A Bride’s “Flowers of Joy”

(This piece is X-posted from my studio newsletter blog as it also contains an amount of personal contemplations…)

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The saving of a bride’s bouquet is nothing new and there are a number of ways to do that, depending on desired result, the type of flowers and especially, cost.

When I was first married on June 1, 1985 in a very simple wedding (like many young couples then and now, we didn’t have two pennies to rub together, so-to-speak) someone told me that I could save my bouquet by drying it upside down and then putting hairspray on it.

I think of all those years ago when we lived that summer on Long Beach Island on extended “honeymoon” at my first mother-in-law’s beach house. I dried the daisies and carnations and baby’s breath (oh…the symbol of the bride with baby’s breath in her flowers of hope and joy) that a friend had put together for me, and then I got an inexpensive plastic shadowbox frame and glued the flowers on to the cardboard it came with, and bought white eyelet ribbon to glue on to the sides. I knew nothing about acid free materials, and I bought the type of hairspray I used back then (AquaNet) and drenched the flowers in a thick, somewhat shiny coating.

I wanted it to last, and was quite generous with the hairspray…

Oh the bittersweet remembrance of this. This keepsake did last and honestly, still would be a very practical and precious way to preserve one’s own bouquet but sadly, when my marriage ended in 2005 I decided it best to send this thing, along with my wedding gown…into some landfill.

(Above) The preservation I did of the bouquet from my 2nd (failed) marriage in 2012.

I think sometimes of keepsakes that go into landfills and wonder what remains of them…like walking through a thrift store and seeing used wedding gowns, one wonders how they got there and what might become of them.

Once I recall being in a thrift store I frequented in Delaware and taking note of a rocking horse. It caught my attention because we had owned one just like it. The bittersweet pang of nostalgia made me walk over to it and take a closer look. I then noticed a black magic marker scuff on its side and realized that this in fact, WAS the rocking horse my sons played upon.

Flashes of memories flooded in as I recalled several years before needing to part with a number of household items during a time of separation from my first husband (2003). We then got back together four months later, hoping, I suppose, to still salvage whatever was left of the very already-broken marriage. We then sold and purchased a different home in 2004, but by mid 2005, we knew the marriage was in fact, over. My first divorce was final December of that year.

My browsing through that thrift store was probably around 2006 or 2007 if I were to guess. Apparently, that plastic rocking horse sat in some back room, likely, all that time. Because as I recall, these were new items being put out that day. (Or perhaps it had been bought, used by other children and re-donated to the same thrift store in that several year time span.)

Today, I have had the pleasure of finishing up a bridal bouquet preservation for a newly married woman who lives in New York State. Her mom shipped me her bouquet about a month ago.

In this new blog format I hope to be able to more singularly highlight the various art services I offer, and also to present some of my more personal thoughts as they come.

The flowers of a bride are indeed “flowers of joy.”

Some brides for one reason or another will simply want to hold the memory of them in their mind’s eye and hearts. For others, they will be hung upside down in one’s home, or sent off for the new method of three-dimensional “freeze drying” and being put in a coffee-table dome…remaining pristine in color over time! (I do NOT offer this service, and I understand it starts at about $1000!)

Ha ha…which makes me think of dry cleaning shirts! I get it, that if one can afford to do that and needs business shirts properly ironed/starched it makes sense. But in my mind I must confess that I have previously thought of the math aspect…dry-cleaning a man’s shirt 100 times at $3 a pop is $300 over time to care for a shirt that may have cost $50. (Which makes me want to put in a plug-of-praise for women who still iron their husband’s shirts for whatever reason, and even men who iron their own shirts!)

I suppose I tell these little stories to acknowledge that I get it! Weddings are expensive enough and the thought of paying equal or greater to “keep your bouquet forever“seems difficult for some to imagine. (Yes I came up with that slogan! and it reminds me of a recent face painting job with another artist who had a “forever” mirror...that was a cute stand-up “princess mirror” where a child can step away and look at their little cheek design as long as they want! And obviously, allow the next child to get painted. She said she got it on Amazon…and I’m glad I just remembered! I want one of those, too, for face painting jobs.)

(Above) Fun silver mirror sits upon the table at 2023 Separation Day Festivities in Old New Castle, DE.

Yet I do know there are many brides out there who would love to have this done. I often here of those who see this and say, “Wow…I didn’t even know this was possible. I wish I had known!”

Prior to the pandemic, I’d estimate I was doing about 15 bridal bouquet preservations per year. Last year in 2022, I think I did about 3-4. In 2021…probably about the same. I think I did one bouquet in 2020. The bouquet I finished up today (shown below) is the first order I have received this year in 2023 for this service.

The wedding and caricature gig industry was significantly impacted by the pandemic. While it is somewhat rebounding, these events are changing in nature, just like the pandemic forever impacted some types of jobs. Many work positions were eliminated, and people still continue working from home in some cases. I mention simply to acknowledge that I understand there are many issues we are collectively facing these days, including very real economic uncertainty and inflation.

That said, I continue to diligently attempt many of the things I have done for many years, in hopes of connecting somehow with those interested and in a position to purchase. For me, with many things, it doesn’t take a huge quantity of response (for example, if I were to get 100 bouquet preservation orders today, I couldn’t do them! Same with portrait work…) but that one order the comes at the right time is very valuable to the overall sustainability of my overall business.

I don’t want to annoy clients and friends, but I do want to highlight and better keep my work “out there” before folks! Like it is written somewhere…he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly but hopefully, in my case, a generous sowing of seeds (and done by the tortoise rather than the hare, for the most part…) will hopefully yield fruits in its due season. I am ready for God to give me the rewards and fruits of my hands and labors, in a way that I am currently not experiencing.

Below I will add in information taken from my website, including photos of the process of this for those super curious! I have large quantities of silica gel, which I use initially to quickly dry out flowers, in order to maintain their color as much as possible.

The pricing is also below.

I would suggest that gifting a bride with a pre-purchased certificate for this, given to her at her bridal shower as some type of group gift by family, friends, etc. is a very viable option/idea! Rather than pay $100 for a streamlined gift from a registry, I would ask you to consider mentioning to others and helping support small artists like myself and in the same token, gifting something unique of heirloom quality.

Five friends could pay $100 each, for example, and give me the bride’s contact information to send the pre-purchased gift, book in her wedding date week (so my silica gel is dehydrated and properly ready), and I can email her information on arranging to ship the bouquet to me. Average shipping cost if pre-planned well is $50 to $75.

A bride has many things on her mind at the end of her beautiful day…and she should arrange for a mother, sister or friend to simply come up to her at the end of it all and say, “You were (and are) so very beautiful. I’ll take your bouquet now and refrigerate it…and send it off Monday to the artist.”

For those who use social media, here is my FB Business Page Keep Your Bouquet Forever specifically for flower preservation if you care to “like” and follow. I would appreciate any easy sharing of this and suggesting friends to also “like” and “share” to help me reach potential brides. Thank you!

Traditional Bridal Bouquet Pressing is a way to preserve the memories of your special day for years to come. Flowers and foliage are dried and flattened in flower presses. Afterward, the bouquet is re-created in an artistic, two-dimensional design on a fabric background and framed behind glass. Your original ribbon, pins and other trimmings are also incorporated.

While the colors of the flowers do eventually/gradually fade to a more antiqued look (you can’t change “Mother Nature!”), with proper care the framed bouquet should last for generations.

Contact Me to make arrangements prior to your wedding so I can best anticipate and ready for the initial drying process and give shipping instructions or an appointment for local deliveries to my studio in East Berlin, Pennsylvania.

If your wedding has just passed please on my cell (302-463-5459) as soon as possible to discuss so there will be no additional delay!

The history of two-dimensional dried and pressed flower preservation dates back to Victorian times and is the most reliable method of preserving your wedding bouquet for a lifetime. Companion pieces (flowers/corsages) as gifts to bridesmaids, Mother-of-the-Bride and other family members also available.

Although I have worked well with less-than-optimal bouquets, receiving the bouquet as soon as possible after the wedding is essential to the most ideal preservation! Please contact in advance to discuss possible order details. Bouquets should be shipped promptly after your wedding to my Pennsylvania studio with ice packs via express delivery.

The watercolor painting below was done from a photo of the bride’s bouquet, gifted to the daughter by her mother several years after the wedding. It is never too late for a beautiful painting, in lieu of preserving the actual flowers!

(Above) If your bouquet can no longer be preserved for some reason, I can also paint a watercolor of your flowers from photo references. Pricing for a painting starts at $375.

Pricing (includes drying flowers, creating the bouquet design, custom framing, and return shipping of finished piece)

16 x 20 ~ $495
12 x 16 ~ $410
11 x 14 ~ $350
8 x 10 ~ $215
5 x 7 ~ $120

Please note that the smaller sizes are intended more for bridesmaid keepsakes and do not work well for bridal bouquets unless you just want a small sampling of your flowers. Also, the more variety of flowers you have in your bouquet, the larger the size you should use so that they can all spread out and show! If you wish to incorporate an invitation, you must select the 16 x 20 size. Photos (sized appropriately) can also be incorporated in any of the bridal bouquet sizes, as well as the boutonniere.

If you would like to know more details about this service or make arrangements to have your bouquet pressed, please contact the artist at (302) 463-5459 or by email. Preferably, plans must be made in advance and bouquets must be well-kept and sent/delivered promptly to the artist following the wedding.

FLOWER PRESERVATION PROCESS

When I receive your flowers the first thing I do is to take them apart (separate individual rose petals, cut blooms off other types of flowers, etc.) and bury them in a silica drying agent. When the moisture is out of the flowers, I transfer them to a clamped pressed where they are arranged between layers of paper and cardboard and pressed flat, and completely dried. When flowers are finished being flattened, I contact you to either have you come to my studio to make your fabric and frame selections, or I send you a scanned sampling of your dried flowers by email. I like to wait until flowers are dried and pressed before having you choose your fabric and frame, so you can get a true sense of their color, once dried. On very rare occasions if flower color turns too brown (sometimes happens with orchids) I can apply acrylic paint to restore the color.

After your fabric and frame selections are made, I then re-create a two dimensional representation of your bouquet onto matteboard covered with batting/fabric by re-gluing the flowers into an artistic design. I incorporate your original ribbon and pins (unless ribbon is so discolored it needs replacement). I can also incorporate the invitation (only in the 16 x 20 size) or photo and the boutonniere into the piece . When the piece is completed I will email you a photo of the finished product and then you can pay the balance due and I will ship the piece to you.