preserve it. Use a separate toss bouquet.
- Do not expect preserved flowers to look identical to wedding day photos. Natural change is part of the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to preserve a wedding bouquet?
The best method depends on your goal. For DIY shape and color retention, silica gel is the strongest option. For wall art, pressing and framing works best. For the most realistic near fresh result, professional freeze drying is hard to beat. No single method is universally “best.”
How soon after the wedding should I preserve my bouquet?
As soon as possible. The same day or next day is ideal. Professional preservation artists typically need flowers within a few days while they are still vibrant. Every day of delay reduces quality.
Can I put fresh flowers directly in resin?
No. Fresh flowers contain moisture that will cause them to rot, brown, or discolor inside the resin. Flowers must be fully dried (silica gel is recommended) before any resin work.
Will white wedding flowers stay white after preservation?
Usually not. White flowers commonly shift to cream, gold, tan, or brown during drying and pressing. This happens across all methods. If maintaining white is critical, discuss options with a professional, but manage expectations.
How much does professional wedding bouquet preservation cost?
Basic pressing or drying services start around $150 to $250. Average professional preservation runs $250 to $600. Large, complex, or custom pieces (shadow boxes, resin, freeze drying) can cost $700 to $1,000 or more depending on size, method, and framing choices.
What flowers are hardest to preserve?
Very thick, watery, delicate, or pale flowers give the most trouble. Succulents are especially difficult because they hold too much moisture. White and pastel flowers are prone to browning. Bulky peonies can be challenging for pressing, though they respond well to silica gel.
How long does a preserved bouquet last?
There is no single answer. Air dried flowers can look good for months to a few years. Pressed flowers behind UV glass may hold up for many years. Preserved flowers treated with glycerin based solutions typically last 2 to 5 years indoors. All preserved flowers change gradually over time.
Should I use preservative spray on my bouquet?
No. Preservative sprays and hairspray trap moisture inside petals, leading to browning and mold during drying. Keep flowers hydrated in clean water until you begin the actual preservation process.
Can I microwave dry my wedding flowers?
Yes, but with caution. Microwave drying with silica gel works in minutes rather than days, but it requires small batches, medium power, and 30 second intervals. Always test with a non wedding flower of the same type first.
Should I ship my bouquet to a preservation artist or find someone local?
Local drop off saves money and reduces transit stress on delicate flowers. Overnight shipping for fresh flowers can run around $200 according to practitioners on Reddit. If your wedding is in a different city, research local artists near the venue before the wedding day.