Failures In Bouquet Preservation

I’ve shared how much I loved my bridal bouquet, but I didn’t yet share the fact that this very bouquet led to one huge post-wedding disappointment. You see, my bouquet wilted and died before I had a chance to preserve it.

Looking back, I know this was entirely my fault. Sure, I’d read and heard all about bouquet preservation before the wedding, and I thought it sounded like a great idea for those brides who were interested. But as for me? I wasn’t interested, and didn’t see the necessity in shelling out the money. Or so I thought.

The truth is, from the moment I saw my bouquet, I knew I was going to have a major problem on my hands. Though I’d known it would be beautiful, this bouquet was BEAUTIFUL! There was no way I wanted to miss out on the chance to preserve it.

Since I  left for Hawaii the very morning following the wedding, my selfless mom spent time researching and dialing numbers, trying to find someone who could preserve my bouquet before it was too late. But, try as she might, the bouquet’s white roses browned and the entire thing sadly shriveled sooner than she was able to find anyone available who could come through for us.

And so, in the end, my bouquet lives on today only in our photos and video footage, where I love seeing it every time. It was gorgeous, even if it only enjoyed just one amazing day in the sun.

LESSON LEARNED: If you think there’s even a slight chance that you’ll want to preserve your bouquet, or even if you don’t, it never hurts to do a little research before the wedding day rolls around. Otherwise, you just might find yourself out of time and out of luck, the way I did. Plus, if you plan to do a bouquet toss, be sure your florist prepares a special “toss bouquet,” which is usually offered free of charge, so that you don’t have to give yours away.

(Photo Credits: Alex Neumann Photography)