(What Every Bride Should Do Before and After the Ceremony)
If you’re searching for the best wedding bouquet preservation checklist, you’re in the right place. Your wedding day goes by quickly, but your flowers can last beautifully with the right preparation.
Your wedding day moves fast — so fast that the little details you thought you’d remember forever suddenly blur together. But the beauty of your bouquet? That can absolutely last. With the right prep, care, and timing, your flowers can be transformed into a timeless keepsake that brings back all those emotions from your “I do” moment.
If you haven’t seen it yet, I also created a blog on my top wedding bouquet preservation tips, which is a perfect companion to this checklist.
After preserving countless bouquets, I’ve seen exactly what helps flowers stay vibrant, intact, and ready for long-lasting art pieces like pressed-flower frames, resin blocks, and custom keepsakes.
Here’s your complete before-and-after checklist to make sure your bouquet stays as beautiful as the moment you held it.
Before the Wedding: Prep for a Stress-Free Preservation
1. Choose a Bouquet that Preserves Well
Opt for blooms that hold their shape and color — like roses, ranunculus, orchids, carnations, calla lilies, and eucalyptus.
If your florist asks about your bouquet goals, tell them you plan to preserve it!
2. Keep Your Florist in the Loop
Let them know you’re preserving your bouquet so:
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They avoid materials that don’t dry well
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They select blooms that press beautifully
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They avoid unnecessary sprays or dyes
3. Appoint a Bouquet “Handler”
You will be busy taking photos, greeting guests, dancing, and celebrating.
Pick someone you trust — maid of honor, best friend, sibling — to:
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Hold your bouquet between photo moments
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Make sure it stays in water
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Keep it away from direct sunlight and heat
This one step dramatically reduces wilting.
4. Bring a Water Vase to Your Venue
Ask your coordinator or bouquet handler to set up a sturdy vase with water.
Every time you’re not using your bouquet, it should be here — not lying on a table, a chair, or the floor.
5. Take Photos Early
If you want “freshest” bouquet photos, schedule them early in your timeline.
The earlier the photos → the fresher your flowers → the better your preservation results.
During the Wedding: Keep Your Bouquet Alive and Thriving
6. Avoid Leaving It in Hot Places
Your bouquet is like a person — it will wilt in:
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A hot limo
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Direct sunlight
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Near heaters
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On windy balconies
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In a packed reception room
When in doubt, put it in the vase.
7. Handle with Care for Photos
Hold the bouquet at your belly button, not up high — this keeps stems intact and prevents bending or breakage.
8. Don’t Toss Your Real Bouquet
If you’re doing a bouquet toss, ask your florist for a toss bouquet.
Your real bouquet needs to stay protected for preservation — not launched into the crowd like a football.
After the Ceremony: Protect Your Flowers Until Pickup
9. Hydrate Immediately After the Reception
Before you leave, place the bouquet upright in fresh water.
This alone can extend its life by hours or even days.
10. Store in a Cool, Safe Place
Do not put your bouquet in:
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A freezer (it damages petals)
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A car overnight
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A refrigerator with fruits/veggies (ethylene gas kills flowers)
Instead, keep it in the coolest room of your home in its vase.
11. Contact Your Preservation Artist ASAP
Most artists (including me!) need the bouquet within 24–72 hours.
Reach out before the wedding so everything is already scheduled — all you’ll need to do is drop it off or arrange pickup.
12. Don’t Remove Damaged Petals
You might be tempted, but leave everything as it is.
Your artist will gently remove bad petals without harming the flower structure.
13. Keep the Ribbon On (Unless Wet)
If the ribbon is soaked, remove it so it doesn’t mold.
If it’s dry, leave it — we can include it in your keepsake if you’d like.
14. Bring Extras if You Have Them
Boutonnieres, bridesmaid flowers, memorial charms — all can be added to keepsakes or preserved separately.
Optional but Helpful:
✔ Bring your inspiration photos or Pinterest board
✔ Think about what type of keepsake you want (frame, resin, dome, ornament, tray)
✔ Decide if you want multiple pieces (for parents, bridesmaids, or gifts)
✔ Ask your artist about timeline and payment options ahead of time
Final Thoughts
Your bouquet isn’t just flowers — it’s a piece of your story.
With a little preparation and care before, during, and after your wedding day, you can preserve that beauty in a way that lasts decades.
If you’re a Pittsburgh-area bride looking to preserve your bouquet, I’d love to help you create something meaningful and timeless.
Your memories deserve to bloom forever.
