23 Jul Silk Flowers or Fresh Flowers for Your Wedding
Flowers often play a huge role in a wedding’s decor and accessories. Many brides and wedding planners spend a lot of time choosing the right floral arrangements that mesh with the overall look. Traditionally, fresh flowers were the go-to option. They look beautiful and smell delightful. However, today, artificial silk wedding flowers are increasingly popular.
Why Should You Consider Silk Flowers?
Arrange Them Ahead of Time
While fresh flowers are a gorgeous sight to behold timing is everything. In time real flowers can wilt or fade. This is especially true when they are exposed to sunlight. However, silk flowers maintain their aesthetic for long periods of time. You can arrange them in their vases or displays weeks ahead of time. When it comes time for the big day at least one of your set-ups will already be completed.
Get Your Dream Arrangement No Matter the Season
Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of walking down the aisle with a bouquet of Calla Lilies. The problem is your wedding is in May and those lilies are in season in the fall. If you choose silk flowers you don’t need to worry about what flowers are in season. This broadens your choices when it comes to bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces extensively.
Treasure Them Forever
While it is possible to preserve fresh flowers, they will never look like they did on the day of your wedding. It is also a time sensitive task that may be hard to accomplish if you’re departing for your honeymoon days after your wedding. However, your silk flower bouquet will look just as beautiful as it did 25 years ago with little work involved. All you need to do is wrap your silk flowers in protective paper and stow them in a box. Your memento is preserved with no fuss!
Allergy Friendly
With a long guest list there are bound to be a few people with allergies. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, roughly 7.8% of people 18 and over in the U.S. have hay fever. Therefore, fresh flowers could potentially make some guests uncomfortable if an allergy attack comes on. Silk flowers are inherently pollenless, enabling you to avoid this issue altogether.
Disadvantages of Foregoing Fresh Flowers
No Aromatic Ambience
There is nothing like walking into a room filled with fresh flowers. It is a feast for the senses. Silk flowers often lack the scent of real florals, which may be a drawback for some brides. While silk flowers can be scented, some would argue it’s not the same. You may love a particular flower because of its scent so this is something to consider.
Fresh Flowers are Photogenic
If you’re hoping for beautiful photographs of your bouquets and centerpieces, most photographers will recommend fresh flowers. See the beautiful arrangement above and take note of the vibrant details. When taking close-ups, every detail of the flower is on display and fakes are easily spotted. At the end of the day, fake flowers are fake. If they are not high quality that will be evident.
Sacrificing a Florist
Some florists don’t work with artificial flowers. Therefore, silk flower arrangements are often DIY projects. This could be a problem if you don’t have the time or skill to be creative. You will likely have to hunt online for the silk flowers you want. Some brides prefer the advisement of a florist to put together the most beautiful arrangements. Since they are experts in their field, they know what works and what doesn’t.
Budget Misconceptions
You might think artificial flowers cost less than fresh flowers. This is sometimes true, but the cheaper artificial flowers tend to look just that – cheap. With that in mind, you may find yourself paying more for high quality silk flowers than you would for fresh flowers.
A Compromise
There are advantages and disadvantages to both silk flowers and fresh flowers. However, you can get the best of both worlds by mixing silk flowers in with your fresh flowers.
Here are some tips for using silk flowers:
- Mix them in with large arrangements of fresh flowers that require filler
- Utilize them in bold decorative full-scale elements like a textured floral wall
- Use them where they won’t be seen at eye level or photographed close up like decorative draping or scattered down the aisle
- Use them in tightly shaped arrangements (like rounded bouquet) where they look more natural
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The Crescent Beach Club takes pride in being able to accommodate a vast variety of floral arrangements. Our expert planners and staff will make sure your decor is on point whether you choose silk or fresh flowers (or both!)
