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The Whole Works
By Louise Baltruschat Hollis
Photos by Adam Elijah Photography
Love the look of dried wedding flowers but unsure how they will work, as well as if they will suit your day?
No need to fret, as dried wedding flower expert Sarah Ogden from Horseshoe Flowers is here to guide us through all the questions you may have.
Plus, take a look at the inspirational image gallery for all the dried wedding blooms. Hooray!
Photo: Stella Photography
We’ve all heard of drying wedding flowers to preserve bouquets but can they actually be used on the day?
Sarah shares; “Dried flowers are perfect for your wedding. Not only do they look really unique and original, you can see everything weeks or more before the wedding so there are no nasty surprises on the day. Dried flowers are also available in a huge array of colours now so the opportunities are really limitless!”
Photo: Jenny Appleton
Is it really a good idea to use dried wedding flowers? Especially when fresh wedding flowers is the norm and traditional? What actually is the advantage of switching to dried?
“The main benefit of using dried flowers is that you get to keep them long after the wedding! You can pop them in a vase, keeping them out of direct sunlight, and they can look as beautiful as the day you received them for years and years.
Other benefits are they can be easily moved about the venue (no spilling of water!) and used in different spaces to maximise the use of your flowers.
They can be received well in advance of your wedding eliminating stress on the day and that you can see your bouquet being made and contribute to the design.” says Sarah.
Photo: Holly Booth
You don’t want to be limited to only a few blooms of colour schemes right? So what is actually doable with preserved flowers? Sarah tells all;
“All kinds of flowers from preserved roses and hydrangeas through to dried statice, daisies, wheat, scabiosa and teasels (and much much more) can be used.
There all kinds of colours and there is no limit to the flowers available at different times of the year, no need to worry about seasonality with dried flowers!”
Photo: Stella Photography
Let’s face facts, weddings can be expensive and so can flowers. So do dried blooms cut wedding costs, or not? Are they the perfect budget wedding idea?
“I’m some cases, dried flowers are actually more expensive than fresh flowers as they have to go through additional processes. But as with fresh flowers, there are always ways to be creative to help you achieve the floral dream but within your budget.
Dried flowers certainly offer better value for money since you get to keep them long after the wedding.” Sarah tells us.
Photo: Holly Booth
Let’s get down to numbers, how much are dried wedding flowers going to cost you?
“Pricing depends completely on the look you are after and the size and scale. Dried flower suppliers are able to work within most budgets to create something stunning!” said Sarah.
Expect to pay between £50 for DIY wedding flowers up to £2000+ depending on the complexity and quantity of your wedding flowers.
Photo: Sonderwest
So dried flowers can be kept post-wedding which is awesome. But how long will they actually keep for?
“We always say that they last at least a year but in reality, it’s usually much much longer.
Dried flowers need to be kept out of damp conditions, such as bathrooms or kitchens, and away from bright sunlight. If cared for correctly, they can be enjoyed for years!” Sarah explains.
Photo: Horseshoe Flowers
Hoping for a DIY wedding, but unsure if you can DIY dried florals? Sarah answers;
“Yes you can! There are lots of places you can purchase dried flowers these days and get creative!
Lots of our couples do a little DIY with their wedding flowers, they order their bouquet and buttonholes (or any more complicated items) from us and then order bunches of matching flowers from us to do little bud vase arrangements for their tables.
The perfect mix of DIY!”
Photo: Holly Booth
Are you limited to wedding bouquets using dried flowers, or is the sky the limit? Let’s see what Sarah says is possible;
“Dried flowers are really versatile as you don’t need to worry about drooping flowers, so flower crowns and hair slides are super popular.
Dried flowers also allow for amazing installations such as moon arches, hanging flower clouds and placed pampas arch decor.
Usual items such as bridal bouquets, bridesmaids bouquets, boutonnières, table decorations and aisle decorations are all possible. There really aren’t many limitations with what you can achieve!”
Photo: Horseshoe Flowers
Planning a destination wedding and dreaming of preserved wedding flowers? Sarah explains if they can travel with you;
“Dried flowers are perfect for taking abroad, since you don’t have to choose an available florist suggested by your venue and you can work with us to get exactly what you are looking for.
Ask your florist to box everything up in boxes that fit into hand luggage requirements. We have had couples take their wedding flowers overseas for their first wedding and reuse everything again for their UK second celebrations.”
Photo: Horseshoe Flowers
Heard of dried and preserved flowers and wondering if there is a difference between the two?
“Preserved flowers are just as long lasting as dried flowers but they have been treated with a chemical that allows them to be long lasting whilst also remaining soft and with vivid colours.
Preserved foliage is our favourite because it is soft and still has a natural movement to it.
Dried flowers are more delicate but have a lovely natural look to them. We love to mix dried and preserved flowers together for the most unique look.” clarifys Sarah.
Photo: Horseshoe Flowers
Can’t quite decide between dried or fresh florals? There may just be a way forward shares Sarah;
“Mixing dried flowers in with fresh flowers is another lovely unique look.
It allows you to incorporate certain varieties of flower that you can’t get dried or preserved and may have set your heart on, such as orchids or irises.”
Photos: Grace Elizabeth | Jenny Appleton | Grace Elizabeth | Stella Photography | The Vedrines | Holly Booth
So there you have it, all you need to know about making your dried wedding flower choice and how to incorporate preserved blooms into your day. Plus of course, lots of pretty ideas to inspire you!
The answers in this article were written by florist Sarah Ogden, owner of dried wedding floral design studio Horseshoe Flowers.
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