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 basement 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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