Real vs Artificial Wedding Flowers: Which are right for my bouquet?

Organising a wedding is no easy feat, as most wedding planners and couples know. It takes a lot of time, energy, and money to put together the perfect day, and flowers are just one aspect you need to think about. During a wedding, many people are adorned with flowers—the bride and groom, bridesmaids and best men, and other guests may sport a beautiful bloom. They can be used to decorate the venue, table centrepieces, and even the food.

With all this in mind, there’s plenty to consider when choosing your wedding flowers. For starters, you should keep in mind how the theme of your wedding can impact your choice of flowers—a winter wonderland wedding is going to look very different to a beach wedding. As florists Blooming Haus point out, your flowers should be “in harmony with the overall theme of your wedding, your wedding dress, hair colour, and of course, with your personal preferences.”

Flowers need to be carefully chosen, especially if you need to be budget-conscious, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that artificial flowers could be an easy way to save money. But is this necessarily the case?

Real Flowers

Advantages

A bridal bouquet is a focal point for the big day and you’ll have taken care in choosing the type and colour of your flower. Scent plays a large role in deciding on natural flowers for your wedding bouquet, and it’s obvious why—flowers smell amazing! Scent can trigger memories and emotions, so the sweet smell of your wedding flowers will stay with you.

Natural flowers are generally more visually appealing than their artificial counterparts. Remember, your wedding flowers aren’t only for the bouquet, and the ones you choose will flow through your whole wedding. As such, natural flowers will look better in your wedding photographs, especially for close-ups.

Disadvantages

It may sound obvious to point out, but natural flowers can wilt and die quickly, and there is always the risk that the flowers you order may lose their freshness before the wedding ceremony. You want your wedding bouquet to look beautiful since, as the bride, you’ll be the main attraction. Natural flowers can also be expensive, depending on the type you choose and how the number of flowers your arrangements will require. On average, couples spend $2200 on wedding flowers, which may be a big chunk of your wedding budget, so it’s worth considering where the rest of your money is being distributed.

Which flowers are in season?

Flowers come in and out of season as different types grow best at different times of the year, so it is important to choose your wedding flowers depending on the season. Unseasonal flowers may cost more, as a result of greenhouse growing conditions and transportation to the wedding itself.

Berried ivy and pussy willow are ideal winter wedding flowers, especially if you want to recreate the perfect winter wonderland scene, which could be paired with a snowy white theme. Meanwhile, freesias, peonies and roses work best for summer weddings, and look beautiful in photographs.

Artificial Flowers

Advantages

Choosing artificial wedding flowers gives you the opportunity to pick any style, regardless of the season. Every flower is available in an artificial form, so if you have a favourite flower that typically peaks in summer but you’re having a winter wedding, you’re in luck. Artificial flowers are long-lasting, meaning there’s no need to take measures to preserve them after your wedding. They are also very hard-wearing.

For any wedding guests with allergies, artificial flowers are the ideal alternative, meaning that anyone with streaming eyes during your ceremony is genuinely emotional.

Disadvantages

Hiring artificial flowers may mean they will have been used for other occasions beforehand, so they may not be in the best condition, and even new, artificial flowers can be of variable quality. Silk flowers can be expensive compared to other types of artificial flowers, such as those made from latex, foam, or paper. Foam flowers, unfortunately, look particularly unrealistic if used in large quantities and paper flowers aren’t suitable for outdoor or winter weddings.

Are fake flowers tacky?

Artificial flowers are becoming more popular with couples, but they still hold a reputation for being tacky. They can be seen as cheap, particularly if they’re made of plastic, and with the increase of environmentally friendly products, this makes them something of a no-go. However, artificial flowers are improving in their quality, and are viewed as an alternative to classic natural wedding flowers. What the flowers are made of will impact their visual impact, as cheaply-made artificial flowers will be noticeable compared to the freshness and natural look of a real flower bouquet. If you’re still undecided on which flowers to choose, you may consider mixing your wedding bouquet with real and artificial flowers, to switch up a classic wedding aesthetic.