Frequently asked

How long does preservation take?

Most orders are completed in 12 months or less depending on busy periods (occasionally this can be more). This can seem a long time, however the process of drying flowers and resin is months, finishing the items can take a huge amount of time but it is worth the wait! Each medium block takes on average 50+ hours of hard work and each item is hand created, no factories or production lines here, this is art.

How do I pack my flowers for postage?

Step 1. Book your collection in advance of your special day or event with Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed before 9am. Or please do remember you can drop them off in person if you are local to Cambridgeshire, or drop off at my secure location at my studio. Please let me know your preferred method in advance so I can accommodate your needs.

NOTE: Royal mail will not deliver on Sundays so if your wedding is over the weekend (Friday to Sunday) you can drop them off.

Step 2: 

Find a box roughly 61x46x46 (Royal mail dimensions) dependant on the size/ shape of your flowers. I do recommend a cardboard florist vase. It must also be under 2kg in weight for Royal Mail, or check your chosen couriers weight restrictions. If you are physically unable to drop off the flowers, please speak to me directly I can usually arrange something when given enough notice.

Step 3 

Pack the void areas around the base of your box using newspaper or old paper, this prevents rocking during transportation.

Please only use paper, never cover with plastic or cellophane as this will cause your blooms to sweat and rot, I may be unable to work with them if this happens.

Step 4- 

Sit them in a vase with water until you are ready to transport. Do not include the vase/water in the delivery box as I unable to return this and it will make the box heavy and cause your blooms to flop.

Grab your paper towels and moisten (not soaking wet), then wrap them around THE BASE of the stems (never top of flowers) so they can stay cool and hydrated during travel. Then secure with the elastic band. You will then need to wrap OVER the wet kitchen towel with foil and secure with an elastic band, this locks in moisture at the base. Put them in your paper vase in the centre of your box or if you do not have this you can prop the flowers up with balls of newspaper, just make sure the paper is soft enough. Be careful not to crush the blooms. If the package feels loose once the lid is closed, then its too loose and you will need to pack around some more so the petals do not shake off during transport.

Step 5- Include your name and contact details in a piece of paper, if you do not add this I may not know which flowers belong to who, so this is essential as I will begin drying your flowers as soon as I receive them, and some flowers have to be dried flat and some 3D. Secure the box with tape. Mark as fragile flowers on all sides and draw an arrow to show which way up the box must be stacked as. Write this BIG so the courier can see it straight away.

Are deposits refundable? Deposits are non-refundable — they secure your place in the production calendar, which is limited due to mould availability and my work schedule. When you book I take that mould out of production and therefore turn away or delay other clients. The deposit is taken off your final bill, which is due one week before your event date. If you prefer you can pay the full amount in full (preferable) or with Klarna.

Payments- Payments are made though Stripe (direct debit), Klarna (on orders over £350) or with a gift card. You can make a deposit to secure your place and the full amount becomes payable the week before your event date. Please note I am unable to process your flowers unless your account is settled in due time, so please add this to your To Do list or calendar.

Prices are final and non negotiable. I do not accept cash or cheque.

You will be emailed the invoice via email where you can then follow the instructions for payment from there. Your customer account will also show that your order invoice is due and how to pay, you can pay this anytime once your event date is booked. Please not, I cannot take payments over the phone.

Contact Us- please email hello@petalandbloomstudio.co.uk and I will get back to you as soon as can! Please note I cannot update month to month or week to week on orders, all orders are updated in your online account.

You can also Whatsapp me on 07396927603- I will try to update but your portal is quicker and more accurate.

Caring for your product-

Please never expose resin to heat as this will damage the resin. For items with tealight holders, as in all my photos I use battery operated tea lights. A battery operated light will be supplied with any items to be used with candles.

Resin must be kept out of direct sunlight or extreme darkness to slow the amber process, though this will happen eventually and can enhance the look of your resin piece. Unfortunately this is unavoidable and the nature of resin is that it will eventually amber, but it does take a long time. Do not consume food or drink directly from resin.

Faux flowers-

We can work with artificial flowers, I will need to test them first to ensure the colours do not run in the resin, because of this I advise using silk high quality faux flowers.

Do you take last minute orders?

Usually yes, but please call ahead to notify me of the type of flowers you want, we will then discuss your options while the flowers are drying, which can take up to 6 weeks dependant on the thickness of the blooms

I am unsure about what to order...

If you are unsure of which item you want but wish to preserve the date, then click HERE , secure your date and closer to the time I can contact you to see what options you have. SO if you have not chosen your flowers, but you know you want to preserve them, this option is perfect.

Flowers-

I will dry all your flowers in your order unless they are damaged or unsuitable for drying, I am not able to return blooms that have not been used with your order. If you have a lot of good quality flowers left over I may be in contact to see if you would like some add on products so they are not wasted.

Returns- Unfortunately as the items you are to receive are handmade, under no circumstances will I issue a refunds unless the item is delivered damaged, to which there will need to be proof in line with trading standards.

Product expectations- Flowers are a natural product and can react to the drying and resin process in multiple ways, resin itself is a chemical reaction and the pieces created are one of a kind, handmade and small imperfections should be expected. I do not mass produce the same patterns, each piece is utterly unique and as such you can expect some or none of the following: Layer lines, bubbles, discolouration (a pearl effect in pastel colours), dust inclusions. Please bare in mind these items are handmade art by a person and not a machine.

Pre dried flowers-

Yes we can cast these in resin, please note this is at an additional cost as a lot of floral reconstruction will be involved, unless you are happy for the existing flowers to go into resin in their exact condition upon arrival. We do not recommend colour correction if the flowers are pre dried as this can look a little strange. We can also buy new flowers to match a picture of your old bouquet, please note this is chargeable as a POA basis.

Design consultation- I will review the condition of your flowers upon arrival ( I will also send you a picture), and start drying them immediately. Once dried, I will then send you the design. Please note all designs are at my own discretion and I am happy to work with you for your desired result, however you will need to let me know these in advance when placing your order- there is a box for notes to the creator when you place the order, or you can email me at hello@petalandbloomstudio.co.uk

If design changes become excessive or I need to remove the flowers from silica more than once I will have to charge an additional consultation fee of £75 each time they are removed. It is not easy to remove flowers without damage and I need to wear full PPE to do this safely. This is to protect my time and to allow my own artistic creation to flow, if you have suggestions for designs please do include these in the description box when placing your order to avoid disappointment. If you have images of other works that inspire you I welcome these, or if you simply want to chat please do ask for a call back and I will give you a ring. My main aim is to help your vision come to life, sometimes that needs a good chat to happen

Cancellations- You can cancel an order within 1 day of me receiving your deposit. If after this, if you change your mind about the order and wish to cancel you will lose your deposit, as all deposits are non refundable.

Once the invoice is paid, if you wish to cancel your order this will not be possible as I will have already started the work and full payment will be expected and taken.