Tag: press

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How to hold on to your wedding bouquet by preserving it

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You invest a significant amount of money, time and effort in choosing your bridal bouquet. So, don’t you think it is sad that the blooms that played a huge part in transforming you into a bride, can wilt and be lost forever, after the day?

Fortunately, there are ways in which you can prevent this, and in fact save your wedding bouquet as a keepsake for the years to come. Here are the different ways you can do this.

Silica-drying

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You can have this done by a professional, or try your hand at it yourself. The technique involves brushing powdered silica gel all over your bouquet (sparing no inch of it), and placing it in an airtight container. The gaps in the container should then be filled with silica gel. It is then left to dry for a week to ten days. Once dried, the color is fixed using a fixing spray, and the bouquet can then be displayed in a glass box or flower vase in your home.

Freeze-drying

This is an expensive method, and one that has to be done by a professional. It can take up to three months to complete. The flowers are treated with starch and then freezer dried in the original bouquet style itself. The benefits of this method are that the bouquet looks pretty similar to how it did originally, but it is perhaps the most expensive of all the other methods.

Preserve it after drying

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All you have to do is to hang the flowers upside down in a safe area till they are fully dry. Although the flowers will lose the original look, it will still be a memorable keepsake of your milestone event.

Press and frame

Here, you basically remove the flowers from the bouquet and either save all, or a few. You can flatten the blooms by placing them beneath a heavy book or something similar. If you are good with your hands, you can then arrange them in a frame. The alternative is to have them professionally pressed and framed. Either way, you can transform your wedding flowers into a work of art that can be displayed in your new home.

Apart from these traditional bouquet preservation options, I found many more fantastic ideas at Pinterest. Let us take a look at some of the most brilliant ones.

Create a Christmas ornament

This idea by Wedding Party is ideal for those of you who are short on space and time. Just grab a few flowers from your bouquet, dry them and pack them into a transparent bauble. Close it off with the cork of a wine bottle used at your wedding, and add your wedding date to the glass ornament. You now have an ornament which you can fondly bring out and display on your Christmas tree every year.

Use it in a paperweight

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The Flower Preservation Workshop company suggests having your wedding flowers converted into a beautiful paperweight. Take a look at how the end result looks, and I am certain you will fall in love with it. Brilliant!

Now, tell us which of these will you be using? If you haven’t thought about it yet, it may be a good idea to do so now. For more wedding tips, advice and fun ideas like these, keep visiting us at Best for Bride.

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The essential guide to Wedding Invitation Printing Techniques

Your choice of stationery, size of invitations and method of printing are what determine the total cost for your invitations. When printing your wedding invitations, you have several techniques to choose from. Being aware of these different printing options will allow you to not only choose a method that fits your budget, but also to achieve the desired look and effect. So, let us find out what our options are.

Engraving

This is the traditional style of printing that has been used for ages. It is an expensive method, as the letters are etched on the cardstock in thick and good quality ink, using copper plates. After the ink is applied to the plates and pressed on the paper, the card is subjected to high pressure so the letters are pressed down into it. Engraved text is sharp and raised on the right side, and there are depressions on the other side of the page. It looks sophisticated and classic, but comes at a considerable price. Having your invitations engraved will take at least four to six weeks. So, if you choose it, place your order early.

Letterpress

This is a handcrafting method, where the ink is manually pushed into the paper using a metal plate on which the text is prepared. The result is similar to engraving, but not as refined. Your invitation cards have to be bulky and soft, for letterpress to work. Although it is expensive, it is cheaper than engraving. So, if you want a textured and sophisticated invitation, consider letterpress. The complexity of the design you choose is what determines the turnaround time. A set of invitations can be completed in as little as two weeks, or may take as much as two months.

Thermography

Another formal style of printing, thermography uses heated ink with resin powder to create lettering. The print is very similar to engraving, and has a raised surface. However, it is not as fine. This technique is affordable and takes less time to complete. You may however, have limited options to customize your invitation with colors.

Offset printing

This is the standard flat-printing that we are all familiar with. It is a low-budget choice, but looks very good when done well. Here, the ink lies flat against the surface of the paper, and you can choose to print in any color, format or design. Offset printing can be done quickly.

Digital printing

The results are similar to offset printing, but digital printing is done on thinner paper. It uses a printer, instead of a press. The method is suitable for casual wedding themes and it is possible to do almost any design or use any color, with this technique. This is the cheapest and quickest option, and you can have your invitation cards ready in a matter of days.

The style of printing you choose should reflect the formality of your wedding. After all, your invitations set the tone for your wedding. Although there are no hard and fast rules here, it is better to go for engraved, letterpress or thermographic printing styles if your wedding is a black-tie event. For a casual or semi-formal event, you can choose offset or digital prints.

To check out our collection of wedding invitation styles, as well as for all your other wedding needs, visit us on Best for Bride.