What Wedding Bouquet Preservation Should I Choose?

A Complete, Honest Guide to Preserving Your Wedding Flowers

Your wedding bouquet holds more than flowers — it carries one of the most meaningful days of your life. When the celebration ends and the petals begin to fade, many couples find themselves asking the same question:

What wedding bouquet preservation should I choose?

The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. There are several ways to preserve wedding flowers, each with different results, lifespans, and emotional impact. Some methods are better suited for small keepsakes, while others are designed to become heirloom art that lasts for generations.

This guide walks you through every major wedding bouquet preservation option, the pros and cons of each, and how to choose the method you’ll feel confident about years from now.

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The 4 Main Ways to Preserve a Wedding Bouquet

Before choosing, it’s important to understand the full landscape. Most blogs only compare pressed flowers vs. resin — but those aren’t your only options.

1. Pressed Flower Preservation (Fine Art Framing)

Pressed flower preservation involves carefully drying each bloom flat, then arranging the actual petals from your bouquet into a custom-designed composition. The flowers are preserved behind museum-grade, UV-protective glass and framed as wall art.

Why couples choose pressed flower preservation

• Preserves the actual flowers from your bouquet

• Creates timeless artwork, not just a keepsake

• Lightweight and easy to display

• Designed to last for decades with archival materials

• Fits seamlessly into modern and traditional homes

Things to know

• Colors naturally soften as flowers dry (this is expected and part of the preservation process)

• Requires skilled floral artists and professional handling

Pressed flower preservation is especially popular for couples who want their bouquet to live on as heirloom-quality art, rather than something tucked away in storage.

At Pressed Floral, pressed preservation is treated as fine art — each piece is custom-designed, thoughtfully spaced, and framed using archival materials intended to stand the test of time.

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2. Resin (Epoxy) Flower Preservation

Resin preservation involves encasing flowers in clear epoxy resin, often in the shape of blocks, trays, or paperweights.

Pros

• Flowers appear suspended in a glass-like form

• Durable for handling

• Works well for small accent pieces

Cons

• Resin can yellow, crack, or cloud over time

• Heavy and not ideal for wall display

• Air bubbles or imperfections are common

• More decorative than heirloom in feel

Resin preservation can be a good option for small floral mementos, but many couples choose other methods for preserving an entire wedding bouquet.

Pressed Floral, recommends small keepsakes like a locket, necklace, or ring, to incase blooms into a small resin keepsake.

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3. Shadow Box Flower Preservation

Shadow boxes preserve flowers in their original 3D form inside a deep frame.

Pros

• Maintains the dimensional shape of flowers

• Can include invitation suites or small keepsakes

Cons

• Flowers continue to brown and deteriorate over time

• Limited protection from humidity and light

• Bulky and harder to display long-term

• Often looks dated as years pass

While shadow boxes are visually striking at first, they’re less suitable for couples prioritizing longevity.

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4. DIY or At-Home Flower Preservation

DIY methods include air-drying, silica gel drying, or pressing flowers at home.

Pros

• Budget-friendly

• Sentimental hands-on experience

Cons

• High risk of mold, discoloration, or breakage

• No archival protection

• Limited design control

• Often not display-ready

DIY preservation can work for casual flowers, but it’s risky for once-in-a-lifetime wedding bouquets.

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Pressed vs. Resin: A Side-by-Side Comparison

For couples deciding between the two most popular professional options, this comparison can be especially helpful:

This is often where couples realize they’re deciding between art and object.

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What Most Couples Regret After Choosing the Wrong Preservation

One of the most common things couples say — after the fact — is “I didn’t realize how it would age.”

Common regrets include:

• Resin pieces yellowing or clouding

• Shadow box flowers browning significantly

• DIY flowers molding or breaking

• Choosing something trendy instead of timeless

Your bouquet only gets preserved once. Choosing a method based on longevity — not just initial appearance — makes all the difference.

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How to Choose the Right Wedding Bouquet Preservation for You

Ask yourself the following:

• Do I want this displayed forever, or stored away?

• Do I want something decorative, or something timeless?

• Will this still look beautiful in 20–50 years?

• Is this bouquet worth professional care?

A simple way to decide

• Want heirloom wall art → Pressed flowers

• Want a small keepsake → Resin

• Budget-focused or casual → DIY

• Longevity matters most → Pressed flowers

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Why Many Brides Ultimately Choose Pressed Floral

After exploring all options, many couples gravitate toward pressed flower preservation because it offers a rare balance of beauty, sentiment, and longevity.

Pressed Floral is trusted by thousands of couples because of:

• Custom design with a dedicated floral artist

• Museum-grade materials and UV-protective glass

• Thoughtful layouts that feel romantic and uncluttered

• Experience preserving wedding bouquets at scale

• A process designed for care, communication, and lasting quality

Clients often say they chose Pressed Floral because they wanted something that felt:

• Personal

• Beautiful

• Intentional

• Worthy of the memory

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Final Thoughts: Choose Once, Choose Well

Your wedding bouquet represents a moment that will never be repeated. The right preservation choice doesn’t just save flowers — it keeps the story alive.

If you’re searching for what wedding bouquet preservation you should choose, start by thinking long-term. When done thoughtfully, preserved flowers don’t just last — they become part of your home, your history, and your legacy.

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