Dried bouquets: Florists see rise in requests for forever wedding flowers

Florists are reporting a bridal boom in dried bouquet arrangements thanks to new advances in preservation techniques.

It’s not just love and devotion that bloom everlasting at weddings anymore.

Dried flowers are the hot new trend at weddings, with many bridal parties swapping out fresh flowers for old-style dried blooms and native grass bunches that last forever.

Clara Pearce and business partner Emma Crimmins started up their floral styling business Em + Clara on the Northern Beaches last year and have found dried blooms are in hot demand from their customers with upcoming nuptials recently.

Ms Pearce said the hardy nature of dried flowers made them a versatile choice for brides with jam-packed big days as the blooms wouldn’t wilt or lose petals.

Newlywed Jess Vanslambrouck with her dried wedding bouquet. Picture: Toby Zerna

“Dried flowers have soared in popularity in general, everywhere has them but we’re especially seeing more interest and orders when it comes to weddings recently,” Ms Pearce said. “The beauty of dried flowers is preservation techniques are a lot more advanced now, so they’ll stay looking delicate and beautiful just like fresh ones … plus brides can hang on to them as a keepsake rather than throwing them straight into the bin the day after.”

New bride Jessica Vanslambrouck opted for a bridal bouquet of dried flowers at her wedding in Long Reef last month and they are now in a vase at home.

Ms Vanslambrouck, 27, said she became a fan of dried flowers after being gifted a bunch, and loved the look so much she included them in her big day.

“My sister got me a bunch of dried flowers for my birthday and I really liked the look of them. I thought it’d be a good choice for the wedding too,” Ms Vanslambrouck said.

“I was really happy with how they looked and held up, they didn’t wilt or anything during the day like fresh ones do, and now I can keep them forever.”