Four ways to preserve your corsage

A prom is a very special occasion, and girls often like to hold onto the memory as long as possible by keeping the invitation, the photos and floral corsage. The same goes for brides who want to preserve their wedding bouquet.

It is worth taking the time to protect this special memento so that it will still be there in the years to come as a reminder of a very special evening.

The recent wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor to Thomas Kingston saw her with a bouquet of an ivory-coloured rose named Ella after the bride.

Dry it out

One of the simplest ways to dry out the flowers is to tie an elastic band around the stems just under the flowers and hang the arrangement upside down in a cool, dark, dry place in your home.

Once they are fully dried out, place them gently in a box so you don’t need to handle them.

Spray

Hairspray has a multitude of uses, one of which is to protect flowers from wilting. Do this outside away from any of the furniture in your home.

Floral corsages worn on a girl’s wrist at a prom are often given to her by her date and really add a very special finishing touch. Beautiful designed prom dresses from companies such as AX Paris prom dresses are perfect for any special occasion.

Gel

This takes time and requires you to purchase some silica gel, but it is a very effective method. Remove any dead leaves, then place the corsage in a bowl, making sure the arrangement is fully covered. Leave for approximately three weeks. Once ready, give it a gentle shake outdoors and spray with hairspray.

Pressed flowers

We all remember placing wild flowers between books to press them, and this age-old method still works very well. Sandwich the flowers between cardboard, four sheets of newspaper and tissue, and make sure they are spread out evenly. Weigh down with several heavy books for at least three weeks.

Display

Once your flowers are preserved, consider investing in a special glass or clear box to store them. Any extra additional mementos, such as ribbons, poems or a piece of fabric, can also go in the box and be there for whenever you want to remember this special day.