You can learn how to keep hydrangeas fresh for wedding by keeping them hydrated and preventing the sap at the cut ends from blocking water. We will also talk about the best and worst flowers to have in your wedding bouquet and arrangements regarding longevity.
For additional information, it’s also best that you know who gets flowers at a wedding. This way, you can decide the guests to who you’ll give bouquets, corsages, or boutonnieres.
How Can I Keep Hydrangeas Fresh For My Wedding?
After cutting
The period after you cut the hydrangeas from their stem in the garden is crucial because they tend to wilt quickly soon after. This is because of the sticky substance on the cut stem, which can cause it to clog and prevent moisture from reaching the top of the stem and the flowers themselves.
Therefore, you must have a bucket of water in the garden with you when you cut the stem on the hydrangea bloom. Make the stem as long as possible and place the cut hydrangea in the water.
Cut the stem according to the length you need in the water at a 45-degree angle to help the flower drink water more effectively. Some also recommend cutting 3 inches from the stem tip before placing the hydrangeas in boiling water for 24 hours to be useful the next day for the wedding.
On the wedding day
You can revive the cut hydrangeas for your wedding day using boiling water. Fill a vase with boiled water and cut about two inches from the hydrangea stem.
Place the cut hydrangea stem immediately into the vase with boiled water. The emphasis is necessary on ensuring that the stem container is clean to avoid potentially causing bacterial growth in the water.
This is because you’ll add some flower food or water in water to help the hydrangeas recover. If the water container is dirty, the sugar can serve as bacteria food.
How Do I Keep Hydrangeas Alive In My Wedding Bouquet?
You might notice the hydrangea blooms on your wedding bouquet starting to wilt, especially if they’ve been cut for a long time. Submerging them in water for about 45 minutes is helpful to revive them.
You can have someone do this for you, so the flowers will look their best when you walk with them in the aisle. After the water bath, you place the stems in boiling water to remove the sap that blocks hydration and causes faster wilting.
Then, have your hydrangea bouquet in a vase with fresh water. Keep the flowers at room temperature, and you can expect them to last for a day or two after the wedding.
How Do You Keep Hydrangeas Fresh In Arrangements?
Alum
Alum is one of the best secrets to keeping hydrangeas fresh. This is because it’s beneficial against the sap that forms at the stem tips of cut hydrangeas.
How do you use alum to keep hydrangeas fresh? Each time you see the sticky substance at the stem tip of the hydrangeas, cut an inch off and coat the stem with alum.
Floral foam
If you already notice wilted hydrangeas in the arrangement, you want to remove them from the rest of the flowers. Remove the excess foliage and cut their stems an inch from the previous cut.
Cut the hydrangea stem at a 45-degree angle while being under the water in your sink. Then, stick the hydrangea in a container with boiling water for under a minute before placing the flowers back in the arrangement with floral foam.
What Flowers Should Be In My Wedding Bouquet?
Here are some durable wedding flowers for a long-lasting wedding bouquet:
- Roses can live pretty long after cutting, and they are also versatile for various weddings
- Calla lilies are unique-looking blooms that can withstand challenging conditions
- Lavenders are excellent for wedding bouquets not just because of their scent, but they’ll also look good both dried and fresh
- Baby’s breath is a timeless bridal bouquet filler flower without requiring any effort to maintain
Read how to make wedding corsages where these flowers will also be perfect for.
What Flowers Should Not Be In A Wedding Bouquet?
While it’s possible to use these flowers in the bridal bouquet, keep in mind their potential drawbacks:
- Hydrangeas wilt easily, which means they must stay hydrated and are better used as reception table centerpieces
- Tulips make gorgeous flowers for the bridal bouquet, but the stalks will eventually droop once out of the ground for a long time
- Chrysanthemum are unique-looking flowers, but be mindful of their pollen that can trigger allergies
- Daffodils are better used as wedding decors because they can irritate the skin when touched
Conclusion
Was this tutorial helpful? We learned how to keep hydrangeas fresh for wedding, and the secret is preventing the buildup of sap at the cut end.
This prevents the hydration of the rest of the hydrangeas. We also found out that boiling water is the secret to reviving hydrangeas.
But because of this nature of hydrangeas, you may want to consider other sturdier flowers for your wedding bouquet. For example, consider low-maintenance blooms like lavender or go classic with roses if you find hydrangeas too tricky.