Preserving White Flowers
Wedding bouquets come in many different color palettes, and we have seen every color of the rainbow pass through the doors of Element Preservation. Even with all those shades, white florals are the most common blooms we see. From orchids to roses to peonies, white flowers are classically bridal and always gorgeous, both fresh and pressed.
Because the preservation process changes every floral at least a bit, white florals do go through a transformation that can leave them looking a bit different from the stark, bright white of the wedding day. Here, we will look at some common white flowers and see how they may change in the preservation process.
These are some of the most common white flowers to changes from their fresh look that we will be mentioning here:
- Roses and spray roses
- Lisianthus
- Ranunculus
- Orchids
- Sweet Peas
- Peonies
- Dahlias
- Freesia
- Lilies
All of these flowers can come in various colors, but here we will be focussing on the white varieties. They each change in different ways and can be affected by time, touch, and other factors.
Of course, every single flower is unique. Your roses, peonies, orchids, ranunculus, et al may not have the exact same look as what is pictured here, but we can promise we have taken the utmost care with each of your blooms. Most changes flowers undergo can be prevented by pressing them when they are as fresh as possible, so please be sure to make a plan for getting your bouquet to us as soon after your event as possible! This is true whether you have an all white bouquet or one full of color.
Color Changes in White Florals
When flowers are pressed, their hue will almost invariably change. While you may not think that would happen with a white flower, it certainly can. The most commonly affected flowers are:
- Roses
- Lisianthus
- Dahlias
- Freesia
While the petals of white flowers appear white, they can have undertones that take over, as in the case of the lisianthus. Lisianthus are white with a slight yellow and green undertone, making them press as more of a yellow than a stark white. You may see the same if you have freesia in your bouquet, as they also have an undertone.
Roses tend to age quickly, especially white ones. You may notice that your roses cannot maintain their stark white appearance and will have more of a golden look to them.
Easily Wilted
As we all know, flowers wilt and fade over time. This is exactly why we do what we do! The wedding day can take a lot out of your blooms and some flowers hold up better than others. Here are some blooms that wilt more quickly than others:
- Anemone
- Lilies
- Sweet Peas
- Tulips
If you have these blooms, don’t worry too much! As long as we receive them within a few days of the event, we can get the preservation process started in a timely manner. However, they may have a more golden, antiqued hue or a more wrinkled texture. If you are concerned about the appearance of your flowers, you can look into our Rose Experience, a florals insurance that allows us to replace some of your flowers with those in our inventory. If you have the flowers listed above or know that you cannot get the flowers to us as quickly as possible, you may be interested in adding it. If your flowers arrive with significant browning or wilting, we will be sure to reach out and offer the Rose Experience!
Transparency in Resin
Resin can change the flowers, and we do our best to create designs that mitigate any transparency that may occur by layering florals carefully. The following florals are most likely to change when resin is poured over them.
- Orchids
- Peonies
- Ranunculus
- Tulips
- Delphinium/Larkspur
- Lilies
This list consists mostly of white flowers that have very thin and delicate petals. When resin is poured, it is in a liquid form and can overtake these petals, making them see through. Should you have resin products and these flowers in your arrangement, we will be sure to send you an email giving you a heads up. Our preservation specialists take great care to avoid anything that would make the transparency more obvious.
Written by: Phaedra, an Element Preservation Designer
