If you’re considering artificial wedding flowers but you’re worried they’ll look “fake”, you’ve come to the right place! The difference between those pithy silk flowers and gorgeous faux blooms is knowing the best places to shop.
Fake bouquets, centerpieces, and boutonnieres are a terrific way to cut costs and customize your wedding day style.
In this blog post, you’ll learn the pros and cons of using artificial flowers that look real. Plus, you’ll discover top sources to buy fake artificial wedding flowers that look surprisingly real.
Let’s get started!
Types of Fake Flowers to Use for Weddings
Artificial, silk, fake, or faux — whatever you want to call ’em — are all terms the refer to flowers that are not fresh blooms but rather made from unique materials. For instance, most artificial bouquets are made up of wood or sola flowers, silk, or are dried varieties from real flowers that have been preserved.
Some couples take faux flowers to the extreme with creative materials like brooches, feathers, or felt, all of which make for a whimsical touch to your wedding day decor.
Furthermore, some couples opt to save even further and carry something other than flowers down the aisle.
Now that you know what they’re made of, let’s talk about where to use them.
Where To Use Flowers at a Wedding
Some areas you may want to use artificial flowers at your wedding include:
• bouquets
• centerpieces
• arch decor
• ceremony decorations
• boutonnieres
• corsages
• chair flowers
• entryway decorations
• cake table decorating
Now let’s discuss the pros and cons of using fake flowers vs. real blooms.
Pros + Cons of Fake Flowers vs. Fresh Flowers
First, let’s outline the benefits of using faux flowers.
Affordable
The number one reason why couples are using artificial flowers is their lower price. Fresh flowers cost lots of money and they wilt and die. But fake flowers last forever and can be repurposed into other decorating needs.
Reusable
You can reuse artificial flowers for various events, making them a great choice on a budget. You can use them at your engagement party, bridal shower, your rehearsal dinner, and wedding. Pay once and you’re done! It doesn’t even matter how many months span between each wedding event, since they don’t need to be placed in water or kept fresh. Real flowers wilt and need to be set up on the day-of, which is a huge dilemma when you need to use the same flowers for multiple days.
Some couples utilize a favorite arrangement as home decor, like a dining room centerpiece, after the wedding.
Unique
Since you can order exactly which type of flower you like any season of the year, and in any color palette, fake flowers are incredibly unique. In addition, you can play around with different types of blooms that may not be as readily available as some fresh varieties.
You can even opt for alternatives to conventional flower arrangements, like a flower hoop instead of a traditional bouquet.
Next, let’s talk about some disadvantages of artificial wedding flowers.
Storage
When you purchase your own flower arrangements, you’ll need to store and transport them to your wedding. When you use fresh flowers via a florist, they’ll arrange and deliver your flowers to your wedding for you. You won’t need to store the flowers for long periods of time or figure out how to get them to the wedding.
You’ll also need room to store the flowers afterward, but many couples do sell them to recoup costs (and space!)
Scent
Fresh flowers smell great! Faux blooms don’t typically have a scent, unless it is a dried variety or a scent has been added to the bouquet. But it’s not the same as the real deal.
This may be a deal-breaker for some, but not all couples like the smell of fresh blooms nor do they care whether or not the flowers have a scent. It’s worth noting, since it is one reason why couples opt for real blooms.
Now that you know the benefits and negatives of faux flowers, let’s take a look at some examples for inspiration. Here are some of the best wedding flowers that look real, but they’re faux! Some are “real” flowers, but they are preserved and dried and now require no care to maintain their appearance.
Where to Buy Fake Wedding Flowers That Look Real
Thanks to the talents of independent artists, you can now have a custom bouquet made for you that is faux, yet looks like the real deal. Here are some examples of the best places to buy fake flowers that look realistic and good for weddings! We found these amazing retailers in the Marketplace at Minted.
The three best places to shop are (in no particular order):
1. Bird of Paradise
If you crave faux flower arrangements and bouquets that look real but last forever, look no further than Bird of Paradise. This seller offers some of the prettiest centerpieces and bouquets ever and they have such a realistic style to them!
For a classic look, seek peonies! The next artist specializes in them.
2. Kristina Jancso
You can find beautiful peonies that are faux but look so realistic from designer Kristina Jancso. The peony flowers are arranged in glass vases for your convenience. Here are two varieties you can purchase in classic pink or white.
If you love a botanical and dried or natural look, check out this next designer who specializes in rustic arrangements.
3. Bloomingful
These preserved dried peonies are a beautiful alternative to fresh florals. In addition, they offer preserved baby’s breath and pampas grass, all wildly popular, as perfect flower alternatives.
Now that you know some top sources, let’s talk about how to make the best decision for your wedding. Should you do fake flowers? Is fresh the better way to go? It’s totally up to you!
Do People Regret Using Fake Flowers at Their Wedding?
Should you use fake or order real flowers for your wedding? If you worry you’ll regret using artificial wedding flowers, here are some ways to help you make the best decision for your event. The choice is yours alone, and no one’s opinion should change how you feel about fake flowers or real blooms.
If you’re having trouble deciding, consider these points:
• SCENT: Do I Want the Scent of Real Flowers at My Wedding?
• AFFORDABILITY: Can I Afford to Decorate My Wedding with Real Flowers?
• PREP: Is It Easy to Refrigerate and Prep My Flowers on the Wedding Day?
Fake flowers that look real may be best for couples who are not particular on the scent of fresh blooms. In fact, some couples seek artificial floral options in order to appease their allergies.
For budget couples, using non-floral wedding centerpieces and carrying a fake bouquet are two ways to save money on the big day. And if you don’t care either way, it may be great to avoid paying the additional money for real blooms if it’s not a priority to you.
Keep in mind that fake flowers aren’t necessarily cheaper than real flowers. However, the benefit of using artificial flowers that look real are the resale value: many couples recoup costs of flowers by reselling them to another engaged couple online so they can recoup some of the costs. Plus, it’s less wasteful this way. Real flowers wilt and die, unlike faux blooms that last forever.
Artificial bouquets are also easier for traveling, or for weddings held in more remote locations. You won’t have to worry about keeping your blooms fresh and refrigerated, particular at hot and humid weddings where wilting happens too quickly.
Can You Do Both?
It may be easier to go one way or the other: choose all fake flowers or go with all fresh blooms.
However, it is entirely possible to pick and choose, if that suits your budget and your wedding style best. You can decorate some parts of your wedding with fresh flowers, i.e. centerpiece arrangements, boutonnieres, an altar arrangement, etc. Then you can integrate faux blooms that match in other areas, such as your bridal bouquet, corsages, chair flowers at the ceremony, etc.
It doesn’t have to be one or the other. :) It’s okay to mix and match if needed, as long as you use fake wedding flowers that look real. If you opt for very cheap and gauche flowers and attempt to mix them with the real ones, it will be a stark comparison and I don’t recommend it.
If you consider all of these points, artificial flowers that look real make a lot of sense for couples on a budget and, hence, why they’re extremely popular today.
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As you can see, the decision between real wedding flowers vs. fake flowers is much easier to make when they look this authentic. Thanks to the ever-growing talents of independent artists, obtaining the best artificial wedding flowers online is an easy feat when you know where to look. Now you can carry the prettiest faux flower bouquet on the planet and save it forever. In fact, some faux wedding bouquets and centerpieces look even more bona fide and beautiful than some fresh arrangements I’ve seen.
Brides love the fact of displaying their bouquet in a vase at home, a lasting keepsake from the special day.
What do you think of fake flowers? Would you carry a faux bridal bouquet or use fake wedding flower arrangements? Why or why not? Tell us in the comment box below.
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I hope this article helps you make the floral decision that works best for you.
