Dealers In the News
November 13, 2006

Michele Poblano, Lodi, California
» SuspendedInTimeMemories.com

LODI - Sally Cruz wants her bridal bouquet to look as fresh on her 25th wedding anniversary as it did Saturday, the day she walked down a cathedral aisle to join her life with that of Julian Cruz.

"It’s something we would like to pass on to our children, so they can remember our special day, our special moment," Cruz said.

Michele Poblano’s job is to preserve floral memories such as the Cruz’s - a cascading bouquet of miniature calla lilies, orchids and roses in autumnal hues mixed with deep-green fern.

"This answers the question, ’So what do you do with dead flowers?’ " said Poblano, owner of a home-based Lodi-Stockton Suspended In Time™ franchise called Suspended In Time Memories.

Poblano will preserve Cruz’s bouquet through a process that extracts moisture from the flowers, preserving their color and shape.

The bouquet will then be encased with a wedding photo and invitation in a 16-inch-by-20-inch oval frame affixed with an engraved inscription.

While freeze-drying floral-preservation techniques can take as long as six weeks, the propriety process used by Poblano and other Suspended In Time™ franchisees shrinks that time frame to three to five days.

And then, time seemingly stops - at least for the floral arrangement.

"Once it’s sealed, and the seal is not broken, it will last for generations to come," Poblano said.

Mary Olivarez, owner of Alex Floral in Stockton, said that preservation of bridal bouquets has become more common during the past three years.

But Poblano does as many funeral tributes as bridal.

"Either way, it’s very emotional," she said.

And sometimes the two events sadly merge, as they did earlier this year when a newly married bride died.

"That was a tough one. You learn a lot and get strong," Poblano said.

Anniversary, prom and Mother’s Day flowers also are often saved through preservation, which costs from $39 to $385, depending on the encasement size and type and frame style.

A large arrangement does not necessarily mean a large bill: Downsizing the piece retains the original look and reduces the cost.

Poblano often works with less-than-pristine petals - flowers that have been perspired upon, crushed or delivered days after the event.

"Even if the flowers are messed up, there’s a way to fix it," said Poblano, who has replaced old flowers with new and reconstructed roses from a pile of petals.

She came to the exacting work after seeing a Suspended In Time™ ad, investigating the company, purchasing a franchise area and attending a 3 day training session at the company’s Orem, Utah, headquarters.

"This was my midlife crisis," said Poblano, a former escrow officer, now 50.

Poblano does little direct advertising, although she has listings in Lodi and Stockton phone directories and product displays at florists and funeral homes.

"Word-of-mouth is by far superior," she said.

She is one of two California Suspended In Time™ dealers, according to the company Web site, www.suspendedintime.com.

The franchise’s supplies, techniques and technical support have given Poblano confidence.

And she relies on the talent of area florists.

"It’s not so much about design as redesign. I’m working from the beautiful creation of the florist," she said.