By Megan Zinger 

Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the best days of your life. It’s one of those life milestones you dream about when you are young. A day filled with intimate vows, flowers, happy moments, laughter and good company can be so fun yet go by in a blink of an eye. So, how can you preserve some of the special moments that happen during this big day? Here are a few ideas to keep your wedding a part of you, forever and always.  

Your Flower Bouquet

Flowers are beautiful and full of life but eventually wilt and die. Preserving your wedding bouquet is memorabilia that you can cherish forever. First, you can press and then frame them. This process includes placing your flowers between two sheets of parchment paper and then putting something heavy over them for seven to ten days to dry them out.

Another way to preserve your bouquet’s flowers is to turn them into a paperweight. This is the perfect route to use if you want to keep your flowers looking perfect forever. The flowers are freeze-dried to keep the color and shape before being turned into a paperweight. The paperweight would serve as a great wedding reminder to have on a coffee table or office desk.

Another fun DIY idea is using resin letters for you and your spouse’s initials and adding the flowers. Supplies can be purchased or bought as a kit. The process includes mixing the ingredients and then pouring them into silicone molds to form the letters. 

Guest Signatures

Where guests enter the venue, have a frame or poster sitting out with a few colored sharpies of choice for them to sign. It is a way to look back at the guests who attended the wedding and shared your special day with you! Another idea is to set out stationary paper and pens for guests to write messages or marriage advice. Guests can then fold up their notes and put them in a jar to look back on.

Your Wedding Dress

Unfortunately, a few things can happen if you do not preserve your dress properly—yellowing of the fabric, oxidation spots, mold and creasing, to name a few. The first step in maintaining your dress is getting it professionally cleaned. It is recommended not to wait longer than six weeks to get your dress cleaned. The next step is storing in an airtight box where only nitrogen is inside, preventing oxidation. Lastly, be sure to store your dress in a cool, dark place that avoids direct sunlight, which may cause fading or the dress to turn yellow.

Your Vows

Vows are an intimate oath of promises and a profession of love towards your spouse. Writing them down makes it that more sentimental. Once the ceremony is over, make sure they are in a safe place. Framed vows serve as a great reminder of what’s important to your marriage, especially during tough times. 

Your Glass Bottles

A good way to re-purpose wine bottles, whiskey bottles or, perhaps, the champagne bottle used for your first toast is by making them into candles. You can customize your favorite scent and light it while having a cozy reminder of your wedding day.

Videographer

Having a videographer at your wedding can be just as important as having a photographer. Pictures say a thousand words, but a video tells a story in live-action and helps you reminisce on your special day. A video can simply be downloaded on a laptop or phone for you to look back on at any time.