FAQs

What’s the process & timeline from fresh to forever?

We receive flowers from all over South Africa via courier or studio drop off (if you’re local to Woodstock, Cape Town area & would prefer that). Once we have your flowers we deconstruct, press & preserve them. The reconstruction and layout design process follows. You will be sent a photo of the design layout for approval before we glue the flowers to the glass. Once that is finalised we frame and courier your forever florals to your door.

This entire process takes 4-5 months. It is natural, slow art with a huge amount of attention to detail and creative design. A journey from fresh to forever that requires its time. Click here to read more about the preservation timeline.

How does payment work?

Your booking and payment will be made through the checkout cart on our website. 

Do you accept last minute bookings?

Yes, we do. We accept bookings up to seven days after the date of your event.

If you are unsure about the condition of your flowers, you are welcome to email a photo to hello@foreverflorals.co.za and we will happily advise. Typically, we are able to work with flowers within this timeframe, and wilted or slightly dried blooms are still suitable for us to use.

If more than seven days have passed, you can still book a bouquet recreation, where we lovingly rebuild your arrangement using fresh blooms that reflect the essence of your original bouquet.

How far in advance should I book?

To avoid disappointment, book as soon as you are able to. Wedding season does have its peaks and the busy wedding months can fill full up fast.

I want to make a change to my order, can I do this now?

Yes, we are generally able to make changes to your order, but only up until the design stage which is generally 2 months after recovering your flowers at studio.

I don’t have my flowers anymore, can I re-create my bouquet as botanical art?

YES! (This is a very popular anniversary gift too!)

You are able to book out a “recreation” through our checkout cart on our website. We will then get in touch with you via email and ask you to send us a photo of your original bouquet.

Once we have that we will send you a quote to cover the fresh flowers from a local florist we work with and get busy creating your piece.

How quickly do you need my flowers after the event?

The sooner the better, but we do work with flowers up to a week after the event.

You will be sent postage instructions on how to send your flowers to our studio. This should ideally be fulfilled the first working day after the event.

Our studio in Woodstock accepts deliveries from Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you are welcome to drop off at Caroline’s in the V&A Waterfront, which is open seven days a week.

How do I post my flowers to you?

When you make your booking you will be sent all postage instructions. You are welcome to use any courier service you prefer and have it delivered to our studio.

Alternatively, a PostNet to PostNet service is an affordable and reliable option that we suggest.

If you are local, our studio in Woodstock accepts deliveries from Monday to Friday. You are also welcome to drop off at Caroline Fine Flowers in the V&A Waterfront, which is open seven days a week.

You are welcome to include any extra flowers from your event that you would like us to preserve.

For further details, please see our shipping policy.

Are there any flowers that can not be pressed?

We do not press succulent plants or Billy Balls. All other flowers in good condition are good to press & preserve.

What if I’m not sure which design to choose?

If you can not decide on a design for your florals, we are happy to advise you based off the type of flowers you have.

Please email us on hello@foreverflorals.co.za.

What frame size would you recommend for an average size bouquet?

The name says it all! We would recommend our Standard size frame for most bouquets.

Don’t forget we’re also open for custom orders & ideas. Email your idea over to us at hello@foreverflorals.co.za. We’d love to help make your creative ideas come to life!

What happens with any extra preserved flowers from my bouquet?

Typically there are not many preserved flowers left over. From the fresh flowers, we select those that are in good enough condition to preserve. Then from those preserved, we again select the best to be used in the frame and depending on your design, use as many as possible.

Will the colour of my fresh flowers change during the preservation process?

This differs from flower to flower and the condition in which they enter the press also impacts the preservation. As a general rule, light flowers tend to preserve in a paler colour while darker coloured flowers tend to preserve in a deeper colour and others might go sepia over time.

This is all a part of the natural, organic nature and evolution of the flower from one state of being to another. A beauty that matures and develops over time. There’s a story in that...

Will my preserved flowers change colour or fade over time?

Although these preserved florals will last for years to come, they still remain an organic plant product and some degree of colour fading will naturally occur over time. This is all part of the inherit beauty of the florals as they age.

To help maintain the florals colour, shape & quality much longer be sure to display your botanical art work away from direct sunlight, moisture (bathroom) or heat (fireplace / kettle).

My bouquet has been air dried, can you work with it?

YES we do. We create it into a flat-lay piece. (We do not keep it as a 3-D piece in a box frame).

Can I change my shipping address?

If you need to change your shipping address please email us on hello@foreverflorals.co.za to do so.

How do I best care for my floral frame?

Appropriate care for your botanical art is important to maintain their best condition. To do so, be sure to display your piece away from direct sunlight, moisture (bathroom / kettle) or heat (fireplace).

There are unlikely situations where minuscular pests could find their way into your frame. This is based on environmental conditions which the frame is in and we cannot take responsibility for this.

During the preservation process we carefully inspect each petal for any bugs/eggs that might be present on the fresh flowers and remove them. Once pressed we carefully inspect each flower again to ensure there are no live microscopic insects. This is followed with a process of pest fumigation to your preserved florals so that we can be absolutely certain there are no bugs/eggs within your frame.

Unfortunately due to the nature of the material we work with we cannot take responsibility for keepsakes being affected once our of our care. In this case we are happy to repair your piece at a quoted rate as we will need to reopen the piece, remove all the flowers carefully and rebuild the piece.

Please contact us on hello@foreverflorals.co.za if you would like to enquire about a remake/repair of your piece.

My frame is broken, what now?

Oh no! Thankfully, we do offer a repair service whatever the reason for this unfortunate event.

Please send an email to hello@foreverflorals.co.za with a photo of your frame so we can assess and send you a repair quote.

For further details please see our Repairs & Retail Policy.

What’s your cancellation policy?

You are welcome to cancel your booking by sending an email to hello@foreverflorals.co.za. Cancellations made more than 48 hours before your event are free of charge. If you cancel within 48 hours of your event, a 15% administration and processing fee will be charged. If you cancel after the flowers have been received, a 30% administration and processing fee will apply.

For further details, please see our Repairs and Retail Policy.

Do you accept returns?

Our thorough communication during the design phase ensures that every detail is reviewed and approved by you, so you can be confident you will love your unique piece. As each piece is personalised and approved in this way, we do not offer a return policy.