Before Keepsake Floral became the company it is today, it began with one bride, one bouquet, one determined mother, and one unexpected idea.
In October of 1993, Dana Adkinson returned home to Orlando from her honeymoon in the Virgin Islands. While waiting at baggage claim, her mother, Cornelia, shared what had happened while Dana was away: she had spent the week trying to find someone locally who could preserve Dana’s wedding bouquet and her maid of honor’s bouquet.
To her surprise, no one seemed to offer the service.
After calling florists throughout Orlando, Cornelia eventually found a recommendation for someone who might be able to help: a taxidermist in Christmas, Florida.
With Dana’s bouquet and her maid of honor’s bouquet in hand, Cornelia made the drive and left the flowers behind, hoping they would be preserved.
The flowers were never seen again.
But that experience revealed something important: there was a real need for professional wedding bouquet preservation.
When Cornelia told Dana, “I found the business you need to start,” the idea took root.
Dana had always dreamed of owning a business, and flower preservation combined so many of the things she loved: creativity, artistry, sentiment, and the opportunity to help people hold onto meaningful memories.
What began as research and experimentation soon became something much bigger. Dana spent countless hours learning about dehydration, design, floral handling, framing, adhesives, and ways to safely display preserved flowers for years to come.
Keepsake Floral began as a small family effort, with Dana and her parents helping shape the foundation of the business.
Dana’s father, a retired architect, artist, and skilled craftsman, began developing airtight shadowboxes and framing systems that could properly protect preserved flowers. His eye for structure and detail became an important part of Keepsake Floral’s earliest designs.
Those early days were filled with long hours, trial and error, and endless problem-solving. Every step helped shape the process that would eventually become the foundation of Keepsake Floral’s work.
As the business grew, florists began referring clients who wanted to preserve their wedding bouquets. Those early relationships helped Keepsake Floral reach brides not only in Florida, but across the country.
A national advertisement in a floral trade publication brought calls from florists nationwide, confirming that the need for professional bouquet preservation extended far beyond Orlando.
Soon, Keepsake Floral was no longer a small experiment in the back of a family home. It was becoming a national flower preservation company.
One of the most meaningful milestones in Keepsake Floral’s history came through its relationship with Walt Disney World weddings.
Over the years, Keepsake Floral has had the honor of preserving thousands of Disney wedding bouquets, helping couples hold onto the flowers from their fairy tale celebrations.
That relationship remains an important part of Keepsake Floral’s story and a reflection of the trust built through decades of quality, service, and artistry.
Today, Keepsake Floral has preserved flowers for thousands of clients across the country. What began with one missing wedding bouquet has become more than three decades of helping families preserve wedding flowers, memorial flowers, and blooms from life’s most meaningful occasions.
Although the company has grown, the heart of Keepsake Floral remains the same: a love for meaningful flowers, a respect for the memories they represent, and a commitment to turning those memories into lasting works of art.
From the earliest days in a family home to the studio we know today, the people behind Keepsake Floral have always been central to the company’s story.
Artists, preservationists, designers, framers, consultants, and customer care team members all play a part in creating each keepsake. That family-like spirit continues to shape the way we care for every bouquet that comes through our doors.
Every bouquet tells a story. Some celebrate the beginning of a marriage. Others honor a loved one. Some mark anniversaries, milestones, or moments that deserve to be remembered.
At Keepsake Floral, we are honored to help preserve those stories.
Learn more about our flower preservation process, browse our gallery of preserved keepsakes, reserve your preservation with a deposit, or review our packing and shipping instructions if your event has already taken place.