Frequently Asked Questions
• when to order?
• do I need to select a display now?
• how soon do you need the flowers?
• how long does the bouquet preservation take?
• what is the process for preserving my flowers?
• do flowers change color?
• are there any flowers that do not preserve well?
• how much does preservation cost?
• I want to have my flowers preserved but I don't know if I can afford it?
• how to care for your FreezeFrame
• how long will freeze dried preserved flowers last?
When to order freezeframe® services?
(If you are a customer with any memory flowers other than a wedding bouquet, please call us as soon as possible to arrange for our services, at 1-800-822-9273). What to do if your event has already happened.
If you are local (Dayton, Ohio), you can arrange for freezeframing® services any time prior to the wedding, or even a few days after. If you're able to plan ahead, we recommend you visit our design studio to view our full product line, and pick up our patented TLC Box for easy care and transportation of the bouquet. If freezeframing® is a last minute idea, don't assume it's too late! Call for our current shop hours and directions1-800-822-9273, and plan to stop in for a free consultation.
If you are outside the Dayton area, please refer to the Locations link to find the freezeframe Easy Ship Partner (ESP) nearest you. Freezeframe® ESP's have an inventory of our E-Z Ship kits, and they are able to take your reservation and provide you with a kit, any time leading up to the event, or even several days afterward. PLEASE NOTE : freezeframe® Easy Ship Partners will provide you with the kit, which you will pack and ship from your home or office. Leave your precious blooms safely at home, stop into your local ESP to get your all-inclusive shipper, and return home to pack it.
Examples of RECENT ARRIVALS using our patented E-Z Ship Kit !!
All other customers (mail order), we do ask that you call and reserve your space 10 days prior to the wedding day. This will insure that we have time to send you our E-Z Ship Kit, which includes all the necessary supplies for safely shipping your bouquet to us. If your wedding has already taken place, or will take place in a matter of days, call us anyway!! We can definitely help! Call toll free 1.800.822.9273.
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Do I need to select a display now?
NO! freezeframe® allows you to deliver/mail flowers without a display decision. All we require is a non-refundable deposit based on the selected Price Range (see our Price Range brochure link on the homepage), which will apply directly to whatever display package is finally selected. Once the flowers have arrived at our design studio, we do require a final framing decision within 4 weeks.
How soon do you need the flowers to preserve them?
Ideally, flowers should arrive at our design studio within 72 hours of the event. The fresher the flowers, the better the end result! Flowers that arrive after that 72 hours still have the possibility of being preserved, but may require additional hydration, extensive trimming or other special attention, (small additional fee may apply). What to do if your event has already happened.
Freezeframe® provides, free of charge, a TLC Box for easy transportation and care of the flowers (local Dayton customers only), or our patented E-Z Ship kit for the easy shipment of your fresh flowers from your home or office. The E-Z Ship kit is provided free of charge; however, there is a minimum transportation fee added to each order to cover the use of the pre-paid shipping label included in each kit, as well as hand-delivery of your finished display to the Finished Order Partner nearest you. Extra shipping chargeswill apply if your final piece is shipped directly to your home. Call for a quote.
Local (Dayton, Ohio area) Customers: The freezeframe® design studio is open for customer service as follows:
Monday..................................9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tuesday-Friday ...................1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Saturday .............................12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
If you are a local customer and none of the above hours work for you, please contact us to arrange an appointment that will better fit your schedule. It is important that the flowers get to our design studio as soon as possible after the event.
All other Customers (E-Z Ship): Your E-Z Ship kit will come with all the necessary packing materials and directions for shipping the flowers to us. Please send the E-Z Ship kit on the first business day following your event. Your kit includes a pre-paid shipping label, so you will simply need to call the 1-800 number on the top of your label, and your kit will be picked up that day by a UPS driver.
A NOTE ABOUT SHIPPING VIA UPS: Our shipping company, UPS, works hard to arrive within the promised window to pick up your shipper. They do, however, have scheduling issues from time to time that bump there pickup times back by several hours. DO NOT WORRY if your driver hasn't arrived within the promised window...he IS COMING and will have your flowers to the distribution center by the necessary 11pm deadline for arrival to our studio the next morning. Your E-Z Ship box has been designed to keep your flowers looking great until they arrive at our studios, so your flowers will be safe in the box, even if it sits outside all day.
If your event has already taken place and there is no freezeframe Easy Ship Partner near you, please follow the instructions in the Has Your Event Already Happened link, and consider using the following shipping services:
UPS/FedEx/USPS (We can even e-mail a UPS label upon request!)
Next Day Air: Guarantees flowers will arrive sometime next day
Next Day Air Saver: OUR RECOMMENDATION. Least expensive of next day options, gets flowers here on the afternoon of the next day.
2nd Day Air: Most affordable, SLIGHT risk of flower deterioration. Our customers have had great success with this option, as long as they have followed all packing instructions.
Ground: Some Midwest locations offer next day ground services. If you live in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, W. Virginia or Tennessee, ask your shipping service provider about next day ground services (least expensive). The U.S. Post Office also provides next day shipping. Call your local branch for price quotes and options.
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How long does bouquet preservation take? Our AVERAGE turnaround time for orders is 10-14 weeks from finalizing ALL your order details and providing us with all necessary supplies and deposits. This turnaround time is NOT GUARANTEED.
WHY?
The process of freezeframing is intensely detailed, requires a high level of skill, and takes time! These are the primary reasons why we have few competitors who can match our level of quality. The inability to predict an exact turnaround time is innate to the process itself.
- The process of preserving the blooms takes anywhere from 4-8 weeks, depending on what kinds of flowers are in the machines, external elements like humidity and temperature, and requires expensive technology in the form of freeze-dry machines.
- Once your blooms are dry, we individually stem and air-brush each bloom and piece of greenery, a labor intensive and slow process.
- We have several trained designers on staff who work as fast as they can without damaging your blooms. The learning curve for new designers is 6-12 months. We are continually searching for new designers to train, but until a new employee has proven his or her ability, we do not give them customers' flowers to design.
- Framing materials can have a multitude of quality issues that delay our process, i.e, a manufacturer starts sending inferior moulding, mouldings arrive damaged, frames have been joined poorly in corners, matboard gets stained in shipment, etc. The list is endless. Our process time includes all of the time necessary to insure that the materials used for your piece are as flawless as possible.
- Professional framing services take time.
- Final freeze: completed frames must freeze out again for 24 hours before the final quality check
- Final Quality check: if your finished piece does not pass our rigorous quality standards, it gets sent back through the process. Examples of quality issues include things like: item loose inside frame, flower design requires tweaking in some way, frame has gotten damaged through normal handling within the shop, any nicks or imperfections in the framing materials that were missed in the original receiving process that reveal themselves in the final quality check process.
If you, our customer, will be patient with us and this tedious process, we will deliver a high quality keepsake that you will feel was worth the investment and time.
What is the process of preserving my flowers?
Floral preservation is a time-tested art. The process your flowers will go through at freezeframe® has been fine-tuned during our 16 years serving as a leader in the floral preservation industry. Through extensive R&D in our facility, and in coordination with our suppliers, we have developed a process that consistently preserves more varieties of flowers and foliage, which remain more lifelike in color and appearance than flowers and foliage preserved in other methods.
FLOWER CARE UPON DELIVERY: Our FIRST priority!
When your flowers arrive at our facility, they will most likely be in need of some pampering. The freezeframe® staff will photograph, measure and tag your bouquet as part of our multi-step system to insure your actual blooms are tracked through our entire process; then, we will quickly get to work pampering your blooms. The entire bouquet will be disassembled, each bloom will be re-hydrated individually in our floral coolers, with the help of a specially formulated re-hydration solution, and any damaged petals will be trimmed.
EXPERT FLORAL PRESERVATION METHODS APPLIED:
Once your blooms have had a good drink, they are ready for the application of our expert preservation methods. Flowers and foliage that dry more effectively in sand-based methods will be tagged and moved to the sand-drying room; blooms which require weeks of bleaching to insure they stay white for years, will be tagged and go to the bleaching room. All remaining flowers and foliage will be prepared for the freeze-drying process; red and hot pink flowers will be treated in one of our many scientifically developed pre-treatments to insure their vibrant shades are retained; remaining flowers will then be treated with the appropriate solution to insure pliability and color retention; all treated blooms will then be tagged and nestled individually into "no-crush" preservation boxes, which insure that your blooms will not be confused with other orders, and will not be damaged through the course of the freezeframing® process.
POST-PRESERVATION ARTISTRY:
Once all of your blooms have completed their preservation process in the various drying rooms, they are reunited in our post-preservation room, where the true artistry begins. Each flower is wire-stemmed, reinforced, and then air-brushed by a member of our pre-design team. Multiple color layers are applied to capture the layered tonality of each flower, all foliage is air brushed to retain its natural green shades, and flower centers that are different from the petals are hand-painted individually. These newly colorized flowers are then given to one of our expert designers, who will work with the original photograph of your bouquet, any of your memorabilia, and any of your pearls or ribbons, to create your one-of-a-kind freezeframe® .
DOES IT PASS OUR RIGOROUS QUALITY CONTROL TEST?
Once your piece has been designed, it must pass our rigorous QC test, which is based on a 3-tier approval requirement. First, the Head Designer must approve the design, guaranteeing that the order has been created according to your specific requests. Then, our expert Framers study the actual flowers and their mechanics, to insure that your piece is sturdy and your blooms are appropriately placed inside the frame. Once all framing is complete, our Packaging team member will do a final inspection of the finished piece, and, if approved, wrapped in protective paper and initialed and dated as an approved freezeframe® .
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Do preserved flowers change color?
Slight color variations can occur in the freezeframing® process. Some reds may deepen, whites and creams may antique, and vivid purples and pinks may change hue. We will take every step to minimize these shade changes during our post-color treatment process; however, we do not guarantee that flower shades will be perfectly matched.
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How much does floral preservation cost?
Pricing is based on the type and size of the display that you select. We offer display options ranging from $40 to over $1200, with the average being between $250-$450. All that is required prior to the wedding is a price range commitment and reservation deposit for 50% of that. Once you select a display, we ask for 50% of the order total as a deposit, with the balance due upon completion. (Special payment plans can be arranged, please call for details).
Price Range Brochure | Sales Terms & Conditions
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I want to have my flowers preserved but I don't know if I can afford it?
We have over 10 options that are less than $150, and we offer a payment plan (through the freezeframe® Design Studio & Showroom only). Browse our gallery of bouquet preservation options, and contact us today.
If there's not enough room in your bridal budget for the freezeframe® of your choice, consider using our Registry Service. Many family members and friends enjoy the opportunity to give you a one-of-a kind wedding gift that is also a beautiful keepsake. Call today to sign-up for the freezeframe® gift registry, and we'll send you an Official Registry Packet.
Price Range Brochure | Sales Terms & Conditions
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How to care for my freezeframe® ?
A few simple steps will help your freezeframe® retain its beauty. Do not spray glass cleaner directly onto the glass or dome of a display. Always spray the cleaner on a clean cloth and then wipe the area to remove dust, fingerprints etc. For any frame with an acrylic surface, use acrylic cleaner instead of glass cleaner. We recommend and sell Brillianize cleaner, which comes with the patented SofKloth for use on acrylic surfaces. Never display your flowers in direct sun light or by a heat source. This includes fireplaces, spotlights, lamps and heating vents. Do not display in a humid area, such as a bathroom.
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How long will freeze dried preserved flowers last?
Freezeframe® has invested 16 years in researching the best methods for floral preservation, and the many steps we take in our process insure that your freezeframe® will last for years. Over those years, some flower shades may antique or soften, but the overall shape and appearance of your piece will remain beautiful. Some factors that affect the longevity of your piece include the flower condition upon arrival to our design studio, age of the flowers upon arrival, and the amount of sunlight, heat and humidity they are exposed to once the piece is in your home. Please refer to the How to care for your freezeframe® section above for complete care instructions.