You've decided to preserve your wedding flowers. The hard part — choosing to keep them, choosing the keepsake — is done. Now there's a quieter worry: your bouquet, the real one you carried, has to travel through the post to reach us. For most couples this is the most nerve-wracking moment of the whole process. You only have one bouquet, and posting it feels like handing over something irreplaceable to a stranger in a van.
This guide takes that worry away. Below is exactly how to pack and send your wedding flowers for preservation in the UK — when to send them, what to use, how to box them so nothing gets crushed, which postal service to choose, and what happens the moment they arrive with us. It's the same advice we give every couple who orders from our wedding flower preservation collection. If you're weighing up the whole process, our complete guide to wedding flower preservation in the UK covers everything from choosing a keepsake to caring for it.
The Short Answer: How to Send Wedding Flowers for Preservation
Send your flowers as fresh as possible — ideally within 5 to 7 days of the wedding. Gently pat the stems dry, wrap the stem ends in lightly damp kitchen roll sealed in a small freezer bag, cushion the heads with tissue, and pack everything snugly in a rigid cardboard box so the flowers can't move around. Post early in the week (Monday to Wednesday) by Royal Mail Tracked 24, include a note with your name, order number and email, and send us the tracking number. Most couples spend between £4 and £12 on postage depending on box size.
Already married, with flowers that have dried out? Don't post them yet — send us a photo first and we'll tell you honestly what's still possible.
When to Send Your Flowers
Timing matters more than anything else you'll do. Fresh flowers preserve better than tired ones, and the clock starts on the wedding day itself. The sooner your flowers reach us, the closer the finished keepsake will look to how they appeared as you walked down the aisle.
| Time since the wedding | What to do |
|---|---|
| 0–7 days | Ideal. Keep the flowers cool and hydrated, then post as soon as you can. |
| 1–3 weeks | Still workable if the flowers have been kept in water and out of direct heat. Send photos first if you're unsure. |
| Already dried | Pack as fragile, not fresh (see below). Message us with a photo before sending. |
If you're still in the planning stages, it's worth reading our guide to how long wedding flower preservation takes so you know what to expect once your flowers are with us.
What You'll Need
Nothing specialist — everything here is in most homes or a corner shop:
- A rigid cardboard box, slightly larger than the bouquet (a shoe box works well for a single bouquet)
- Tissue paper or bubble wrap for cushioning
- A few sheets of kitchen roll
- A small sealable freezer bag
- Tape and a pen
- A small note card with your details
How to Pack Wedding Flowers for Posting: Step by Step
1. Photograph the bouquet first
Take a few clear photos before you take anything apart. They help us understand how it was arranged — and they're a lovely record for you too.
2. Pat the stems dry
Lift the bouquet out of water, shake off the excess and gently pat the stems with kitchen roll. You want them hydrated, not dripping — sodden flowers can mould in transit.
3. Wrap the stem ends
Wrap the cut ends in lightly damp kitchen roll, then slip them into a small freezer bag and seal it around the stems. This keeps the heads hydrated for a day or two without wetting the petals.
4. Protect the heads
Loosely surround the flower heads with tissue paper. Don't crush them flat — the aim is to stop them knocking against the box, not to compress them.
5. Box it snugly
Lay the bouquet in the box and fill the gaps with scrunched tissue or bubble wrap so nothing can shift. A flower that can't move can't break.
6. Add your note & seal
Pop in a card with your name, order number, email and any requests — for example, which blooms matter most. Tape the box securely and label it clearly.
That's it. The whole job takes about ten minutes, and a well-packed box travels remarkably well.
Which Postal Service Should You Use?
You're sending fresh flowers, which have little monetary value in transit — so the priority is speed, not insurance. The valuable journey is the return trip, when your finished keepsake comes back to you, and we handle that end ourselves with secure, tracked delivery. For sending flowers to us, here's how the main UK options compare.
| Service | Speed | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Mail Tracked 24 (recommended) | Next working day | £5 – £8 |
| Royal Mail Tracked 48 | 2–3 working days | £4 – £6 |
| Special Delivery Guaranteed | Next day by 1pm, insured | £8 – £12 |
Our recommendation: Royal Mail Tracked 24 is the sweet spot — fast enough that the flowers arrive fresh, with tracking so you can watch the parcel every step of the way. Post early in the week so your box doesn't sit in a depot over the weekend, and send us the tracking number once it's on its way.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The handful of things that cause problems — all easily avoided:
- Posting on a Friday or Saturday — the parcel sits in a depot all weekend. Monday to Wednesday is best.
- Sending flowers soaking wet — trapped moisture causes mould and rot before they reach us.
- A box that's too big with no cushioning — flowers bounce around and shatter. Fill every gap.
- Using a padded envelope — never enough protection for fresh blooms. Always use a rigid box.
- Waiting too long — every extra day reduces how vivid the final piece can be.
- Forgetting the note — without your details we can't match the flowers to your order quickly.
Sending Flowers That Are Already Dried
If your flowers have already dried out — whether you hung them yourself or simply let them dry naturally — the rules flip completely. Dried petals are brittle and snap easily, so they need to travel as fragile items, not fresh ones: no moisture at all, plenty of soft tissue around every bloom, and a rigid box with zero room to rattle. Because dried flowers are far more delicate, we always ask to see a photo before you post them. Message us and we'll tell you honestly whether they'll preserve well and exactly how to pack them. (For the full picture of your options, our guide on what to do with your wedding flowers after the wedding walks through every route.)
What Happens When Your Flowers Arrive
The moment your box reaches us, we email to let you know it's arrived safely — so you're never left wondering. We then unpack and inspect every bloom, and Julie assesses what will work best given the flowers in front of her.
"We never start pouring resin the day flowers arrive. We dry and prepare each bloom properly, then share a design plan with you before anything is final. Your flowers are irreplaceable — we treat them that way."
Before we finalise your piece you'll see a design approval step and progress updates along the way, so there are no surprises. Our aim is always a keepsake with a little artistic flair that stays true to your original flowers — and you're kept in the loop from the first email to the finished piece. There's no separate deposit to worry about either; you pay once at the time of order, and that's the last admin you'll deal with.
Sending Wedding Flowers for Preservation: FAQs
How soon after the wedding should I send my flowers?
Within 5–7 days is ideal. Keep them in water, somewhere cool and out of direct sun, until you're ready to pack. If a little more time has passed, send us a photo and we'll advise honestly.
Do you send out a packing kit or box?
We don't post kits out as standard, mainly because that would add a day or two of delay when freshness matters most. Everything you need is already at home — but if you're unsure about anything, message us and we'll talk you through it.
What if my flowers arrive a little squashed?
A well-packed box usually prevents this, but minor bruising on a petal or two is normal and rarely a problem — we work with the best blooms in your bouquet. If anything looks off when it arrives, we'll tell you straightaway and discuss the options.
Should I send the whole bouquet or just a few flowers?
Send more than you think you'll need. We select the best blooms, and any extras let us make additional pieces — a heart or a few keepsakes for bridesmaids and parents — without much added cost, since the flowers are already with us.
Is the return journey insured?
Yes. We package your finished keepsake securely and return it by a tracked, insured service, because that's the journey where the value sits. Sending the fresh flowers to us only needs a standard tracked service.
Can I send flowers from anywhere in the UK?
Yes — the whole process is by post, so there's no need to travel to us. Couples send flowers from across the UK, from the Highlands to Cornwall.
Ready to Preserve Your Wedding Flowers?
Browse the full collection to choose your keepsake, or message us first with a photo of your bouquet for an honest, personal recommendation before you post anything.
Posting your bouquet can feel like a leap of faith. Pack it with a little care, choose a tracked service, and the flowers you carried will reach us safely — ready to become something you'll keep for a lifetime.