Flowers play a huge role in most weddings. They are used in many parts of the wedding decor, from ceremony to reception, and add a romantic and personal touch to the big day. A big question, however, is if you’re going to use fresh or fake flowers. But before deciding, you should know what the differences between real and artificial flowers are.
Before weighing out the pros and cons, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:
– Both options can be expensive, especially if a florist is involved.
– Most of the time, your guests won’t be able to tell what’s real and what’s fake.
– If you can’t decide, you can always mix and match with both. Use fake flowers for certain things and real for others.
– You can save money by having multi-use floral pieces. For example, you can use some of the floral arrangements from your ceremony and bring it over to the reception decor.
The differences:
Real flowers
Nothing compares to fresh, beautiful flowers. They are authentic and sweet-smelling. Using real flowers is genuine and no matter how realistic a fake flower is, it will never be able to compare to the real thing.
Besides originality, there are a few downsides to having fresh flowers:
– They can be more expensive, especially if you are having them arranged by a florist or imported from overseas. You will also pay a lot more if you’re looking for a specific flower and it’s not in season.
View this post on Instagram
– As beautiful as delicate flowers are, they’re unfortunately higher risk in terms of being damaged. They will eventually wilt and if it’s hotter, they fade faster. Fresh flowers are easily damaged, whether it’s a wild flower girl having fun or a bumpy car ride.
– The real deal can also be a lot heavier than opting for the fake alternative.
Artificial flowers
Fake flowers aren’t as plastic as you think. There are natural-looking silk or other fabric-based flowers available that almost look like the real thing. If you decide on artificial flowers, you’ll never have to worry if they’re in season or not. These fake alternatives are also a lot lighter than the real thing and therefore easier to carry around, transport and arrange.
Artificial flowers can last for a long time and you will be able to keep them for sentimental purposes. You might even be able to reuse them in future events, depending on the quality. Since they’re fake, there won’t be any allergy issues either, which is great if you or any of your guests are allergic.
View this post on Instagram
Fake flowers can be a lot cheaper depending on the quality, specifics and where you buy them from. If you’re not looking to purchase the fake flowers, then renting it is also an option. Since you can purchase artificial flowers in advance, you can buy a few each month, thereby not having to fork out a huge amount in one go.
Feature image: Visual Poetry Photography
Getting the perfect dress at a reasonable price is not the easiest thing. Brides tend to spend thousands of rands on either having the perfect dress made or…
On the 9th of September 2019, 99 couples decided to tie the knot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. All 99 pairs gathered at The Thean Hou temple to wed in a mass ceremony. The number nine is considered to be very lucky in Chinese culture. This is because ‘nine’ sounds like ‘long-lasting’ in Chinese.
Since the number nine is believed to hold a lot of fortune, September 9, which is the ninth day of the ninth month (9/9) is seen as very lucky this year. The couples decided to commit to one another on this auspicious day, to ensure that their love would be, well, long-lasting.
View this post on Instagram
The Thean Hou temple was filled with the soon-to-be weds and all of their family and friends.
Many couples decided to keep things wedding-traditional and wear classic black suits and white bridal gowns. Other couples opted for a more traditional Chinese feel and wore red as the colour symbolises joy, luck, happiness and fertility.
Before taking their vows, the 99 couples were blessed by a priest in a red robe.
The Chinese Buddhist temple was filled with life as the newly-wed couples gathered to take pictures and celebrate this joyous (mass) occasion.
View this post on Instagram
Feature image: Instagram/Mohd Rasfan
The former Bachelorette and her fiancé, who met on her season of the show in 2017, recently exchanged vows at the Royalton Suites Cancún in Mexico. The non-televised…
Ellie Goulding and Caspar Jopling recently got married in a lavish event fit for royalty. Although they exchanged vows at the York Minster Cathedral, the party only really started at Castle Howard, a stately home a few miles away. In true Ellie style, she opted for not one, but 5 show-stopping wedding looks, paving the way for ‘royal’ wedding trends to come.
The first look, in which she tied the knot, consisted of a bespoke Chloé gown and a delicate silk tulle veil with an organza collar featuring her and Caspar’s initials. The veil reportedly took 591 hours to make. Talk about detail! The dress itself wasn’t shy of detail either – complete with hand-embroidered White Roses of York and subtle white glass bead embellishments, which took a further 640 hours to create.
Image: Instagram
The reception saw Ellie in her second ensemble – a sleek off-the-shoulder silk Cady dress, featuring diamond trim detail – a custom Stella McCartney design.
Image: Instagram
The third dress came straight from the Ralph & Russo AW19 runway – a bodice of pearls and silk, which she paired with an evening skirt.
Image: Instagram
For her fourth look, she turned to Olivier Rousteing from Balmain. Perfect for dancing the night away, Ellie showed some skin in a short dress with semi-sheer puffed sleeves and a high neckline with a plunging cut-out.
Image: Instagram
Fifth and finally, to end off her wedding weekend, Ellie appeared in a simple strapless black gown with a full skirt.
Image: Instagram
Feature image: Instagram / @elliegoulding
Beauty and fashion YouTuber Victoria Magrath and Alex Harrison tied the knot in Provence on August 31. The couple opted for a weekend full of wedding festivities, including…
It’s always great receiving an invitation to a wedding. It’s a joyous occasion that you are honoured to be part of. As excited as you may be, your wallet might not be as thrilled. All the costs are easy to forget, so be prepared for these expenses if you’re a wedding guest.
The engagement party
Couples usually have an engagement party to celebrate the good news and the marriage to come. It’s not always a big thing, but there is a chance that you may encounter a few expenses.
– You may need to purchase a gift. It’s not a requirement, but if you feel the need to get the couple a gift, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy or over the top and you shouldn’t feel pressured into getting something expensive.
– Not all engagement parties are super formal, but if the one you’re going to happens to be, and you don’t own anything up to par, then you may need to go on a little shopping trip.
– Hopefully, there are drinks available but if the soiree doesn’t feature an open bar, you’ll have to fork out some cash for your liquor.
Bridal shower
– Pitching up with a gift is now expected unless stated otherwise, so that’s definitely a deduction.
The bachelor/bachelorette party
– A gift may not be necessary but depending on how close you are to the bride, you may be required to contribute to various things surrounding the party itself.
– If you’re going out, you may have to pay your own way for things like dinner and drinks.
– Travel costs. Now, this isn’t always the case, but you may be required to travel to a destination for the party. Whether it’s an hour or plane away, that’s still a cost.
The wedding
– Travel comes up again, as the ceremony and reception may be held at a special place that’s of course at a distance. You’ll have to make your own way there unless stated otherwise.
– This is the main event and a special gift is now mandatory. Most couples opt for a wedding registry that consists of a variety of gifts with different price tags, big and small.
– Since it is the big day, you have to look your best. Depending on what the dress code is and what’s available in your closet, you may need to stop window shopping.
– If it is a destination wedding, chances are, you may need to sort out your own accommodation. Some couples may book a few rooms at a hotel but you’ll have to pay your own way.
It’s important to remember that even if you get an invitation to all the wedding festivities, you don’t have to attend them all, especially since they can become quite costly.
As expensive as all these things may seem, before you decline the invitation, keep in mind that all the things listed may not be applicable to all events.
Image: Visual Poetry Photography