Where is the studio located?
Our main studio is located at 526 Saint John St., Lafayette, LA, 70501
Why should I press my special occasion flowers?
The real question is.. why throw your flowers away?! We are firm believers in taking the extra step to preserve your special occasion flowers to pass on for generations to come.
What does it mean to preserve flowers?
Water extraction! Any method of preserving flowers involves extracting water from the leaves or petals. This applies to all methods of preservation- whether it be with a wooden press, silica gel, or freeze drying equipment.
What does flower pressing entail?
Once we receive your flowers, we document with notes and pictures the condition of the flowers. We then break apart the bouquet and press “like flowers with like flowers” in our handmade wooden press. Each layer in between the press has a wood separator and fresh pressing paper. Through the course of those 4-6 weeks we perform 3-4 paper changes to keep moisture content as low as possible until all moisture is pressed out.
What is the difference between pressing and drying flowers?
Drying flowers entails either hanging the flowers upside down, letting nature take its course, or using freeze drying equipment. In either case, the result is totally different than pressing the flowers flat. Drying flowers retains the original shape of the flowers, and if drying naturally, the flowers are more likely to create mold if dried in large bundles.
Pressing flowers on the other hand requires more physical labor and attention. When pressing flowers, we are extracting water by applying pressure in a wooden press. The water ultimately leaves the petals of the flowers and the paper layered around the flower absorbs the water. Here at preservation press, we prefer the overall look and design that can be created with a pressed flower.
How long does it take to press flowers?
Flower pressing is a very slow art form. The timeline typically takes about 2-3 weeks; however, being that our studio is in Louisiana with extreme humidity levels, we let our flowers press for 4-6 weeks.
How soon should I book with you guys to preserve my wedding bouquet?
As soon as you have your date set, fill out our inquiry form under our 'weddings' tab and we will send you booking information and pricing. If you decide to book at the last minute, we cannot ensure we will have room to press your flowers at that time.
How do I book a date to have my flowers dropped off?
Fill out our contact form under custom orders > "weddings" or the contact page and we will email you within 24-48 hours. In our initial email, we send over our pricing list, our package price list, and client agreement form. You can find more detailed steps on how to book us, and our process, under the custom order "wedding" tab.
If my wedding is cancelled or if the flowers are not delivered to you on the scheduled date, do I get my deposit back?
Under no circumstance are deposits refunded.
How soon after the event should I have my flowers dropped off?
As soon as possible! The best results for pressing are when flower are at their freshest. We schedule all wedding flower drops the following Monday after weekend weddings. The flowers need to be brought to us at our Lafayette studio address: 912 W. Congress St. Lafayette, LA 70501.
Because funerals are unpredictable, we keep our schedule open for flower drops from services.
How do I keep my flowers fresh until I can get them to you?
Store the flowers in a fridge with the stems submerged in water.
How do I transport the flowers to the studio?
A box like an ice chest or tall cardboard box to help stabilize the vase of flowers with towels at the base.
My wedding is out of town. How can I ship the flowers to you?
For wedding flowers that cannot be physically delivered by the bride or a relative, we have prepared care packages to overnight the flowers Monday afternoon so that the flowers are delivered to us Tuesday morning. Our care packages include detailed instructions and all the materials needed to overnight us the flowers. We mail out the care package 4 weeks prior to the wedding.
What is the timeline for custom orders?
9-12 months.
I have a custom order in a pending press. When it is time to design, can I be more hands on with the creative process and come into the studio?
Of course! If clients want to schedule a time with one of our designers to be present in the design process, we can schedule an hour block to have the flowers pulled and canvas ready to map out a design. Our hourly rate with designers is $75 an hr.
How long will my flowers last?
If framed professionally, and treated with gentle care, your press will last for generations to come! Eventually, the flower color will fade, this is inevitable with any organic substance. However, being that the flower itself is pressed and not dried, the flowers will outlive you! We spray our pressed flowers with UV protectant and highly recommend keeping them away from direct sunlight, moist environments and areas where air condition would directly blow on the artwork.
When set behind glass, away from dust and all things nature, pressed specimens can outlive you and your children!
Should I frame my preserved flowers?
We 100% recommend professional framing in our studio. We use art glass (UV protectant and anti-glare), and artwork spacers which offsets your flowers from ever touching the glass. If the piece(s) are framed outside of our studio, we cannot guarantee correcting petals that might fall or stick to the glass.
Can I buy my leftover pressed flowers?
We do not give or sell back any or all donated flowers for custom orders.