Preserved Wedding Bouquets

Wish your wedding flowers could last forever? We recently discovered the work of Heather Gane, an entrepreneur using state-of-the-art technology to preserve bridal bouquets by freeze-drying, with breathtaking results. We caught up with Heather to get the details on this amazing process and what makes her work stand out.

How did you get started in flower preservation?
I was working in a completely different field when, through some random Google searches, I came upon someone in New Hampshire doing wedding-flower preservation, and I thought it was such a great idea. I went and visited them, and decided I loved it. No one around here did it so there was definitely an opportunity.  I trained in Arizona and Florida and then got started. It was definitely a big commitment. The machinery is very expensive, the training was expensive and it takes a while to really ramp up the business to where you’re actually making money. But I knew it was something I wanted to do so I decided to go for it.

Why did you decide to focus on wedding bouquets?
I loved the idea of providing this service to brides. The bouquet is such a huge part of the wedding day and I hate to see it get thrown away, especially when a bride loves it as much as they usually do.

How long will preserved bouquets last?
The freeze drying industry has been around for approximately 30 years. We know that freeze dried flowers will last at least that long, however, if kept in the right conditions, there is no reason your flowers wouldn’t last forever.

Your preserved bouquets are the most exquisite we’ve seen. What sets your service apart?
I wanted to be different. I knew there was a market out there that would want to preserve their bouquets in a really beautiful display. I wanted to gear my business to those brides. It’s so important to me to provide my clients with a piece of their wedding they can have forever. Not just a box with some flowers in it, but a display that will go with their décor at home and they’ll want to see on their wall every day. That’s why I use Larson Juhl frames. Brides have access to their full catalog, not just a handful of frames, so there are literally hundreds to choose from. Larson has been a leader in the framing industry for years, they really are the best. I also use museum glass, which protects the flowers from fading, and you can barely even see that there’s glass there! These conservation quality materials and the meticulousness I put into the preservation and design is what I think really sets Heather Gane apart.

Heather Gane has appointment-only locations in New York City and York, Pennsylvania. She takes reservations up to a year in advance. Brides should expect to receive their beautifully preserved, framed bouquet about 8-12 weeks after the wedding.