Your wedding celebration will likely incorporate lots of flowers, from venue decorations to your bouquet, but have you thought about what to do with the flowers after the wedding is over? The flowers in your bouquet may not have a long lifespan, but with these creative ideas for repurposing a bouquet, they can live on to preserve the magic of your wedding day.

Press and Frame the Flowers

Turn your wedding flowers into a creative keepsake you can display in your home by pressing and framing them. Press the flowers by simply placing them between the pages of a book, stacking a few more books on top, and letting them sit for about two weeks. Then, arrange the flattened, dried flowers in a picture frame or shadow box. You can also add other keepsakes such as photos to make it even more meaningful.

Make Potpourri

 Another unique and easy way to repurpose your flowers in your house is making potpourri. Just let the flowers dry for a few days, then add 3-5 drops of your favorite essential oil, such as lavender or rose oil, and bake them for a few hours. Your house will smell wonderful when it’s done.

Make Jewelry

If you’re looking for a creative thank-you gift for your bridesmaids, try using flowers from your bouquet to make beads. Cooking your flower petals in water (a process which might take a few days) will produce a clay substance that you can shape into beads. Once the beads dry, you can string them into necklaces or bracelets as either a keepsake for yourself or a gift uniquely reminiscent of your special day.

Incorporate Flowers in Gift Wrapping

You can also use dried flowers as an accent to spice up your gift wrapping. After wrapping the gift, tape a selection of the flowers to the package or tuck them into some ribbon or twine. Alternatively, you can place the flowers inside the gift for a special touch. 

Make Floral Bath Salts

A relaxing bath might sound appealing after a busy wedding day. You can also use flowers from your wedding to make bath salts. Try FTD’s easy recipe for DIY floral bath salts: 

• In a bowl or jar, mix 1 cup Epsom salt, 1 cup Dead Sea salt, and ½ cup baking soda.

• Mix flower petals or buds into the salt mixture.

• Mix in your favorite essential oils.

Use any of these creative ideas to help your beautiful flowers, and the magic of your wedding day, live on long after the wedding is over.

This is a guest post written on behalf of FTD.com. Risa James Events has no financial relationship with FTD.com.