How to press your wedding flowers

Pressed flowers are great for saving your wedding flowers, but take so long to press. Your flowers can be pressed in minutes by using your microwave.

You will need

Paper towel sheets
Blotting paper
Flowers and leaves from your bouquet
Heavy flat microwave dish

What to do

1. Lay 3 to 4 paper towel sheets on your removable turntable from your microwave. If you don't have a removable glass tray, just use a flat plate. Top the paper towels with blotting paper. Use more towels if the flowers you are using are big, like roses, or full of water.

2. Carefully place the flowers on to the blotting paper. Make sure the flowers don't touch each other.

3. Cover the flowers with another sheet of blotting paper, and place 3 or 4 more paper towel sheets on top. If the flowers are very big, or wet use a few more paper towels.

4. Place the flowers and paper in the microwave, place an ordinary dinner plate on top of the paper to keep it flat while drying. The plate doesn't have to be heavy, it just has to hold the papers down.
5. Microwave on medium heat (low-medium for dark colored flowers) for 3 to 4 minutes. Stop every minute to check flowers for position; straighten any flowers or leaves that have moved. Check for dryness.
When the flowers are ready they should feel dry and rigid.
*Note the paper towels may still be slightly damp.
6. Usually 3 to 4 minutes is enough for flowers to reach the desired dryness. Times for drying will vary according to the flowers being dried and your microwave wattage. If you use large flowers or flowers that contain a lot of water-an extra minute or so may be needed. It may be a good idea to experiment with some flowers from your garden first before trying your wedding bouquet flowers just in case.

Have fun drying your flowers and you might like to mount your dried flowers in a picture frame or photo album.

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