Terms of service

Welcome to Nogard Creations! We're delighted to help preserve your cherished flowers. Below, we've outlined the important details regarding our process and services. Please read through them carefully. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at nogardcreations@outlook.com.

### **1. Order Processing Time**

- **Minimum Processing Time**: Orders take a minimum of 20 weeks to complete. However, this timeframe can extend up to 1 year depending on various factors. Flower preservation is an intricate process that cannot be rushed. We only get to work with your flowers for a few months, but you'll get to keep them forever! Thank you for your patience and understanding as we create these beautiful, lasting pieces.
- **Processing Order**: We work through orders based on the date we receive your flowers. Rest assured, your flowers are safe with us during this time.

### **2. Booking, Flower Submission, and Pre-Booking Considerations**

- **Flexible Booking**: Thanks to our spacious office, we can accept last-minute bookings or even same-day submissions. No need to prebook—just send your flowers when you're ready! However, the sooner we receive your flowers after your event, the better the end result will be. Freshness is key to achieving the highest quality preservation.
- **Pre-Booking for Weddings**: If you’ve pre-booked before choosing your wedding flowers, please consider that a colorful bouquet generally produces better results in preservation than a bouquet composed primarily of white roses. White flowers, in particular, tend to undergo significant changes during the drying process, often transitioning to cream, off-white, or even yellow hues. Prompt delivery after your event will enhance the drying process and yield better results. However, when encased in resin, soft petals such as roses may develop translucent spots on their petals due to the heat generated by the resin.
- **Posting Considerations**: Have the items required to post your flowers organized before your big day. If you are going away immediately after your event, organize someone trusted to send your flowers to us. Every day counts when it comes to the results.
- **Coaster Preferences**: Flowers intended for coasters must be pressed fresh upon arrival. The only way flowers can be included in coasters after they are dry is to include either tiny or crushed flowers, as once the flowers are dry, they cannot be pressed.

When placing a deposit, please inform us if you would like any coasters and specify the style you prefer. We MUST know this on the day your flowers arrive. We also request that 50% of the cost of any coasters, trays, or jewelry trays be paid when the flowers arrive with us. If this is not paid, we may not be able to complete any of these items for you. This is due to the time and work involved in preparing and pressing flowers for these items.

### **3. Communication**

- **Email Updates**: All updates will be sent via email. Please ensure your email address is correct and add nogardcreations@outlook.com to your contacts to prevent our emails from landing in your junk inbox.

You'll receive updates at key stages of the process:
- When your flowers arrive
- When they are fully dried (with a photo)
- When we begin creating your pieces
- When casting is completed
- And finally, when your order is dispatched.

when you receive the dry flower update we will give you the option to remove any unwanted flowers if they didn’t dry as you expected or if you don’t like how they look.

- **Checking In**: You're welcome to check in at any time to see where your flowers are in the process. However, due to the time intervals between stages, the best updates we can provide between stages will be which month we are currently casting flowers from.

### **4. Rush Orders**

- **Expedited Processing**: If you select the ‘Rush My Order’ option at checkout, the casting process of your order will be prioritized once your flowers are fully dried after the 8-12 week drying process.

### **5. Flower Suitability and Preservation**

- **Small Flowers**: Some items are better suited for small flowers or petals. We will do our best to include a variety in each piece, but some larger flowers like roses may need to be represented by petals only.
- **Freestanding Letters**: Letters F and P will not stand on their own without additional support due to their shape. Some letters may have slight bulges due to the resin's weight, which we will attempt to correct through sanding and polishing.
- **Design Services**: We offer a design service for larger pieces, but please note that final flower positions may vary due to the liquid nature of resin. Unfortunately, design services are not available for small items like hanging hearts, bookmarks, keyrings, or letter sets.
- **Deep/Large Flowers**: Some flowers are too deep and large to be included in some items. We will advise when your flowers arrive and suggest more suitable items if this is the case.

### **6. Specific Flower Characteristics**

- **Color Changes**: Nearly all flowers will undergo some color change during the drying process, typically becoming darker. This is a natural part of the preservation process.
- **Yellow, Light Pink, and Pink Roses**: These roses may fade significantly or even completely change color during the drying process, and these changes can happen even after being preserved in resin.
- **Toffee Roses**: Toffee roses tend to dry much darker than their original color, sometimes taking on a purple hue.
- **Purple Roses**: Purple roses often dry a lot darker and sometimes have a slightly brown look to them once dry.
- **Red Roses**: Red roses often dry very dark, sometimes appearing nearly black when preserved. This is a natural characteristic of the drying process.
- **Resin and White Flowers**: White flowers are the most likely to undergo significant color changes, especially roses, during drying and when placed in resin. They often transition to cream, antique cream, or yellow and may develop translucent spots due to the resin's heat. There are very few flowers that truly stay ‘white.’
- **Potential Flower Changes**: When resin is added, flowers may experience slight color changes, bruising may become more apparent on petals, and darker or brown areas may become more noticeable. Additionally, the shape of flowers may alter slightly during the preservation process.

### **7. Freshness and Arrival Condition**

- **Fresh Flowers**: We cannot set fresh flowers in resin as they will decompose. Although this is the case, flowers must be as fresh as possible when they arrive to us. Wilted or deteriorating flowers may not dry successfully, and any browning cannot be reversed and will likely get worse during the drying process.
- **Older Flowers**: While older flowers can be preserved, they do not fare well with being pressed. In these cases, we would usually recommend selecting a 3D item. Although a 3D item may be recommended, it is not guaranteed to achieve good results, as older flowers just do not dry as well as very fresh ones.
- **Pre-Dried**: Pre-dried flowers can be preserved but are usually unsuitable to be included in coasters, trays, or jewelry trays.
- **Responsibility**: It is your responsibility to ensure your flowers arrive in good condition. We cannot be held responsible for flowers that arrive damaged.
- **Postage Delays**: In the unlikely event that your flowers encounter postage delays and this has caused them to wilt or rot beyond preservation, we are able to refund 90% of your payment. If packing instructions were not followed, flowers were sent outside the recommended timeframe, or you chose an alternative carrier to the one we recommend, and they arrive unsuitable for preservation, we can only refund 90% of your payment.

### **8. Order Details and Matching**

- **Include Order Number**: Your order number must be included inside the box with your flowers. Without it, we will be unable to match your flowers to your order, which could delay processing by 4-6 months. Certain preservation styles may not be an option, such as coasters, or in the worst case, result in the disposal of unmatched flowers.
- **What Fits Where**: Upon receiving your flowers, we will email you to advise what will and won’t fit in your chosen items. We’ll also offer options to preserve more of your flowers or larger blooms, but there’s no pressure to make additional purchases.

### **9. Multiple or Large Orders**

- **Extended Processing Time**: Orders containing multiple items, especially larger pieces, may take longer due to limited mold availability.

### **10. Handmade Nature of Products**

- **Handmade Imperfections**: Due to the handmade nature of our items, please be aware that there may be some 'imperfections' such as micro-bubbles, dust, uneven edges, or small cavities. While we are very experienced and strive for perfection, these handmade signatures add to the uniqueness of each piece.
- **Layer Lines**: Larger or deeper shapes may have visible layer lines due to the multiple pouring stages. These lines are a natural part of the handmade process and are an unavoidable feature when working with resin.
- **Cavities**: Small holes, known as cavities, may form during the curing process. While we do everything in our power to prevent them, they sometimes occur and usually appear on the sides or back of items, not affecting the front view. We do our best to fill any of these as part of the casting process, and the final finishing resin work also helps to fill any of these cavities, although some cannot be avoided.
• Resin Aging: All resin may take on an amber tint over time. I use the highest quality casting resin, which is UV stabilized to inhibit yellowing. However, this ambering process is a natural characteristic of resin and, over time, can give your piece a beautiful, vintage feel. To prolong clarity, it’s best to display your item out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources like fireplaces or radiators.
• Small Breakages: Due to the handmade nature of the product and the use of dried flowers, it is possible for small breakages to happen when they are submerged in resin. The resin is fluid, and very small pieces of the flowers may move during the casting process. Every care is taken to get the very best result from the flowers you send.
• Bulging in Resin Shapes: There is a possibility of certain resin shapes or letters having a very slight bulge inwards or outwards due to the weight of the resin and the size of the flowers. We do our best to minimize these, but in some cases, this is unavoidable.

11. Refunds and Cancellations

• Deposits: If you’ve placed a deposit but don’t send your flowers, the deposit is non-refundable as it secures your pre-booked slot.
• Refund Policy:
• Before Flowers are Received or if flowers arrive completely unusable: 90% refund.
• During Drying or Storage Stage: 50% refund, including the return of your dried flowers (though we can’t guarantee their condition upon arrival).
• After Production or Casting Has Begun: Non-refundable.
• Right to Cancel: We reserve the right to cancel an order at any time and follow our refund procedure. This is rare and typically only occurs in cases of unresolvable disputes.
• Event Changes: If your wedding date has changed, we’re happy to reschedule at no extra charge. If your event is cancelled, we can offer a credit note to use toward any item online.

12. Photo and Charm Inclusions

• Photos: The process of including a photo in your piece involves mock-up design, printing, and lamination. Occasionally, a small section may not laminate 100%, which may cause a shadow effect in the resin. This is a rare and inherent part of the handmade process and does not qualify for a refund.
• Photo Charms: When including a photo charm, a different type of resin is used to seal the photo before the main pour. Sometimes, this sealant may leak, causing the photo to appear darker in spots. This is also a part of the handmade nature and does not qualify for a refund.
• Charms and Ribbons: Clear or natural Diamanté charms or pins may be difficult to see in resin due to its clarity. Other metals usually remain the same once cast in resin. Ribbons will generally darken, as though dipped in water.
• Artificially Coloured Flowers:
• ‘Stem Dyed’: There is a small chance that the dye held within the petals may leak or react in the resin. This cannot be predicted or prevented.
• ‘Spray Coloured’: Spray-colored flowers will more than likely leak or bleed into the resin. This will create swirls and cloudy areas with the potential to cause excess bubbling. For both stem-dyed and spray-colored flowers, I will seal the flowers with a spray sealant prior to casting to minimize any effect. However, this cannot be guaranteed.

13. Shipping and Insurance

• Full Value Insurance: We dispatch all orders with full-value insurance, providing peace of mind for both you and us.

14. Finished Piece and Quality

• Chemical Reactions and Variability: Due to the chemical reactions during the resin curing process, there may be slight differences in the final appearance of your piece compared to initial expectations. Variations in color, clarity, and texture are normal and part of the unique beauty of handmade resin art.
• Quality Control: We strive to minimize imperfections, but as with all handmade items, slight imperfections may occur. These are not considered defects and do not qualify for refunds or replacements. We carefully inspect each piece before shipping to ensure it meets our quality standards.

15. Customer Satisfaction

• Satisfaction Guarantee: Your satisfaction is important to us. If you have any concerns about your finished piece, please contact us within 7 days of receiving your order. We will do our best to address your concerns, keeping in mind the handmade nature of the product.
• Non-Refundable Items: Due to the custom nature of preserved flower products, all sales are final once production has started. Refunds are only available under specific circumstances as detailed in our refund policy above.

16. Legal Compliance

• Governing Law: These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of the United Kingdom. By placing an order with us, you agree to these terms and conditions.
• Amendments: We reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. Any changes will be updated on our website, and it is your responsibility to review the terms regularly.

17. Disclaimer

• Liability: While we take the utmost care in preserving your flowers and creating your resin pieces, Nogard Creations cannot be held responsible for any damage, loss, or alteration that occurs to your flowers during shipping or the preservation process. By placing an order, you acknowledge and accept these terms.

18. Tealight Holders

• Tealight Safety: Our tealight holders are made from resin. Real tealights get very hot, which can damage the resin holders; therefore, we do not recommend using real tealights in the holders. We supply an electric tealight with every tealight holder.

19. Charm Beads

• Charm Bead Compatibility: Our charm beads have a 5.5mm core, which means they will fit most popular charm bracelets. However, we do not guarantee they will fit all bracelets. Please check if they will fit prior to ordering.

20. Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these terms, please feel free to contact us:

• Email: nogardcreations@outlook.com
• Address:

Unit P, Easy Wing
Huntingdon Business Centre
14 Blackstone Rd
Stukeley Meadows Industrial Estate
Huntingdon
PE29 6EF

Thank you for choosing Nogard Creations. We look forward to creating a beautiful, lasting memory for you.