Pressed Flower Keepsakes: What You Need to Know Before Preserving Your Flowers

pressed flower preservation service is one of the most beautiful ways to turn your wedding bouquet into something you can actually display and enjoy for years to come.

Instead of keeping your flowers three-dimensional, pressed preservation flattens the blooms and turns them into a piece of art. The finished look is delicate, botanical, and almost like a vintage flower illustration, except these are your actual wedding flowers.

If you've always loved the look of pressed flowers, or you want a keepsake that can hang on your wall instead of sitting on a shelf, pressed preservation may be the perfect choice for you.

In this guide, we're going to walk you through how pressed flower preservation works, what happens to your flowers once they arrive at our studio, which flowers press well, what happens to their color, the different keepsakes you can make, and what kind of timeline you can expect.

What Is Pressed Flower Preservation?

Pressed flower preservation is exactly what it sounds like: your flowers are carefully flattened and dried so they can be preserved in a two-dimensional design.

When your bouquet arrives at Wild Coast, we take it apart flower by flower and decide how each bloom should be handled. The flowers are placed between absorbent paper and pressed under controlled pressure while they slowly dry.

Once they're completely dry, we arrange the flowers into your keepsake and seal them for protection. Depending on the piece, that may mean placing them under glass in a frame or sealing them beneath a layer of resin.

The result is very different from a three-dimensional resin piece. Instead of seeing the depth and shape of an entire flower, you see the petals, colors, stems, and greenery spread out in one beautiful composition.

This is worth naming clearly: pressed pieces look different from whole flower preservation, where blooms stay three-dimensional inside clear resin. Both methods are beautiful. Pressed preservation has a lighter, more illustrative quality. Whole flower pieces have depth and weight. Knowing which aesthetic you are drawn to is the fastest way to decide between them.

Pressed vs. Whole Flower Preservation

Pressed preservation is one of the two main preservation methods we offer at Wild Coast.

With pressed preservation, your flowers become flat, botanical artwork. It's light, delicate, and especially beautiful in a frame.

With whole flower preservation, your flowers remain three-dimensional and are suspended in clear resin. You can see the depth and shape of the individual blooms.

Neither option is better than the other. They simply create very different looks.

If you already know you love the look of pressed botanical artwork, that can make the decision pretty easy. If you're not sure, we'd be happy to help you compare the two.

How we press flowers at the studio

The process starts the moment your flowers arrive. We work with the fresh stems while they still hold their color and shape, before any fading sets in.

Here is how it moves through the studio:

1. We Take the Bouquet Apart:

   First, we carefully disassemble the bouquet. We separate the flowers and greenery and sort everything by type. A delicate little flower needs very different treatment from a large rose or peony, so this step is important.

2. The Flowers Go Into the Press: We use many pressing methods from paper press to microwave press.  With paper pressing, each flower goes between layers of absorbent paper under controlled pressure. The paper pulls moisture out evenly, which keeps petals from warping and retains color better in some flower types. Microwave flower pressing takes skill and bursts of heat to quickly press flowers.  This technique is best for some flower types. We have been experimenting with freeze dry pressing! 
   
   
3. The Flowers Dry for 3–12 Weeks: This is the part that requires the most patience. Pressed flowers need 8 to 12 weeks to completely dry and settle into their final shape. It can be tempting to want to speed things up, but this is one area where rushing really isn't worth it. The flowers need time to release their moisture properly. If they're sealed before they're completely dry, problems can show up later.
   
   
4. We Design Your Keepsake: 

   Once your flowers are completely dry, the fun part begins. We arrange your flowers into the piece you've chosen, paying attention to the colors, shapes, sizes, and overall balance of the bouquet. And importantly, you get to see the design before we seal it. You can approve the arrangement and request adjustments so the final piece feels like your bouquet, not just a generic arrangement of pressed flowers.

5. We Seal and Finish the Piece: 

   Once you've approved the design, we move on to the final stage. Framed pieces are sealed beneath glass. Flat resin pieces, such as pressed flower coasters, are sealed beneath a UV-resistant, food-safe epoxy resin. Our Sanding and Buffing Department then hand-finishes the resin pieces, working through progressively finer grits until they reach a smooth, polished finish.

The pressed-flat product family

Pressed preservation is a format, and that format can become several different pieces depending on how you want to live with it.

Serving Trays & Coasters

At Wild Coat, the most common pressed keepsake is a serving tray and coaster bundle. Secondary to the bundles, the pressed flower floating frames and wall decor are incredibly popular. 

Sizing varies. Our smallest tray size is 12x8 vanity tray. We offer a longer version 10x18 tray. We have a few scalloped edge trays, a 12x16 with raised edge and larger charcuterie board style trays.  Mix and matching coaster is normal. It's always fun to see what people order.  A full bridal bouquet, with its range of flowers, can fill a tray and 8 coasters, no problem. 

Resin floating frame pieces and wall art

A wall photo frame pairs your pressed flowers with a wedding photo in the same frame. The flowers and the image live together, so the keepsake carries both the visual memory of the day and the physical materials from it.

This tends to be the first thing guests notice and want explained. The answer is always satisfying: yes, those are the real petals. Browse our framed pieces and wall decor to see the scale options.

Other flat-format keepsakes

The pressed format extends to bookmarks, jewelry, jewelry dishes, flat ornament styles, and the pressed flower vase. If you want a smaller piece that still carries the illustrated look, these tend to be the answer. 

Which Flowers Press Well?

Not every bloom presses the same way, and knowing this up front helps you set accurate expectations for your finished piece. Some blooms seem almost made for it, while others need a little more attention because they're thicker, waxier, or hold more moisture.

Flowers That Usually Press Beautifully

Daisies, carnations, hydrangea and anemones are great examples of flowers that naturally have a flatter shape.

Baby's breath, Queen Anne's lace, and ranunculus can create beautiful detail when pressed, especially when they're used as smaller accents throughout a design.

Roses and peonies can also be gorgeous in pressed pieces. Because the centers of these flowers are so thick, we often press their individual petals rather than trying to flatten the entire flower.

And don't overlook the greenery. Eucalyptus, ferns, and other delicate foliage can add a lot of texture and movement to a pressed arrangement.

Flowers That Need a Little More Consideration

Large roses and peonies can be challenging to press whole because they're much thicker in the center than around the edges.

Very waxy or succulent flowers can also be tricky because they hold onto moisture longer.

Orchids, Calla lily, anthurium and ginger can press beautifully, but they're another flower that requires some extra patience. Their fleshy centers take longer to dry and may change color differently from the petals.

That doesn't mean these flowers can't be preserved. It just means we want to set realistic expectations before we start.

Will My Flowers Keep Their Original Color?

This is one of the questions we hear most often, and it's an important one to talk about before preserving your bouquet.

Pressed flowers naturally change color as they dry.

When the moisture is removed from the flower, the way its natural pigments appear can change. Some colors stay remarkably close to the original, while others shift more noticeably.

Reds may become deeper and move toward burgundy or rust. White flowers can take on a warm cream or ivory tone. Pale pinks often hold their color nicely, while deep purples and blues can be more unpredictable.

The finished piece won't necessarily look like a photograph of your fresh bouquet, and that's okay.

Part of the beauty of pressed flowers is seeing how the natural flowers transform as they dry. You still have the flowers from your wedding, but they've taken on a new version of themselves.

If keeping the original color as close as possible is especially important to you, talk to us before you book. We can look at the specific flowers in your bouquet and give you an honest idea of what we expect to happen. We also offer color correction service as shown with Jessyca's bouquet where we color corrected the purple flowers to restore the color as the flowers dried more grey tone.  The result is the below 10x10 floating wall frame with invitation included. 

What If You're Getting Married Somewhere Far Away?

Destination weddings create a special challenge when it comes to flower preservation.

Your flowers need to be preserved quickly after the wedding, but you may be thousands of miles away from home, or even in another country.

That's exactly why we created our Travel Flower Press Kit The kit includes a lightweight 9x12 flower press that you can take with you, along with super-absorbent drying pads, an extra set of pads, a custom sealing bag, written instructions, and a video tutorial. Instead of trying to ship fresh flowers internationally, you press your bouquet yourself before you leave your destination. Once the flowers are pressed and dry enough for travel, you can bring them home in your luggage and ship them to us once you're back.

One of our brides, Rebecca, used the press kit for her wedding in Lake Como, Italy. She had her planner press her bouquet on wedding night, and sent it home with a bridemaid who left the day after the wedding. Once back to the U.S., the bridesmaid used our flat rate shipping label to send the press kit via overnight mail. Five months later, she had a wall photo frame made from her actual Italian wedding flowers.

How Do You Choose the Right Pressed Flower Keepsake?

Once you know you love the pressed flower look, the next question is usually: What should I make?

Start with where you want the finished piece to live.

If you have a large empty wall and want your flowers to make a statement, a 40x27 Wall decor may be the perfect fit.

If you have less space, a 10x10 floating frame or wall photo frame can work beautifully.

And if you'd rather have your flowers somewhere you interact with every day, pressed flower coasters give you a way to use and enjoy them instead of simply looking at them.

You should also think about the lighting in the room.

Pressed flower wall decor are displayed beneath a resin surface, so depending on where the frame hangs, you may see some shine. Resin-sealed pieces don't reflect like glass preservations, but have a nice shine which can make them a good choice for rooms with lots of natural light.

Finally, think about what you want the keepsake to say.

A wall photo frame tells the story of the wedding day through both the photograph and the flowers.

A framed botanical arrangement with invite or photo lets the flowers and the occassion tell a story as the artwork.

And pressed flower serving sets bring your wedding flowers into everyday life in a much more casual way.

There really isn't one right answer. It comes down to the flowers you have, your style, and how you want to remember the day.

How Long Does Pressed Flower Preservation Take?

Pressed keepsakes take about 4 to 5 months from when your flowers arrive to when your finished piece ships.

The drying stage alone is 8 to 12 weeks. There is no shortcut here. Flowers that are rushed out of the press hold more moisture, which causes browning and warping after the piece is sealed.

The design approval step adds a beat but also gives you real input. You see how we have arranged your flowers before anything is finalized, and you can ask for adjustments. Once you approve, we move to sealing and the Sanding and Buffing Department takes the resin pieces through their progressive finish.

One practical note on timing: we see a significant volume of bouquets come in right after peak wedding season. Reserving your date in advance holds your place and gives you the information you need to start preparing for preservation, shipping, or drop off. 

Ready to preserve your flowers?

Your bouquet only exists in its original form for a very short time.

After the wedding, the flowers begin to fade. But with the right preservation method, you can turn those flowers into something you keep for years — something you can hang on your wall, use in your home, and show your family while telling the story of your wedding day.

Wild Coast Flower Preservation works with brides across all 50 states. And if you're having a destination wedding, our Travel Flower Press Kit gives you another way to safely get your flowers home for preservation.

Our studio and showroom are located in Pompano Beach, Florida, and our Wild Coast Flower Car offers white-glove wedding-night pickup throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

If you're not sure whether your flowers are a good candidate for pressed preservation, don't worry. Send us a photo or talk with our team. We'd much rather help you choose the right preservation method than have you guess.

Visit wildcoastflowerpreservation.com, call (954) 296-5937, or email info@wildcoastflowerpreservation.com.

Your flowers were a part of one of the biggest days of your life. We think they deserve to be more than something you remember in a photograph.