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.
– 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.
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
