why do flowers change colour during preservation?

When you send your wedding bouquet off for preservation, it’s completely natural to wonder what your flowers will look like once they’ve been dried and set into resin. One of the most common questions I get asked is why certain flowers look a little different in colour after the preservation process.

Drying flowers is a completely natural process, and it’s entirely normal for their colours to change along the way! Here is a gentle guide to why flowers change colour during preservation and what you can expect from your wedding flowers.

 

The Natural Process of Moisture Loss

Fresh petals are full of water and moisture, which keeps them looking plump, soft, and vibrant. When flowers go through the drying process (whether that’s air drying, pressing, or using silica sand) that moisture is slowly removed.

Without water inside the flowers, the structure of the petals naturally tightens up, and the natural plant pigments interact with the air in a process called oxidation. This is a totally normal reaction, but it’s the main reason your flowers take on a deeper, softer, or more antique tone.

 

How Different Colours React to Drying

Every flower pigment reacts differently as it dries out, meaning some colours stay remarkably close to their original shade while others transform completely:

White Flowers: White petals naturally turn into a beautiful soft cream or off-white tone. Because white petals are so delicate and translucent, removing the moisture softens their bright hue into a warm, vintage tone.

Red Flowers: Deep reds almost never stay bright red! Red flowers tend to dry into a gorgeous, velvety dark purple, burgundy, or moody wine shade.

Pink & Purple Flowers: The natural pigments in pinks and purples are super sensitive to moisture loss. Pinks often shift into delicate mauve or antique rose, while purples can dry into striking dusty blue-grey or rich violet tones.

Yellow & Orange Flowers: Yellows and oranges are the absolute champions of staying vibrant! The pigments in these flowers are naturally tough and stable, so sunflowers, marigolds, and yellow roses usually keep their pop of colour extremely well.

Greenery: The bright green in foliage softy mellows out as the stems dry, shifting from vibrant greens to calm, earthy sage or olive tones.

 

Heat and Resin

Colour shifts don't just happen during the drying stage, resin will play a part in this too.

As liquid resin cures and hardens over 24 to 48 hours, it naturally creates a gentle warmth. This mild heat can darken the edges of delicate petals slightly or create small translucent spots where the resin gently seeps into the petals. This isn't a defect; it's simply a natural part of turning organic flowers into a solid piece of art!

 

Embracing Nature’s Unique Touches

Your wedding flowers hold so many precious memories, and preserving them captures a real piece of your special day. While they won't look identical to the day you walked down the aisle, these natural colour shifts give your preservation its own timeless, romantic charm.

Each finished piece is completely one-of-a-kind. A quiet, lasting keepsake of your celebration that you can treasure for years to come.