Giving flowers to a grieving family at a funeral is a heartwarming gesture. It shows the mourners that they’re not alone.
However, most families are inundated with floral arrangements when they hold a funeral. Today, we’ll discuss how to preserve flowers from a funeral and how to use them to honor your loved one.
Words of support and sympathy soothe a broken heart and offer solace when it comes to funerals. But funeral flower arrangements also make for an excellent way to show remembrance, love, and compassion.
If you had to host a funeral event and ended up with tons of flowers at your home, you’ll now be looking for ways to preserve and use them.
In this article, we’ll discuss different preservation methods, along with the best ways to use all the flowers you received. Read each method carefully and choose the one that suits you the best.
How To Preserve Funeral Flowers
There are several methods to preserve funeral flowers, and we have selected the best ones that you can easily use at home.
1. Press Flowers
One of the oldest and most effective ways to preserve funeral flowers is to press them; here’s how you can complete this method.

- Place a couple of flowers between two parchment paper pieces.
- Then place the two paper pieces on a flat surface and place a heavy object, such as a book, on top to press the flowers.
- Let the book sit on flowers for a couple of hours to flatten them.
- Now turn your iron on and select low-temperature settings.
- Remove the heavy object and press the iron on parchment paper for 15 to 20 seconds.
2. Use Iron To Dry Flowers
Another great way to preserve your funeral flowers is to dry them. This method will remove the moisture but retain the vibrant colors. Use the steps listed below to complete this method.
- Cut stems off the flowers to the desired length (it should be more than three inches) and remove excess foliage.
- Make several bundles by tying the stems using rubber bands.
- Hang the flowers upside down in a dark and dry spot until the moisture has evaporated.
3. Use a Microwave to Dry Flowers
You can also use your microwave for memorial flower preservation by following these steps:
- Place a few layers of old newspaper on top of the paper plate.
- After that, place a couple of paper towels on top of the layers of old newspaper.
- Put three to four fresh flowers on the paper towel and cover them with two more paper towels.
- Now, place a heavy glass plate on top and put the entire thing in the microwave.
- Run the microwave for two minutes, and then inspect the flowers carefully.
- If there are still signs of moisture, run the microwave for another minute.
- Remove the flowers from the microwave and let them air dry.
Best Ways to Use Preserved Flowers
Once you have preserved the funeral flowers, you can use any of the following methods to keep them for keepsakes and decorations.
1. Make a Memorial Shadow Box
You can use shadow boxes for different types of items, including funeral flowers. You’ll need to use flowers that you have dried using the hanging method discussed above.
This way, the flowers will be in their original form when you attach them to your shadow box. You can also add a card to your shadow box honoring your loved one that has passed away.
2. Make Potpourri
You can make potpourri and give it to one of your family members as a memorial keepsake. You won’t need to go through the preservation methods discussed above.

- Remove the petals from the funeral flowers and place them in a big bowl.
- Mix other ingredients that you want in the potpourri. These include fresh herbs, orange peels, and spices.
- Add one tablespoon of water and about half a teaspoon of essential oil of your choice to a small spray bottle.
- Spray all the ingredients in the bowl using a mixture of water and essential oil.
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and place the bowl in the oven until the flower petals are brittle.
- Remove the bowl from the oven and let it cool.
- Place all the ingredients in a mason jar to complete the process.
3. Frame Pressed Flowers
Another great way of using preserved memorial flowers is to frame them. You’ll need to use pressed flowers for this method. While you can use the iron method discussed above for this purpose, it’ll be exhaustive, as you’ll need a lot of flowers for the frame.
If you don’t want to put too much effort, consider placing as many flowers as you need for the frame between two large pieces of parchment paper. You can use more paper and make multiple sets if needed.
Now, place books or other heavy objects with a flat bottom on top of the parchment paper to press flowers and leave them for about two weeks. It’ll allow the flowers to dry naturally.
Remove the dried flowers gently once the drying period has ended. You’ll need to perform this step with patience, as you don’t want to ruin the precious flowers. Once the dried flowers are removed, frame them to hang in your room.
4. Use in the Funeral Guestbook
You can use pressed funeral flowers to make the cover of your funeral guestbook. It’s one of the best ways to save funeral flowers and honor your loved one. Use the steps listed below to complete this method.
- Place the cover of your guestbook flat by opening it.
- Measure its width and length and add about two to three inches to the measurement.
- Grab thick textured paper and cut it according to the measurements you took.
- Next, fold the paper around the guestbook and turn the excess width and length so that it reaches the inner side of the book’s cover.
- Use double-sided tape to attach the paper to the guestbook cover.
- Now arrange the pressed flowers you have on the paper using your creative skills.
- Use acid-free glue to attach the flowers and let them air dry.
You can also use a ribbon and tie a fancy knot to add more beauty and character to the funeral guestbook.
5. Make Floral Candles
It’s possible to use funeral flowers to make floral candles that you can use while reflecting on the life of the deceased. Use the steps listed below to complete this process.

- Place a couple of simple candles in an old saucepan and on the stovetop.
- Set the stovetop at a low temperature and melt the wax. Make sure you remove the candle threads using tongs as the wax melts. You can also add a few drops of the essential oil of your choice to the melting wax.
- Attach one side of the wick with a glue dot to the bottom of a cylindrical container or jar. The other end of the wick should be outside the container.
- Place the dried flower petals in the container. You can also stick some dried petals to the side of the container by dipping them in the wax.
- Next, start pouring the melted wax into the container. You can also add some flower petals as you go, and use a wooden skewer to make them sink.
- Grab the wick right after pouring the wax and bring it to the center. Wrap the outer side of the wick around a pencil and secure it in place with the help of melted wax.
- Place the pencil on top of the cylinder horizontally to ensure that the wick stays in the center.
- Leave the candle to cool down and harden for about 24 hours at room temperature.
6. Create a Memorial Wreath
You can use your funeral flowers to create a long-lasting and attractive memorial wreath using the following steps:
- Find dried eucalyptus from your funeral flowers and break them into several eight inches long pieces.
- Grab a grapevine wreath and start inserting the eucalyptus pieces into it. Make sure you work in a single direction and make your way around the entire grapevine wreath.
- Cut the stems about half an inch below the flower head.
- Start attaching the flowers to the wreath using acid-free glue. Use the same single-direction technique to fill the wreath.
- If the wreath feels a bit empty, add more eucalyptus branches and flowers.
FAQs
What Do You Do with Funeral Flowers After a Funeral?
There are a bunch of different ways you can use funeral flowers after a funeral. You can dry or press them for preservation purposes and use any of the methods discussed above.
How Do You Preserve Memorial Roses?
The best way to preserve memorial roses is to hang them dry. Then you can use them, along with some eucalyptus branches, to make a beautiful memorial wreath.
Final Words
You don’t need to throw away the flowers you receive at the funeral of your loved one. You can preserve them using different methods and use them for keepsakes and decorations.
We hope this guide will help you understand how to preserve flowers from a funeral and use them to honor the deceased.