The business in one offer
Who it serves
Couples who want to keep their wedding bouquet, often brides or partners who planned the flowers carefully. They pay because they want a lasting keepsake, and because preservation requires timing, materials and skills they do not have.
What to sell first
An 8-by-10-inch shadow box frame with pressed flowers from one bouquet, arranged in a simple layout approved by photo before sealing. Customers drop off the bouquet within three days of the wedding. Finished frames are ready in six to ten weeks. Excluded: resin pieces, three-dimensional dried bouquets, mailed bouquets and rush delivery.
One frame size and one pressing method keep materials and timing predictable. A layout proof sets expectations before sealing, and local drop-off avoids flowers wilting in the mail.
What could it cost to start?
This is an original example budget for the limited pilot described above. It is not a researched market average or a complete quote for every location.
| Item to price | Example allowance |
|---|---|
| Flower presses and a microwave press | $120.00 |
| Silica gel and drying supplies | $60.00 |
| Four sample shadow box frames | $180.00 |
| Tweezers, adhesive and archival paper | $70.00 |
| Practice bouquet from a local florist | $90.00 |
| Booking page and intake forms | $40.00 |
| Example total | $560.00 |
What this assumes—and excludes
Assumes a dry, cool room for pressing and an eye for layout. Excludes resin equipment, rent, mailing supplies, sales tax registration and owner pay. Price frames and UV-protective glazing from two suppliers, and ask a local florist about practice bouquets before committing to a booking calendar.
Collect actual supplier, insurance and local-authority information. Add a reserve for delays and unexpected costs; the example total is not a funding recommendation.
How the unit economics work
At an assumed $260.00 per framed bouquet and $100.00 in direct costs, contribution is $160.00 before monthly fixed costs, owner pay and taxes. With 6 all-in working hours per unit, that is $26.67 per delivery hour before those deductions. These inputs illustrate the arithmetic; they do not establish a market price or expected earnings.
The example also allows $45.00 in monthly fixed costs. Include unpaid acquisition and administrative time when deciding whether the offer is worthwhile.
Try your own numbers
These are editable planning assumptions, not prices we have verified. Calculations stay in your browser.
Operating result = (price − direct cost) × units − monthly fixed costs. Before owner pay, taxes, financing and startup recovery. At these inputs, delivery requires 60 hours per month, plus any work not included in your per-unit estimate. Sales volume is a scenario, not a forecast.
How to find the first customers
Test a small offer before scaling traffic. Record the source of each enquiry, whether it fits the offer, and whether the buyer pays.
- Ask local wedding florists and planners whether couples ask about preservation. Leave a sample frame for their display and a short card with your drop-off rules.
- Show your sample frames at a bridal fair or wedding show, with a clear booking deadline and price. Collect contact details only from couples who sign up on a form.
- Offer a discount to the first few couples willing to let you photograph their finished frame for your portfolio, with written permission for any public use.
- Keep a booking calendar by wedding date, confirm the drop-off time with each couple a week before the wedding, and ask who will bring the bouquet. Note which florist, planner or fair each booking came from.
What to validate before spending more
- Press and frame three bouquets from a florist and record how long each step takes, including drying time. Use that timing to set your queue and price.
- Press several flower types, such as roses, peonies and baby's breath, and note how colors change. Show those results to couples so they know what to expect.
- Ask your city whether a home-based preservation service needs a business license or home occupation permit.
- Test two frame suppliers for quality and price, and check whether UV-protective glass is worth the cost by comparing samples on a sunny wall.
The operational catch
Colors change during pressing: whites can turn cream or brown, and reds may darken. Couples who expect the fresh look can be disappointed. Show photos of real color shifts at booking, explain that drying changes color, and put that note in your written terms before you accept the bouquet.
A practical way to fund the first step
Take a deposit at booking to reserve a spot, and buy frames per order. Use your own small press setup and practice bouquets rather than investing in resin equipment until demand is steady.
Separate cash already available from money still to earn. Count only proceeds after direct expenses, and do not spend customer funds needed to fulfill their existing orders.
Questions before you start
How soon must I get the bouquet?
Ideally within a day or two of the wedding, before petals wilt or brown. Set a firm drop-off window and explain that late bouquets may produce weaker results.
Can I mail bouquets for preservation?
Mailed bouquets risk heat and delays that damage flowers. Start with local drop-off and add mailing only if you can control packaging and shipping speed.
Should I offer resin pieces?
Resin needs ventilation, curing time and practice to avoid bubbles. Add it later as a separate service, priced to reflect the extra time and materials.
Source-backed checks
These references support the specific checks below. They do not endorse this business idea or substantiate the example prices, costs or demand.
The FTC advises small businesses that advertising must be truthful and that advertisers need proof for their claims before an ad runs. Federal Trade Commission: Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business.
The FTC's Mail Order Rule applies to merchandise ordered by mail, phone or internet and sets shipping time duties. Federal Trade Commission: Business Guide to the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule.
USPS Postal Explorer sets basic standards for mailing, including size and weight limits. USPS Postal Explorer: Basic Standards for All Mailing Services.
- Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small BusinessFederal Trade Commission · Reference checked September 8, 2026
- Business Guide to the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise RuleFederal Trade Commission · Reference checked September 8, 2026
- Basic Standards for All Mailing ServicesUSPS Postal Explorer · Reference checked September 8, 2026
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