Many brides decide that they would like to conserve or save their wedding bouquets once their big day has been and gone. But is it possible to preserve a wedding bouquet effectively if it is made up of fresh flowers?

The vast numbers of brides who want to keep their wedding bouquets long term opt for silk flowers, but it is possible to take a fresh bouquet up the aisle and preserve it for years to come.

The best way to successfully preserve a wedding bouquet is the method of freeze drying. This high-tech preservation process enables you to retain the natural shapes and beautiful colours of your flowers. The end result remains incredibly true to life and can last for many years.

Specialised equipment is used to deep-freeze the bouquet to around -30c. Any water remaining in the flowers turns to water vapour and is removed by a specialised vacuum.

Once the bouquet is completely free of water it will be very slowly returned to room temperature and the flowers are then treated with a solution which prevents moisture in the air from re-penetrating them.

Although this is the most effective way of preserving your wedding bouquet it is unfortunately also the most expensive.