Frequently asked questions

Flower Preservation and Presentation  -  Questions and Answers

Frequently Asked Questions about Preserving and drying Wedding flowers

I want to have my wedding bouquet preserved, how do I go about ordering?
You can pre-book online via our web site in our Flower Preservation section or you can telephone our Sligo studio 07191 46589. 

At weekends call our mobile if you have a bouquet to be dried 087 614 8090.

What are your opening hours?
Our studio is open by appointment only from Monday to Thursday 10am to 5pm.  Weekend queries should be by voice mail and will be responded to after the weekend.

Can I call out and see your work?
By appointment only.  Most of our clients are happy with the information and images given on our web site.  We ask you to remember that our Studio is a busy workshop environment so only ask for an appointment if it is essential to your choosing your frame or collecting your finished artwork.

How and when to place an order?
It is best to contact us before the event to reserve a place in our freeze-drier for the preservation of your flowers. Priority service is given to clients who have booked with us in advance. Space is limited so it is best to plan early.  We can accommodate last minute orders and special terms and conditions apply.

You can make your frame choice before or after the honeymoon.  Most important is to get your flowers preserved so that you will have a choice to make.
A contract for services must be completed either online or via post before we proceed with any design work.  A €150 non-refundable booking fee is required before or at the time the flowers are delivered to us.  Your booking fee is then deducted from to your final invoice.   
If you are a customer with funeral flowers, please call us as soon as possible to arrange for our services 087 614 8090

How soon do you need the flowers?
The sooner we receive your flowers the better. We usually receive them within four days of the Wedding but in certain cases the flowers have been in good enough condition to be preserved even 7 days after the wedding.  Bouquets should be kept as cool as possible after the wedding, we recommend you keep them boxed in the cold room at the hotel where you have your reception -  but not frozen. Arrangements should be made in advance as to the time the flowers will be delivered or collected from your hotel.

How long will it take to preserve my wedding bouquet?
Normally the whole process from intake to despatch can take from three months to four months.  During the busy season we spend a lot of time treating flowers that come in to us and devote most of our time to making sure incoming orders are treated prior to preservation so we have to extend the completion period towards the end of the year.  You can call us at any time for an update.

Do flowers change color  when they are preserved?
The age and the condition of the flowers at the time we receive them plays a role in how well they preserve. The freeze-drying process will produce some color change, white flowers will become creamy and red flowers will be a darker. When your wedding flowers are dried / preserved, the moisture is taken out and that will cause a change in colour.  Mostly they darken a little but sometimes there is no change in colour.  In certain flowers the petals become translucent.  It depends on the type of flower.

If a few flowers become damaged during the wedding we will replace up to three flowers, if required, at no additional charge.

Can all flowers be preserved?
No, not all. 
Roses do well, lilies, freesia, dendrobium orchids and then our skill, experience and dedication to the process makes many flowers dry well.  Daisies and Bouvardia are not recommended for preservations. Most other flowers preserve well.   We do not accept Cymbidium for  preserving.  

Can you recommend flowers that will preserve well?
Roses, phaelenopsis orchids,  anthurium, ornathalgalum,daffodils, spray rose, hypericum berries, verbena, veronica, carnations, calla lily, tiger lily,  oriental lily, freesia and  most foliage,

Are there any extra charges that I might have to pay?
The price includes the pre-treating, freezing, freeze-drying, post-treating, frame, standard mount, shadowbox, design work and sealing the display.  Photos, invitations, announcements or other mementos can be incorporated into standard and long frames to truly make your keepsake something to cherish for a lifetime. Two memento is included at no charge. The buttonhole, if desired, will be preserved at no charge.
Inscription is available for an additional charge.

Will my wedding bouquet look the same after it has been preserved?
Yes, the style will be similar but do remember that once the flowers have been preserved and redesigned in 3d format the overall effect will be different from a fresh wedding bouquet.  The preserved bouquet will be placed into a deep shadow box frame and this will limit the space we have to redesign the bouquet.  The design work is still three dimensional and the flowers whole and not pressed.

Do preserved flowers require any special care?
Yes, just a few simple precautions will help your flowers retain their beauty. For glass displays, spray the glass cleaner on a clean cloth and then wipe the area to remove dust, finger prints etc. Never spray the glass directly.
Never display your flowers in direct sun light or by a heat source. This includes spotlights, lamps and heating vents.
Do not display in a humid area, such as a bathroom. Of course rough handling of displays or touching preserved flowers in any way can damage some or all of the flowers.  

How long will freeze-dried preserved flowers last?
Freeze-dried flowers last indefinitely if handled properly. It also depends on the age of the flowers at the time of preservation, the amount of sunlight, heat, and humidity and how the display is maintained. As a general rule freeze-dried flowers often become darker than the natural floral color and will soften with time and gravity will have an affect.  Very pale flowers will change colour quickly.

What price is it to have my flowers preserved?
We offer a selection of frame styles to suit the quantity and style of flowers that you want to have preserved and framed.  Prices start at 120 euro and can go up to 600 euro for bespoke work.  Most popular size is around 325 euro.  When several pieces are ordered by the one client or family we can offer reductions in price.  For reduced price multiple orders we must have all the flowers in at the same time to work on otherwise the orders are counted as separate and the full rate applies.

Why does it cost that much?
It takes 500 hours of electricity, time of skilled flower preservationists, many hours during the pre treatment and design work and quality frame and shadowbox costs all have to be taken into consideration.  Sometimes I like to get paid too! (Smile) Sometimes! We try to accommodate all budgets but do remember that it takes 500 hours to preserve a wedding bouquet and the frames we use are top quality to last a lifetime.  We refuse to cut corners as it is a false economy.   

When do I pay the balance of the invoice?
The final balance is due when we are ready to carry out the design work and order your frame.  We do not proceed with the time consuming work of redesign and framing until invoices are settled.   You can pay in stages with the latest date for final payment being three months after the wedding date.

Can I change my mind after I give you flowers to preserve?
No, once you book with us and we have preserved your flowers you are contracted with us to complete the contract. Once we work with you we comitt our time, expertise and services to you.  Please refer to our terms and conditions of business.

We would like to have our flowers preserved but are on a very tight budget, what else can you offer us?
Your wedding bouquet is very precious and can be preserved as a family heirloom that your grandchildren will see.  Simply ask your guests to contribute towards a Gift Voucher that way guests know they are getting you something unique and you also get what you want.   Gift Vouchers are in amounts of 50 euro for Floral Preservation.  You can also ask us to preserve a few of your flowers to into one of our small frames from 120 euro.

I am not getting married in Sligo, how does this work?When you call to advise us that you are interested in having your wedding flowers freeze dried, we can arrange for our courier service to collect your wedding flowers from your hotel. In fact, many of our customers live outside Sligo.

What can I do to take care of my wedding bouquet so it will preserve well?                                                                                         The final result depends on the quality, type and condition of the flowers we receive.  Please take great care when you are packing them for transport.  Please do not leave it to hotel staff they have enough to do.   The bouquet is yours so keep loving it and make sure to appoint someone that cares enough to do a good job packing

How should I pack the bouquet/flowers for transport to Sligo.
I recommend that you get a large box, before the wedding day, pack the bottom of the box with styrofoam shapes three quarters way or more full or lots and lots crunched up newspaper.  See image.  If you use styrofoam shapes then half fill the box with foam shapes and put the bouquet, stem down, in the middle of the box.  Then complete the packing by covering the bouquet with more styrofoam shapes.  Styrofoam  is by far the best method to protect your flowers. 
If you do not have Styrofoam then use the scrunched up newspaper.  Take each sheet of the paper and scrunch it up, place it in the bottom of the box, repeat until there is enough scrunched up newspaper in the box to support a wedding bouquet so the flowers are nestling supported in the box. 
Remember if the bouquet is lying on its side then the flowers are going to get bruised.

Taking Care of the Flowers
Remember we can only preserve what we get and while we have great techniques to improve the quality of flowers we do not want to have to ask for miracles or failing miracles charge you more for replacement flowers.  Show your flowers just how much you care by packing them securely but gently.  Avoid plastic at all costs. Do not transport in water.  The water will spill and destroy the box and your flowers could fall out and be damaged in transit.

Please plan early so we can receive your flowers in the best condition possible.

What is Freeze Drying?
Freeze Drying is a technique we use to preserve and dry fresh flowers. With Freeze Drying machinery we first freeze the flowers to -50 F and then remove the moisture from the flower leaving their natural size, shape and for the most part, color intact. There are changes to colour.

Why Should I freeze Dry my Bouquet?
You've already carefully chosen a wedding bouquet and it has been with you all the time during your wedding ceremony and celebrations. Now turn your precious flowers into keepsake memories. With Freeze Drying, your flowers will look similar to the way they were on your wedding day, allowing you to cherish that memories forever.

Will my flowers look like they did before?
The Freeze Drying technique allows us to preserve the flowers of your bouquet in exactly the same physical shape as they were brought to us. In almost all cases, the color will slightly change. For example, some whites will become ivory while some reds darken to burgundy.  However, with time, all colors will become a softer Victorian look.

What about prices?
Wedding Bouquet preservation ranges from €95 for single flowers up to €500.  Standard hand tied bouquets start at 325 euro.  Please see products section for images and detailed prices.

Prices depend upon the size of your bouquet, frame size and the amount of detailed work involved.  This service also includes the complimentary Freeze Drying of grooms buttonhole.  We also include inscription and free design work to include your wedding invitation, wedding coin and other keepsakes. For convenience we have standardised our pricing according to size of frames.  We give discounts for second and further design pieces after the bridal bouquet.

When you order your frame, we will give you a package price which includes the preservation of your flowers, your choice of style and color of frames and/or cases, personal consultation,

Accessories/ Enhancements
We have added new services whereby you can have the handle of your wedding bouquet enhanced choice of ribbons and replacement of wilted flowers (up to six pieces).

What about the different frames?
We have several different selections of frames. They come in choices of light oak, gold, silver, White and pewter and black and in several  sizes.

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Can I mix and match your designs?    Yes of course.  We do like to make candles that are truly personalised for our clients.   You can have for instance, the opulence style in many colours and could combine extra large pearls into the design at no extra cost.

Do I need three candles or one?                  

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Ivory is a bit dark for my dress so can I have a soft white or a pearl white candle?    yes of course,  we dip all of our candles to suit our clients requirements.  Pillar candles are available in White, Soft White, Ivory and Dark Ivory.  Most popular colours are white and soft white.

Id like a colour at the base of my candles, Is this acceptable for a wedding ceremony?    Yes of course, it is your wedding and you can choose whatever colour scheme you desire.   We are happy to oblige.   We can dip into a selection of 20 colours and more when we cross dip.

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I love your decor but only want a couple of stands, can i order two or four candle stands?      Im glad you like our rental decor.   We no longer do DIY rentals and concentrate on packages.   There are costs involved so we have set a minimum order value.  Our decor is superior to shop decor and is for the discerning client.

Why do you only work in Packages?   Due to the high value of our decor and the costs associated with transport, storage, collection and manpower we have had to go this route to ensure good value for everyone. Minimum order value for church dressing is 350 euro.  Great, great value considering the style and value of our stock.   Our products are so beautiful and our own professionally designed creations we like our decor to be reasonably exclusive so that you do not see it at every event.

My wedding is in Galway, will you dress my chapel for me?     Thank you for the compliment of asking.  Sorry, no.   Galway is out of our working area.   We would have to add on travelling time for two people and the extra few hours for transport and this would increase the costs too much.   If we were to consider working in Galway the minimum order value would be 1,000 euro.

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What areas do you cover?    All county Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal from Donegal town south, North Mayo and some other areas providing the travelling time is less than an hour from Sligo