How to keep your laurel wreath after graduation: tips and ideas

The ceremony is over, the photographs have been taken, and your laurel wreath has accompanied one of the most important moments of your university journey. A question often follows: how can you keep your laurel wreath after graduation?

A wreath made with natural elements will inevitably change over time, but a little care can help it dry well and become a keepsake.

Can you keep a laurel wreath?

Yes. Bear in mind, however, that once graduation day is over, fresh laurel gradually begins to lose moisture. The leaves may change colour and become stiffer: this is the normal drying process.

The aim is therefore not to keep the wreath fresh forever, but to help it dry evenly while preserving its shape and appearance as much as possible.

What to do straight after graduation

If you want to keep the wreath, it is best not to leave it sealed in a bag or in a very damp environment for days. After wearing it, check that it is not wet and place it somewhere dry, away from direct heat sources.

If the wreath contains fresh flowers or other plant materials, these may take different amounts of time to dry from the laurel.

How to dry a laurel wreath

For natural drying, choose somewhere dry, well ventilated and out of direct sunlight. Strong sunlight can speed up the fading of the leaves.

You can lay the wreath down while keeping its shape, or, if its structure allows, position it so that air can also circulate around the leaves. During the first few days, check that no damp areas remain.

How long does it take to dry?

There is no single drying time for every wreath. Temperature, room humidity, the quantity of leaves and the presence of flowers or decorations all affect the process. As the days pass, the leaves become progressively drier and more delicate.

Once dry, the wreath needs to be handled more carefully because leaves and small twigs can break more easily.

How to help it keep its shape

Before the wreath dries completely, arrange it in the shape you want to keep. Once plant materials are fully dry, they are less flexible, and moving them can cause breakages.

It is therefore best not to squash it beneath other objects and to choose a sufficiently spacious place from the outset.

Can you hang up a graduation wreath?

A dried wreath can become a decoration that recalls your graduation. It can be hung on a wall or included in a display with photographs, your degree certificate or other mementos from the day.

If you hang it up, choose a spot away from strong sunlight and particularly damp surroundings.

A frame for your wreath

One appealing idea is to use a deep frame or display case. This can protect the wreath from dust and knocks and make it part of a small graduation display.

Alongside the wreath, you could include a photograph of the ceremony, the graduate's name, the date or a piece of the ribbon worn that day.

Can the ribbon be kept separately?

Yes. If the plant materials become too fragile over time, the ribbon and decorations can be kept separately. A personalised ribbon with a name, faculty or graduation date can be a meaningful keepsake in its own right. If you are still choosing your personalisation, find ideas on what to write on a graduation wreath ribbon.

Before removing it, take good photographs of the original wreath so that you also preserve how it looked on graduation day.

Will the laurel stay green?

Not necessarily. Natural laurel changes colour as it dries and may become darker or less vivid than when it was fresh. This is a normal process and part of how plant materials change.

The most useful ways to slow fading are to avoid direct sunlight, excessive heat and unsuitable environmental conditions.

A keepsake that changes over time

A laurel wreath is made to be worn on graduation day, but it often retains its sentimental value long after the ceremony. This is also connected to the long history and meaning of the laurel wreath.

Corone Laureae wreaths are handcrafted to order to accompany each graduate on the day of their ceremony. After the celebrations, with proper drying, the same composition can continue to tell the story of that moment for years to come. Discover all our laurel wreaths.