How to Choose the Right Dried Flowers for Your Wedding
By Paula, Lytton Rose Botanical
Dried and preserved flowers are fast becoming a favourite among modern couples — and it’s easy to see why. With their long-lasting beauty, sustainable edge and wide variety of colours and textures, dried wedding flowers are the perfect choice for couples who want style and simplicity.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to choose dried flowers for your wedding, including bouquet tips, seasonal colour advice, and when to order. Whether you’re buying a bespoke preserved flower arrangement or selecting one of our ready-made bridal bouquets, I hope this blog will help you feel confident and inspired.
Photo by Bohemian Rose
Why Dried Flowers Are a Popular Wedding Trend
Dried and preserved flowers are more than just beautiful — they’re practical and often more eco-conscious too. Here's why they're a smart choice for weddings:
They last: No wilting on the day and beautiful as keepsakes after
They travel well: Ideal for destination weddings or styling in advance
They're often more sustainable: Dried flowers keep for longer, so there is less waste at the florists end. Especially during the autumn and winter, they’re a way of featuring your favourite flowers without the usual air miles.
They're versatile: Available in a wide range of colours, shapes and styles, they are also less dictated by seasonal shifts- Peonies or daisies in December? No problem!
At Lytton Rose Botanical, we’ve helped lots of couples create timeless wedding florals that suit their day — and the best thing is, they will last long after the wedding ends.
Photo by Derbyshire & Sheffield Wedding Photographer | Mirl + Co
Which Flowers Do You Need For A Wedding?
Planning your wedding flowers? Don’t stop at the bouquet. Dried flowers can be used across your entire celebration. Popular items include:
Bridal and bridesmaid bouquets
Buttonholes and corsages
Flower crowns and hair pieces
Reception centrepieces and table decorations
Pew ends
Cake meadows
Guest favours and petal confetti
One of the biggest benefits of dried flowers is that they can be styled ahead of time and moved easily between ceremony and reception.
Photo by Natural Wedding Photography by Fiona Kelly
5 Top Tips for Choosing the Perfect Dried Flower Wedding Bouquet
Embrace Colour — It Doesn’t Have to Be Muted
Contrary to popular belief, dried flowers don’t just come in neutrals. Many preserved stems retain rich, vibrant tones — think blue, yellow, pink, orange, mustard, rust, blush, berry, sage or deep green. If you're after a more colourful palette, we’ll help you select preserved elements that stay true to your theme.
Think in Textures
The best dried bouquets blend different textures for interest and contrast. Delicate stems like limonium or bunny tails look wonderful with stronger pieces like structural seed heads, dried roses or preserved foliage for depth and movement.
Room Decor Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune
While Pinterest might be full of beautiful arch displays and aisle meadows, these large-scale arrangements are expensive and can end up really blowing the budget. They can also mean you're left with a lot of waste floral material at the end of the day.
Small clusters of bud vases can be really effective decor, and these can be easily transported from place to place. Best of all, they can be repurposed at the end of the event as thank-you gifts for your guests. We can even supply you with little wooden keepsake tags to add to your vases at the end of the evening.
Think About Backups!
Accidents happen. It’s often worth having a couple of extra buttonholes or hairpins available, should you suddenly find you need an extra one. An emergency replacement for a groomsman who is an over-enthusiastic hugger, for example. After all, most flowers are built for style, not combat, whether fresh or dried!
Consider a Throwing Bouquet
The beauty of dried flowers is that you can keep them for a long time afterwards. It's worth considering ordering a smaller version of your bridal bouquet if you wish to do the traditional flower toss.
Plan for Display After the Wedding
Your dried bouquet is a lasting keepsake. Consider how it will look in a vase or frame in your home. We design with longevity in mind, using quality stems that stay beautiful for months or years.
Trust Your Florist
We know our materials and how they behave. Staying open to ideas or small changes ensures your bouquet feels cohesive and balanced.
Choosing the Right Colours & Flowers for Your Season
While dried flowers are not limited by strict seasonality, some colour palettes suit certain times of year beautifully:
Spring/Summer: Soft pinks, pastel tones, sunny yellows, vibrant multicolours, ivory, lavender, peach, light green
Autumn/Winter: Terracotta, oranges, reds, rich purples and berry tones, mustard, rust, burgundy, deep greens
Be aware that some tricky tones (like blush, beige or nude) can appear different under different lighting — a phenomenon known as metamerism. It is often useful to send colour swatches to your florist so they can choose stems that closely match your vision. Always view your colour swatches in both daylight and indoor light before sending them on, to make sure your colours will feel right throughout the day.
Photo by Kent Wedding Photographer-Gavin Photography
Bespoke vs Ready-to-Order Dried Wedding Flowers: What Suits You Best?
We offer both bespoke and ready-made dried wedding flowers, depending on your preferences.
Choose a ready-to-order design if:
You love our existing styles and palettes
You want a fast, low-stress option
You’re planning a last-minute or elopement wedding
You’re on a tighter budget
Choose a bespoke arrangement if:
You have a specific vision or colour palette
You want a one-of-a-kind design tailored to your dress or venue
You need coordination across multiple floral elements
You’re planning to spend over £200 on your flowers
Not sure which option is right for you? We’re happy to help you decide.
Photo by Imagine Photography - South Wales Wedding Photographer
Why Flexibility Is Key to the Perfect Bouquet
Every dried stem is unique. Weather, light and natural variation mean no two bouquets will ever be identical — and that’s part of their charm. Trust your florist to make small substitutions or to add special seasonal items that actually improve balance, movement and colour harmony in your bouquet. We may even include something unique you won’t find in many other places.
At Lytton Rose, we aim to combine your vision with our floral expertise to deliver something beautiful and one-of-a-kind.
Photo by Derbyshire & Sheffield Wedding Photographer | Mirl + Co
On Trend Dried Flowers in Wedding Bouquets
Some of our most-requested dried and preserved wedding flowers include:
Bunny tails (Lagurus) and soft grasses – soft and romantic, these add texture and movement to your bouquet in a subtle way
Preserved ruscus – structural yet delicate and available in a wide array of tones
Dried or preserved roses – timeless, vintage beauty
Statice, gypsophila and limonium – airy filler flowers to add movement and interest
Helichrysums – bold and beautiful colour, and one of those flowers that is genuinely almost everlasting
Interesting seed pods – shimmering lunaria, sculptural love-in-a-mist, pretty poppy or corncockle pods add fantastic interest
Thistles – vibrant blues and sculptural effects, popular with Scottish or elopement couples
Eucalyptus – a wide variety of scents, shapes and tones, and long lasting
We carefully source each stem to ensure consistency and quality.
When to Take Delivery of Your Dried Wedding Flowers
We recommend taking delivery of your order around 3–4 weeks before your wedding day. This allows time to trial your flowers with your dress or styling elements and gives extra peace of mind leading up to the big day. We can arrange for hair trial flowers to be sent in advance on request.
How to Care for Your Dried Wedding Flowers
Before the Wedding:
Store in a room temperature, draft-free and dry place, away from direct sunlight
Avoid sealed plastic containers — let the flowers breathe
Keep them upright to avoid crushing or bending delicate stems
After the Wedding:
Place them in a vase or have them framed
Dust gently using a hairdryer on a cool, low setting
Keep them out of humid spaces like bathrooms or kitchens
With proper care, your dried bouquet can last for months or even years.
Ready to Order or Design Your Own?
At Lytton Rose Botanical, we create dried and preserved wedding flowers that reflect your story and your style — from custom wedding bouquets to full floral packages.
🌿 Shop our Collections
🌿 Get in touch for a Bespoke Consultation
Let us help you design florals that are beautiful on the day — and even more meaningful in the days that follow.
Photo by Derbyshire & Sheffield Wedding Photographer | Mirl + Co