Everything we are asked most often, from how the process works to what happens to color over time. If your question is not here, please contact us.
The process of floral preservation is very delicate and timely. Here is an outline of the steps in our process.
Floral preservation is a slow art. Every flower and botanical presses differently and needs its own handling. Removing the moisture and pressing your petals takes two to four months depending on the variety, and most pieces are complete 6 to 9 months after your flowers arrive.
This can stretch a little during peak wedding season, though we work hard to stay within these timelines. We would rather give each piece the time and attention it needs than rush it.
Pressing flattens and preserves your petals so they can be reconstructed and framed as artwork for your wall. Resin sets them in clear castings you can hold and use, like coasters, a ring dish, a paperweight or a keychain.
We offer both, and many of our customers choose a framed piece for the wall along with a few resin keepsakes made from the same bouquet.
The pressed method slowly flattens your petals and draws out all of their moisture over several months. Once dry, each flower is rebuilt petal by petal and displayed in a traditional linen backed frame or a floating double glass frame, where your petals are suspended between two panes.
No. We press flowers, then rebuild each one petal by petal and color correct it by hand, so your framed piece is pressed floral artwork rather than a freeze-dried bouquet.
Color correction is a technique used to enhance or restore the natural colors of flowers after they have been dried. When flowers are pressed they can lose vibrancy and appear dull or faded. We selectively apply high quality artist pigments to your pressed flowers to restore or enhance their colors.
It is a delicate process and requires careful application, and it is one of the things that most sets our work apart.
Any time, before or after your event. We never turn flowers away, and many of our brides book in the days right after their wedding. If you already know you want a piece, we love having your date on the calendar early.
We are a studio with a team rather than one person working alone, which means there is room for last minute bouquets and for flowers from an event that has already passed. If your wedding is this weekend, or if it was last weekend, we can still help.
Instead of a deposit, you purchase your keepsake ahead of time, so it is one less thing to remember later. We find this helps our clients, because there is already so much to keep track of when it comes to wedding planning.
No. We work with clients anywhere in the US. If you're local, drop your flowers off at our West Bloomfield studio the Monday after your event. If not, ship them to us with any carrier, and choose shipping at checkout so we can send your finished piece back to you. We email packing instructions as soon as you order.
Yes, and it is a meaningful part of what we do. We preserve flowers from funerals, memorial services and celebrations of life, and we treat them with the same care as any other piece that comes through the studio.
Memorial orders do not require a main frame, and carry a $350 minimum. Smaller keepsakes work beautifully for these pieces, particularly when several members of a family would each like something to hold onto.
If the service has already taken place, please still reach out. We can almost always help.
Yes. The more fresh and hydrated they are, the better the result. You should deliver or ship your flowers to us the Monday following your event.
After your event, keep the stems trimmed and in fresh water, and keep the flowers somewhere cool and dark. Do not spray, water, or let anything touch the petals.
One tip that makes a real difference: assign a friend or family member to care for your flowers on the day of the event. It is also best to avoid the bouquet toss, which damages and bruises the petals.
Local drop off is from 7am to 7pm on the Monday following your event, at Mariah's in home studio in West Bloomfield, Michigan. We have a dropbox on the front porch with instructions, so you do not need to coordinate a time with anyone.
You will receive an email with drop off and care instructions one month before your event date. Memorial and last minute orders receive them immediately after the contract is signed.
Yes. We can work with most customizations, including incorporating paper goods into our custom frames. You can send your wedding invitation, vows, photos or anything else you would like included. When you are dropping off, please place paper goods in a ziploc bag.
Our 11x14 highlights a few main pieces from your bouquet. Our most popular 16x20 fits most or all of it. The larger 18x24, Trilogy and Remember Always frames hold multiple flowers from different arrangements.
If you are ordering multiple frames or a large size, we always recommend sending extra flowers so we have enough variety to give your design its best look. Tablescapes, bridesmaid bouquets and ceremony arrangements all work well for this.
Almost all flowers and greenery dry and press somewhat differently than they look fresh. Typically bright colors are preserved and maintain their vibrance, while whites and lighter flowers turn a more creamy white or vintage color.
This is all part of a beautiful transformation, and it is a large part of why a preserved piece looks like artwork rather than a photograph.
Each flower is unique and has different undertones, and some hold their color better than others. Reds and burgundies tend to turn a deep maroon or purple. Light pinks can turn a light purple, while whites turn more vintage and creamy.
All natural materials fade over time. As with everything in life, things age and change subtly, and we find that to still be a beautiful part of the process. We provide color correction as needed, which helps maintain their color much longer, and every framed piece is finished behind UV conservation glass, which blocks up to 99% of UV rays to slow it further.
Still have a question?
Ask Us Anything