You can learn how to press wedding flowers in two simple steps. This tutorial will also share tips regarding sealing wedding flowers and how you can keep their colors.
Speaking of which, you may get interested in knowing what to do with a dried wedding bouquet. Of course, you can always do various crafts with flowers after the wedding so they won’t go to waste.
How To Press Wedding Flowers At Home
Step 1. Preparation
- Lay several newspapers over a flat surface
- Place the wedding flowers over the paper, then layer them over with a sheet of wax paper
- Set your iron to the lowest setting just enough to have it warm but not too hot
- Hold the iron over the wedding flowers for a few seconds without moving it
- Once the wedding flowers are dry and flat, remove the wax paper
Step 2. Decorating
- Now that you have your pressed wedding flowers, you can use them for displays or when decorating cards
- Use double-sided tape to attach the flowers carefully, but glue should also work, although the petals can be delicate and might rip easily
- If you’ve pressed your wedding flowers to make a memory board display, you want to lay the flowers backward then add the frame onto it
- After having the flowers on the frame, you can then decorate it with other mini memorabilia from the wedding
How Do You Press Flowers Without Turning Brown?
The secret to preventing pressed flowers from turning brown is proper preparation. However, note that whatever trick you do, pressed and dried flowers will always lose their vibrant colors, so set your expectations accordingly.
So how do you press flowers without them turning brown? First, select the flowers you want to press and cut the stem at an angle; never use very wilted flowers for pressing as they’ll turn brown.
Remove any excess leaves on the stem because they can also affect the drying process. Then, clean the flower itself with a moist cloth as dirt can hasten its browning.
If you’re working with bigger and thicker blooms, it’s best to cut the flower in half to prevent it from turning brown. You also want to rejuvenate wilted flowers by sticking them in water before pressing.
How Do You Seal Pressed Wedding Flowers?
After pressing your wedding flowers, use a pair of tweezers when handling them for decoration. You might be using them on cards or other crafts, so plan their arrangement before gluing them in place on the final surface.
To seal pressed flowers, add a layer of Mod Podge over them and allow them to dry. Then, do another layer of Mod Podge and leave the flowers to dry again.
Some crafters also swear by using hairspray to seal pressed flowers, but it’s not ideal for retaining the colors long-term. You can use a professional-grade acrylic spray on dried flowers instead to protect the colors of flowers with light coats.
What Paper Is Best For Pressing Flowers?
The best paper for pressing flowers is anything thin and porous. Some fantastic examples are paper towels, tissue papers, blotting papers, or even newspapers.
Then, you can use household items for pressing, such as flat boards, books, and bricks. When pressing flowers, you also want to use absorbent paper.
You’ll place absorbent paper such as blotting paper around the paper holding the flowers. You might need three sheets to ensure that the papers absorb moisture well as the flowers are being pressed and dried for two to three weeks.
How Long Do Pressed Flowers Last?
Pressed flowers can last for several years, depending on how well you dried and preserved the blooms. If placed behind the glass for framing, they might even last for decades compared to gluing them on cards.
However, remember that exposure to heat and UV rays will hasten the deterioration of pressed flowers. Typically, the fading will happen after 5 to 7 years, depending on the type of flower.
For example, you may notice that yellow and red blooms can maintain their colors longer than other flowers. So if you want to preserve the color of your pressed flowers, consider dyeing them by gently brushing them with acrylic paint.
What Is The Best Way To Press Fresh Flowers?
- Immediately after the wedding, start pressing the flowers so that they’re still fresh
- Select the flowers that have no discolorations, spots, or blemishes
- Line a book with parchment paper, then place the bloom face down over it
- Close the book and place a weight over it
- Leave the flower pressed and dry for a week to ten days
To avoid having excess flowers at the wedding, learn how to calculate how many flowers are for a wedding.
What Do You Do With The Bridal Bouquet After The Wedding?
Besides pressing flowers, here are other options for your bridal bouquet after the wedding:
- Put it in a vase for decor
- Ask friends and family if they want the flowers
- Dry them for crafts
Conclusion
And that’s it! To recap how to press wedding flowers, you only need to prepare to iron them in a warm setting.
However, you can also go traditional and leave them inside a book for a week. Then, we hope you remember the proper preparation, sealing, and dyeing to keep them looking their best.