May 01, 2024 |Weddings
Top tips to keep wedding flowers fresh until your big day
If you plan on doing your own wedding flowers, proper flower care is key! Handling your flowers correctly from beginning to end will extend their vase life and keep them looking fresh and blooming for your wedding and special events.
Here are a few tips from our flower design pros for prepping your fresh flowers and helping them to last longer throughout your event.
Plan to have your flowers delivered 2-3 days prior to your event to ensure that the fresh flowers have time to rehydrate and will be blooming for your big day.
On arrival, let them rehydrate, and plan to arrange them on the day prior to your event.
When your DIY wedding flowers first arrive, they could appear a little droopy, but don’t panic! They’re just dehydrated from traveling. After rehydrating, they will perk back up.
Fresh flower DOs:
- Unpack your flowers immediately upon arrival.
- Fill a clean container/vase with fresh, room temperature water and add flower food.
- Make a 45 degree angle cut at least 1/2 inch from the end of the stems, using a sharp knife or scissors.
- Remove any foliage that falls below the water line of your container. Leaves will rot and cause bacteria to form and shorten the flower's life.
- Change water, add new flower food and re-cut stems after 2-3 days of arrival.
- Pro tip: You can also add a little sugar or Sprite/lemon-lime soda (sugar + citric acid) in place of flower food if needed, to perk up your blooms
- Keep fresh-cut bouquets in vases of water between, before and after pictures and the ceremony to keep flowers from wilting.
Fresh flower DON'Ts:
- Do not store flowers in direct light or sunlight, near appliances that emit heat such as a stove or television, or near sources of cool air flow such as AC vents or ceiling fans
- Pro tip: If possible, store them in a refrigerator (away from the food) or a cool place such as a basem*nt to prolong their life and slow the blooming process.
- Do not place flowers near fruits and vegetables—they emit a gas called ethylene which can cause cut flowers to age more rapidly — making them more susceptible to wilting and withering before their time.
Did you know? Flower care pro tip:
Be sure to wash your vases / containers very thoroughly in hot soapy water or, better yet, in your dishwasher before using again.
Bacteria builds up in vases and does not go away when the vase dries out. Once you add water again, the vase could be full of bacteria and affect a new bouquet.
Give your flowers a clean environment free of bacteria and they will last longer.
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FAQs
Change water, add new flower food and re-cut stems after 2-3 days of arrival. Keep fresh-cut bouquets in vases of water between, before and after pictures and the ceremony to keep flowers from wilting.
How to store fresh flowers before a wedding? ›
One of the best tips we've seen and one which many florists out there have recommended to us, is to keep your bouquet in a cool spot when not in use. Before you walk down the aisle, have your bouquet either kept in a fridge or cool room. The same goes for before your wedding photos take place.
How to keep flowers fresh on a wedding day? ›
Keep Them Cool
If the fridge is too cold you can also cause damage or end up with a soggy bouquet. A safer option is a cool, dark room and if you need to use fans or airconditioning to keep the room cool, make sure air is not blowing on them.
Do you hold flowers during wedding ceremony? ›
Hand your bouquet to your Maid/Matron of Honor/Man of Honor.
They can hold any bouquets and be a rock star for you. You'll be hands-free and able to hold hands with your best friend, wipe away tears, and exchange rings. Perfect.
How long can flowers last before a wedding? ›
The best time to arrange your flowers for the wedding is the day before. As long as the flowers will be kept in water weather it's in a vase filled with water, floral foam soaked with water, or a bouquet that has been wrapped but the stems are left in a few inches of water, they will hold up overnight without issue.
How do you keep a bouquet of flowers fresh before giving them? ›
To keep your bouquet strong and healthy, try this super-simple flower tip: Store the flowers in the refrigerator overnight. It'll help slow down the process of water loss and keep your blooms looking crisp. To store the flowers properly, fill a vase about ¾ full with water, and then put the flowers in the vase.
How to keep flowers fresh overnight without water? ›
Keep the flowers as cool as possible away from direct sunlight and heating vents. Dampen a cloth or several layers of paper towels and secure it around the bottom of the flower stems with a rubber band. Choose sturdy varieties of flowers.
How do you keep flowers fresh for more days? ›
Keep the Flower Food Flowing (or Make Your Own)
Typically, fresh flower bouquets can come with a packet of plant food to add to the water in the vase. When adding the food, it should be mixed well. Add more flower food every two to three days after changing the water. In a pinch, bleach can act as a preservative.
Who holds bride's bouquet during a ceremony? ›
The maid of honor.
This is by far the most popular choice. After all, one of the MOH's main responsibilities is to help the bride before, during, and after the wedding. Hand it to her at the start of the ceremony and let her keep it until after your first kiss.
Do mothers of the bride hold flowers? ›
Tradition calls for corsages to be given to mothers of the bride and groom. For a different approach, pin a flower in her hair or give her a small nosegay to carry.
Traditionally the Groom is expected to pay for the flowers in the church and for the wedding party With the bride's parents pay for the flowers at the reception venue. The men should be given buttonholes, bridesmaids require a bouquet and the respective mothers receive a corsage.
When to take a wedding bouquet out of water? ›
Traditional bouquets made with flowers full of chemical preservatives can be carried about for hours without showing any sign of fatigue, but fresh fresh fresh flowers, like ours, which have never been near any silver nitrate or other flower preservatives, will only do an hour or so out of water (plenty of time for the ...
How many days before wedding can you get flowers? ›
Plan to have your flowers delivered 2-3 days prior to your event to ensure that the fresh flowers have time to rehydrate and will be blooming for your big day. On arrival, let them rehydrate, and plan to arrange them on the day prior to your event.
Does putting flowers in the fridge make them last? ›
Keeping your bouquets in the fridge will help them last a bit longer. The exact amount of time they'll last depends on the type of flower as well as the time the flowers were cut. Expect bouquets to last anywhere from 5-14 days if you place them in the fridge at night.
Did you know? Flower care pro tip: 