The Good and the Bad of Faux Wedding Flowers

Faux flowers have come a long way in the last few years.  The “soft touch” faux flowers are so realistic it is hard for an experienced florist to tell the difference at a distance. For that reason, I only recommend using that type of faux flowers, especially for a wedding.

I used to cringe at the thought of a bride using faux flowers because of the obvious artificial look and lack of fragrance that adds so much.  The sweet aroma of perfume that comes from fresh flowers adds to the excitement of a special event much like the whisper of an expensive perfume in an intimate setting.

With today’s technology, there is no reason why we can’t marry the best of both worlds. Some advantages are:

• Realistic faux flowers can be arranged months ahead of the event and relieve much stress and decision making at a critical time.
• Color choices are endless with faux flowers
• They are always available
• There are no worries of wilted flowers
• They are very realistic
• They can be re-arranged into a centerpiece for the home and enjoyed for years

In my mind, the most desirable way of using faux flowers in a wedding bouquet or centerpiece is to mix them with fresh greenery and other fresh flowers.  This fools the eye so that it is almost impossible to tell which is fresh or faux.  In other words, without being told, no one would ever know the difference.  This is the best of both worlds, the fragrance is present along with the permanence and lack of fear that the focal flowers either aren’t available or might wilt.

There is almost no chance something will go wrong and the flowers, and a very big part of the expense will be paid well in advance.

The only negative I have experienced in using faux flowers is that the leaves are not as realistic as the flowers and that alone will call attention that the flowers are fake.  So by using fresh greenery, that problem can easily be overcome.

Hydrangeas, tulips, and peonies are popular wedding flowers, but unless the bride to know the short growing season of these flowers and plans her date accordingly, she will only be able to use faux flowers or be forced to choose an alternate.

One of the concerns with using fresh hydrangeas is that they are extremely sensitive to moisture or lack of and will wilt very quickly.  One stem of faux hydrangea will go a long way because the tiny stems can be cut from the main flower and used in boutonnieres, flowers for the hair, corsages, and the bridal bouquet. That can be a huge boost to the budget alone!

Tulips continue to grow after they have been cut and the blooms open quickly changing the appearance of the arrangement.  This is where using faux flowers really pays off.  But again, I only recommend using the “soft touch” as regular silk flowers actually look worse with fresh.

Peonies are one of the loveliest flowers especially for weddings, but the growing season is fairly short.  Even in season, they are often very expensive so mixing just a few fresh ones with faux gives the “look” without breaking the bank.

Think how wonderful it would be to have such a huge part of your wedding completed well in advance and even being able to enjoy the beauty of your wedding flowers long before the big day.

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