What to Do with Your Wedding Flowers

Wedding flowers are a huge part of what makes your wedding day special. From the bridal bouquet to the table centrepieces, each floral element cohesively ties together the chosen theme and vibe of the day, elevating the look and feel of your celebration.

But what happens to these beautiful blooms once the wedding is over? It feels like a waste to just toss them, right? Luckily, there are tons of creative and meaningful ways to preserve and repurpose your wedding flowers, so you can keep enjoying them long after you say, “I do”.

In this guide, we’ll share some ideas for what to do with your wedding flowers after the wedding. Whether you want to preserve them as keepsakes, turn them into art or even give them a new life, there’s plenty of options to choose from.

Ways to repurpose your wedding flowers after the wedding

Wedding flowers can only be repurposed if they remain in good condition throughout the day. To prevent your bouquet or bridesmaids’ flowers from going to waste, keep them in water during the reception and handle them gently to avoid bruising, wilting, or damage. Below, we’ve gathered some of our favourite ideas for giving your wedding flowers a second life after the celebration:

Give them to guests

One of the best things to do with your wedding flowers after the event is to let your guests take them home. Consider setting up a designated flower station near the exit, allowing guests to select an assortment of flowers as they leave. This will not only brighten their day, but also minimise waste, ensuring your beautiful wedding flowers are appreciated beyond the celebration. You can even use your table decorations as favours. Opt for designs in small vases or jars that can be taken home by your guests after the wedding.

Donate them

Another option is to donate them to nursing homes, extending the positivity of your wedding day to others in the community. Many organisations are delighted to receive fresh flower donations, which can brighten up rooms and lift spirits. Contact local care homes in advance to coordinate the donation and to ensure they can accept the flowers.

Preservation

If you want to take your flowers with you as a keepsake at the end of your wedding day, a great option is to preserve your wedding bouquet. There are several methods to consider such as air drying, pressing or setting in resin, silica gel or wax. Once preserved, you can display them in boxes, frames or other creative ways to cherish the memories of your special day.

How to Preserve a Wedding Bouquet

Below we’ve suggested 5 was to preserve a wedding bouquet to prolong the joy of your wedding flowers:

Air dry

The simplest way to preserve your wedding bouquet is by air-drying it.

All you need to do is hang your bouquet upside down, somewhere dry and away from water and it should simply dry out on its own. This technique involves removing moisture from the flowers slowly, allowing them to retain their shape and colour.

Once dried, you can create charming, dried flower arrangements, wreaths or even floral ornaments that can be displayed in your home as a lasting reminder of your special day.

Press

Pressing your wedding flowers can be a wonderful way to capture the memories of your special day.

Firstly, select flowers from your bouquet and arrange them however you desire on parchment paper or wax paper. Take the arranged flowers and place them in the middle of the heaviest book in your home, so the weight of the book presses the flowers completely flat. Put another sheet of paper on top of the flowers so no ink transfers, then close the book and put additional weights on it, to help the pressing process. Leave to dry for about two weeks.

When your flowers are pressed, we suggest displaying them in a frame.

Resin

When it comes to preserving wedding flowers, resin is brilliant way to create stunning, long-lasting keepsakes.

Firstly, you’ll need to follow the air-drying method above. Then, once the flowers are fully dried, find a suitable container or mould, fill it halfway with epoxy resin and arrange the flowers in the liquid. Pour more resin over the flowers until they are fully submerged and leave to dry.

Once the process is complete, the options are endless. Think resin coasters, paper weights, book ends and hanging decorations – the choice is yours!

Silica gel

Using silica gel is an effective method to maintain the beauty and freshness of your wedding flowers.

Silicia gel is a natural desiccant that absorbs moisture from the flowers, preventing them from wilting and losing their natural appearance. It’s possible to hire a professional to preserve your wedding bouquet with silica gel, but it’s also entirely doable yourself.

To preserve your wedding bouquet with silica gel, you’ll need a large container of the stuff. Place your bouquet upside down in the container and slowly pour enough silica gel to submerge it. Cover the container and allow it to sit for a couple of weeks, before arranging them in a vase.

Wax

While not a permanent form of preservation, preserving you wedding flowers using wax is a very pretty way to prolong the life of your wedding flowers.

Firstly, melt paraffin wax in a pot. Once the wax is liquified and slightly cooled down, pour the wax into a heat-resistant container. Dip each flower into the container of wax, making sure you avoid dipping any wilting flowers. Immediately hang your dipped flowers upside down to dry, using the string method mentioned above for air-drying. Once dry, you have perfectly preserved flowers to display for several months!

Not only does the wax preserve the flowers, but it also adds a lovely shine to the petals, making them look even more beautiful.

When it comes to planning a wedding there are so many details to consider. Flowers are such a simple way to bring colour and beauty to your special day, and there are so many ways to repurpose them. From pressing and framing them to donating them to guests and suppliers, your wedding flowers can continue to bring joy long after the wedding. We at Heather Glen know how important it is to find the perfect wedding venue which is why we’re here to help with all your wedding needs. If you’re looking for a beautiful and stress-free wedding venue, get in touch!