Display Case for a Bridal Bouquet

[Uncle Eli]

Okay, so a recent Bride and her husband walked in today , wanting to frame her bouquet, and his boutenier (sp?) I have decided to use a bayview display type glass encasement for it, and mounting the two items ontop of a nice suede mat. My question comes in longevity of the item. They have had the flowers dried. Aside from running a bead of Silicone around the rabit of the frame, and the typical atg & dust cover back, is there anything else I should do to ensure a healthy life for this cherished keepsake?

 

[Lance E]

top

 

[Susan May]

No.

I hate to tell you this, but real flowers will fade, fall apart, and turn all sorts of nasty colors. This is normal. I should know, my bouquet is 15 years old, and the greenery is a sad yellowish brown. The baby's breath is dark brown, and falling apart. Only the silk flowers look good still.

Over 22 years in the Craft industry taught me (among other things) that dried flowers are dead. They start out dead, and therefore they will decay. The best they can do to keep the bouquet looking nice, is to have it remade in silks and frame some nice photos.

Vivian Kistler once (and many other times) said, we are not magicians. We are framers.

Good luck informing the couple that the best you can do is provide a "Safe" place for the flowers, so they won't get dusty.

 

[Jim Miller]

Because a bouquet of real flowers will deteriorate and shed over time, it is useful to have a frame that may be easily opened for cleaning.

I usually use an acrylic box, which may be lifted off a prepared frame base. Check the archives for "Gravity Groove". The same design may be used for table-top displays, too.