There are moments in business that feel surreal. Being named Best Floral Preservation Artist in the Pacific Northwest Weddings Excellence Issue is one of them!
When I started Vancuterie, flower preservation was still something many people viewed as a craft tucked quietly into the corner of the wedding industry. Brides often didn’t know preservation was even possible until after their bouquet had already wilted. My dream was bigger than simply preserving flowers. I wanted to elevate pressed florals into fine art. I wanted brides to see their bouquets not as something temporary, but as heirlooms worthy of being displayed, talked about, and treasured for generations.
This recognition feels especially meaningful because it comes from the Pacific Northwest wedding community. The PNW has some of the most innovative florists, designers, and creatives in the country. To be acknowledged among so many talented artists is deeply humbling.
At Vancuterie, preservation is never just about pressing flowers. Every bouquet tells a story. The movement of a garden rose, the texture of a ranunculus petal, the imperfect curve of a sweet pea vine. All of these details matter. My work centers around reconstruction, color correction, and preserving the emotional feeling of the bouquet as much as the flowers themselves.
Many people are surprised to learn how technical floral preservation really is. A single design can take dozens of hours between pressing, reconstructing delicate blooms, color balancing faded petals, designing composition, and final detailing. Some flowers completely transform during the preservation process, which means every piece requires both artistry and problem solving. It is equal parts fine art and engineering.
Winning this award also feels like recognition of the years spent refining techniques that are now signature elements of my work. From traditional Japanese pressing methods to advanced color correction and dimensional reconstruction, every process inside the studio has been intentionally developed to create museum quality artwork that still feels deeply emotional and personal.
But more than anything, this award belongs to my clients. To every bride who trusted me with one of the most sentimental pieces from her wedding day, thank you. Thank you for shipping bouquets across the country, for trusting my artistic process, and for allowing me to preserve such meaningful moments in your lives. Your stories are woven into every piece that leaves this studio.
Thanks to Lauren Allee and the entire team at PNW-Weddings Magazine. The Excellence Issue celebrates and supports wedding professionals across the PNW. I am grateful for the work that goes on behind the scenes to make this possible Thank you for recognizing the artistry of floral preservation and creating a platform that highlights the talented vendors who help making wedding days so memorable. If you are planning a wedding in the Pacific Northwest, I highly encourage you to explore PNW Weddings Magazine. Visit PNW Weddings Magazine.
As Vancuterie continues to grow, my vision remains the same: to push floral preservation forward as an art form and continue redefining what preserved flowers can become.This recognition from Pacific Northwest Weddings is not the finish line. It is the beginning of an even bigger chapter. And truly, we are just getting started.
Pressed Flowers For The Win!
Daphne