Your wedding bouquet can last far beyond the wedding day. Preserving dried wedding flowers in clear casting epoxy turns meaningful blooms into display blocks, keepsakes, ring holders, trays, coasters, and other pieces you can enjoy for years.
This guide walks through the basic process for preserving wedding flowers in epoxy resin, including drying the flowers, planning the mold, pouring in layers, controlling bubbles, and choosing a resin designed for flower preservation.
Ready to preserve flowers? Shop Culture Cast Flower Preservation Resin, a clear casting epoxy made for floral preservation and casting projects.
Can you preserve wedding flowers in epoxy resin?
Yes. Completely dried flowers can be embedded in clear casting resin to create permanent decorative keepsakes. The most important preparation step is removing moisture from the flowers before they are placed in resin. Fresh or partially dried flowers can introduce moisture that may affect clarity, color, or cure.
What resin should you use for wedding flower preservation?
For thick floral pieces, use a casting resin intended for deeper pours rather than a thin coating resin designed primarily for tabletops or surface coats. Culture Cast Flower Preservation Resin is Counter Culture DIY's clear casting epoxy for flower preservation and casting projects.
Always follow the current product directions for mixing ratio, working time, recommended pour depth, temperature, and cure schedule.
Step 1: Dry the wedding flowers completely
Do not pour resin over fresh wedding flowers. Flowers should be fully dried before casting. Silica gel is commonly used when preserving bouquet flowers because it can help flowers retain more of their original shape than traditional hanging methods.
Different flowers dry at different rates. Thick centers, tightly layered petals, and dense greenery can hold moisture longer than delicate petals. Check flowers carefully before moving to resin.
Step 2: Choose the flowers and keepsake design
You do not have to fit an entire bouquet into one mold. Select the flowers, petals, greenery, ribbon, or other dry bouquet elements that best represent the arrangement.
Popular wedding flower preservation projects include:
- Large floral resin blocks
- Wedding bouquet display pieces
- Ring holders and ring dishes
- Resin trays
- Coasters
- Bookends
- Ornaments
- Small keepsakes for parents or members of the wedding party
Step 3: Test the arrangement before mixing resin
Arrange the dried flowers in the empty mold first. Look at the design from the sides as well as the top, especially when using a deep mold. Take a photo of the arrangement before removing the flowers so you have a reference during the pour.
Step 4: Prepare the mold and workspace
Work on a level surface in the temperature range specified for your resin. Make sure the mold is clean and dry. Gather all dried flowers and tools before mixing so you do not have to search for supplies during the resin's working time.
Step 5: Measure and mix the casting epoxy accurately
Follow the Culture Cast label and current product instructions exactly. Measure the components accurately and mix thoroughly, scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing container as directed.
Avoid whipping excessive air into the mixture. Careful mixing helps reduce the amount of air you need to manage after pouring.
Step 6: Pour and place the flowers
The exact pouring method depends on the mold depth, flower size, and current Culture Cast instructions. For deeper floral pieces, work within the resin's recommended pour depth rather than exceeding it.
Place dried flowers deliberately and watch for trapped air around petals, leaves, and flower centers. Complex flowers can create small pockets where bubbles collect.
Step 7: Watch for bubbles
After the flowers are placed, inspect the piece from multiple angles. Bubbles often hide beneath petals and around dense flower centers. Follow the approved bubble-removal methods in the product instructions and avoid overheating the resin or delicate dried flowers.
Step 8: Allow the resin to cure fully
Leave the mold level and protected from dust while it cures. Do not demold early. Temperature, project size, and pour depth can affect curing, so use the current Culture Cast directions rather than relying on a generic cure time.
How do you keep wedding flowers from turning brown in resin?
Start with properly dried flowers and keep them away from moisture. Flower color can naturally change during drying and over time, and different flower varieties respond differently. Testing a spare flower or petal before casting an irreplaceable bouquet is a smart precaution.
Store the finished keepsake away from prolonged direct sunlight and excessive heat to help protect both the flowers and resin.
Should you practice before preserving the actual wedding bouquet?
Yes, especially if this is your first deep floral casting project. Practice with inexpensive dried flowers in a smaller mold first. This gives you experience arranging flowers, mixing resin, placing blooms, and managing bubbles before working with sentimental wedding flowers that cannot be replaced.
Wedding flower preservation FAQs
Can I put fresh wedding flowers directly into epoxy?
No. Flowers should be completely dried before being embedded in epoxy resin.
What epoxy is best for preserving a wedding bouquet?
For thick floral keepsakes, use a clear casting epoxy designed for casting and flower preservation. Culture Cast Flower Preservation Resin is made for this type of project.
Can I preserve roses in resin?
Yes, once they are completely dried. Roses are popular for floral preservation, but their layered petals can trap air, so pay close attention to bubbles around and beneath the petals.
Can I preserve only part of my wedding bouquet?
Yes. Many keepsakes use selected flowers, petals, greenery, or other meaningful bouquet elements rather than the entire bouquet.
How soon after the wedding should I start preserving the flowers?
Begin the drying process as soon as practical while the flowers are still in good condition. The flowers must then dry completely before casting.
Start your wedding flower preservation project
Once your flowers are fully dried and you have practiced your layout, choose a clear casting resin designed for floral work. Shop Culture Cast Flower Preservation Resin and follow the current product instructions for your mold size and pour.