How to choose a preservation artist

Like all things wedding related, choosing a bouquet preservation artist can be a big decision.  It is no secret that flowers are expensive, and wedding flowers are a big investment.  Bouquet preservation is an extremely time and labor consuming process, so it is yet another wedding related investment.  Many of us do bouquet preservation, but we all have our own style and aesthetic. If you are planning ahead here are a few tips on how to choose your bouquet preservation artist.

1.   Plan ahead!  Most artists are solo shops who take a limited number of bouquet preservations.  We often book months out, so if you know who and what you want, get in touch well in advance of your date.

2.      Do you have your heart set on a certain type of preservation (resin, pressed, 3D).  If so make sure the artist does that type of work. 

3.      Look at the artist’s website and social media.  Do you like her work?  Is her work your style?  How do her dry flowers look?

4.      Do you have a very specific vision of what you want your preservation to look like?  If so, get in touch with your preservationist before hand and make sure she is willing and able to make that vision a reality.

5.      Are you a gold frame only kind of house? Do you only like flowers on a solid background?  If your preservationist only offers wood frames, black frames, float frames, etc., you might want to look elsewhere.

6.      Get recommendations from your florist or planner.  If you like their style, there’s a good chance you will like the style of the artist they recommend.

7.      Connect with the artist.  Do you jive, or does something not click? 

8.      Find some one local.  This isn’t the most important point, but local is always best. Overnight shipping your flowers is a big additional cost, and comes with some risks (climate, damage, loss, dehydration, etc.).  The better a flower looks fresh, the better it looks dry. The faster you get your flowers to the artist, the better. 

 That’s it!  Do your research!  If you know exactly what you want, find some one you are sure can make that happen.  If you’re not sure, find some one whose past work you like and trust her to create something beautiful for you.  If it’s the day after your wedding, or you just want a keepsake and the rest doesn’t matter, then happy choosing!