Real vs. Artificial Wedding Flowers? Which Is the Best?
The accessories and finishing touches might be the last piece of the puzzle when organising a wedding, but they are crucial for sure. They can transform standard wedding venues into magical ones, and the flowers are a stunning touch.
In fact, flowers are one of those things without which a wedding venue cannot be complete. They are one of those details that can turn the otherwise empty and dull-looking venues into unforgettable, especially if they’re chosen according to your taste. The choices of flowers are endless, however, the main concern people have is whether to choose artificial or actual flowers.
Why Choose Artificial?
Gone are the days when the choice of artificial greenery and plants was limited. Nowadays, you can choose from a selection of realistic-looking artificial flowers that can provide you with the same effect as the real ones, only at a lower cost. And this precisely is one of the main reasons for their common use these days.
Pros
Endless Choice
Unlike real blooms that are limited because of their seasonal character, the choice of artificial flowers is huge and readily available throughout the year. Whether you prefer peace lily, roses, baby’s breath, hydrangea, or dahlia, the choice is huge, and all of them look just like the real ones. Regarding the material, you can choose from silk, wood, rental, wax-coated, dried, plastic or foam, out of which silk blooms are among the most popular and commonly used types.
Cost-Effectiveness
The price of these flowers is just another reason why so many people choose them over real ones. Silk flowers, as one of the most popular and realistic-looking blooms, are generally 20% – 80% cheaper than fresh flowers, with couples often saving thousands of dollars. The cost of these blooms will stay the same even if you buy off-season flowers, which isn’t the case with the real ones. If you want some particular blooms that aren’t seasonal, expect to pay a lot of money for real ones.
Easier to Deal with
Unlike real blooms that need careful transportation and approach because of their fragility, the fake ones can withstand even harsher transportation. Plus, they don’t need water and constant refreshing in order to stay fresh for a longer period of time. They’ll also stay intact even if exposed to rain or some other unpredictable weather conditions.
Longer-Lasting
Unlike real blooms, which can drop in humidity or dry and hot weather, the artificial arrangements can withstand any weather condition, making them longer-lasting. Plus, the latter allows for being used for years to come, giving you the chance to repurpose them and use them for decorating any other party you plan to throw in the future.
Allergen-Free
Unlike real blooms that can be a trigger for allergies, the fake ones don’t pose that danger to your guests. Plus, most of them can be washed, which also reduces the exposure to dust.
Cons
Other than having no scent and being non-biodegradable, these blooms don’t have any other negative side effects. And if in the past their appearance was a con, these days it’s different. They’re super realistic and hard to distinguish, unless you go close and touch them, so if you still wonder are fake flowers ok for a wedding or not, take into account all the pros and cons and it’s enough to understand why they make such a trendy choice nowadays.
Why Choose Real?
Well, the truth is that the real ones offer unmatched beauty and elegance. The dazzling smell that can come from them and their appearance have the ability to enhance the ambience. The choice of real flowers is huge for sure, however, you have a limited choice depending on the season.
Pros
Natural Beauty and Fragrance
The delicate fragrance and beauty coming from these arrangements are simply dazzling. They offer a real elegance that can be seen and felt, literally. This goes mainly to those blooms offering a gentle scent (roses, gardenias, and peonies).
Seasonal Beauty
Fresh blooms can take pride in their diversity and ability to make seasonal weddings more authentic. While spring offers blooms like tulips, cherry blossoms and daffodils, summer is all about hydrangeas and sunflowers. Marigolds are the queens of fall weddings, and the elegant amaryllis and evergreens are the perfect winter arrangements.
Cons
Higher Price
Unfortunately, quite often, their beauty has a higher price tag. While seasonal blooms can be reasonably priced, the off-season ones can be extremely expensive, so prepare to pay an unrealistically high price for the flowers you want.
Limited Availability
Aside from being seasonal and not readily available throughout the year, sometimes, it can be quite difficult to have the needed amount of blooms at the same time. This means that you’ll have to plan in advance or choose an alternative for your big day, which is a real bummer.
Short Lifespan
Unlike fake, fresh blooms have a significantly shorter lifespan, and they can only last up to a few days. It’s really impossible to preserve them as keepsakes, even if you have paid a lot for them.
Allergy-Triggering
The last con of these blooms is their allergy trigger because of the high pollen. This goes mainly to the all-time favourite baby’s breath, daisies, lilies and sunflowers. So, if you want to avoid some of your guests developing an allergy or worse, end up in a hospital, avoiding their use is preferred.
