Your wedding flowers deserve a place in your life beyond your wedding day. And while dried bouquets and pressed-flower frames are beautiful ways to hold onto those memories, there’s another way to turn your flowers into something a little more unexpected: cyanotype prints.
Botanical silhouettes, dreamy blue tones, delicate floral details, and one-of-a-kind artwork made with inspiration from your wedding flowers. Part botanical art, part photographic process, cyanotypes offer a creative way to preserve the feeling of your wedding day in a format you can display in your home for years to come.
what exactly is a cyanotype print?
Cyanotype is an alternative photographic printing process that dates back to the 19th century. It uses a light-sensitive solution and UV light to create rich blue images, traditionally known for their distinctive Prussian blue color.
When botanical materials are placed on sensitized paper and exposed to UV light, they block portions of the light, leaving behind pale silhouettes against a deep blue background. The result is a print that captures the unique outlines and intricate details of flowers, leaves, and stems.
Every print is unique. Petals, delicate edges, overlapping leaves, and the natural structure of each bloom all contribute to the final composition.
The best part? Cyanotypes don't try to preserve flowers exactly as they looked in your bouquet. Instead, they reinterpret them as botanical artwork.
Why choose cyanotype printing for your wedding flowers?
A modern alternative to traditional preservation. If you're drawn to artsy, design-forward pieces rather than a traditional framed bouquet, cyanotypes offer a fresh way to remember your wedding flowers.
A little piece of your day, made into art. Your bouquet was designed for a particular moment, with colors, flowers, and textures chosen to reflect you. A cyanotype can carry elements of that design into your home long after the celebration.
Naturally unique. Flowers aren't manufactured objects, and their shapes and textures vary. The way each botanical interacts with light gives every print its own character.
Easy to style in your space. A botanical print can live in a gallery wall, sit on a bookshelf, or become a focal point in a room. It's a keepsake that can feel personal without being overly traditional.
How does the process work?
Cyanotype printing combines botanical materials, light, and a little experimentation.
First, flowers and foliage are selected for their shapes, textures, and composition. Depending on the design, botanical materials may need to be pressed or dried before printing.
Next, the botanicals are arranged on light-sensitive paper. The composition is exposed to UV light, which develops the characteristic blue image. The paper is then rinsed and processed according to the materials and method being used, revealing the finished print.
The final artwork depends on the botanicals, how they're arranged, the exposure, and the printing technique. Some prints feel delicate and minimal; others are layered, graphic, and full of movement.
Because cyanotype is a light-based process, the result is a botanical interpretation of your flowers rather than a color-accurate reproduction of your original bouquet. This sets cyanotypes apart from all other preservation types.
What happens to my wedding bouquet?
One important thing to know: cyanotype preservation is different from preserving an entire bouquet intact.
The process is about creating an image from botanical materials, not keeping the original bouquet in its original shape. Depending on the preservation approach, flowers may need to be separated, flattened, or dried before they can be used in a print.
If you want to keep your bouquet's original form, a different preservation method may be a better fit. If you love the idea of transforming the flowers into something artistic and unexpected, cyanotype may be exactly what you're looking for.
If you're interested in having your wedding flowers made into cyanotype art, it's best to reach out early so we can discuss your bouquet, timing, and the best way to prepare the flowers.
Botanical art with a personal connection
Flowers hold so much more than their color and shape. They can remind us of a person, a place, a season, or a moment we wish we could revisit.
Cyanotype printing offers another way to hold onto those connections. It's an opportunity to transform the botanicals from your wedding into something that feels less like a preserved object and more like a piece of art.
If you're planning a wedding in Seattle or the surrounding area and want to explore a creative alternative to traditional flower preservation, I'd love to hear what you're envisioning.
Interested in cyanotype wedding flower prints? Get in touch with us to talk about your flowers, your ideas, and creating a botanical keepsake that's uniquely yours.
