Fresh or Faux? 11 Reasons to Choose Faux Flowers For Your Wedding
FRESH OR FAUX?
Wondering what flower option is right for your wedding? In this blog, we'll explore some of the reasons why faux flowers make a great choice. But first, let's look at why you might be reluctant to use faux...
The "What Will Granny Think?" Factor
Sadly, today's faux flowers still carry with them the stigma of yesterday's tacky plastic-looking fake flowers. You may be worrying about what guests will think if you use faux.
All I can say is that faux flowers have come a long way! Don't judge them on the sad selection you might still find at a bargain-basement store. Quality faux flowers are now so realistic and gorgeous, guests frequently go up to them for a sniff. In photographs it's almost impossible to tell apart faux from fresh. Believe it or not, all the photos in this blog are of faux flowers.
Are Faux Flowers 'Special' Enough?
A compelling argument for using fresh florals is that they are a luxury which help make a celebration 'special'. The ephemeral nature of fresh flowers, their cost, scent and delicacy are why they have been an integral part of celebrations since ancient times.
If this is something that concerns you, you might like to reframe how you see the role of flowers in a celebration. As a stylist, I see flowers as only one part of my tool box that can be used to create a unique and special '"setting" for your celebration. It is the overall setting that makes a celebration special.
REASONS TO USE FAUX FLOWERS
It's understandable if you are uncertain about fresh versus faux. So here are some reasons for using faux that might just persuade you:
You might be surprised to know that, in terms of production, fresh and faux flowers have a very similar footprint.
If we think about air miles, fresh might win out if you can source locally grown. Otherwise, again, they tend to be level-pegging.
When it comes to disposal, fresh wins out - although it pays to check whether non-compostable components such as wiring, plastic foam and stem wrapping will be used.
Where faux flowers have the advantage is that they can be reused and recycled. This is especially so if you choose to hire them. In fact, hire is the most eco-friendly option for ALL your wedding decor.
Yes, fresh flowers can be dried, but this is another production step adding to their eco-footprint. Dried flowers are also more fragile, which makes them less suitable for hire and, as an at-home arrangement, makes them less long-lasting than faux. Additionally, they can't withstand a large number of cleanings, so they will look tired and dusty quickly. In contrast, faux flowers can be freshened up with a light dust using a damp cloth. As such, their shelf-life is much longer.
2. No Seasonal Restrictions
Dreaming of billowing mounds of delicate peonies, but having a winter wedding? It's possible with faux. Seasonal resitrictions are one less hassle to negotiate with faux. And now that faux flowers are so realistic, you wouldn't be compromising on looks.
3. Kind On The Budget
Buying quality faux flowers by the stem can be expensive when compared to fresh, but hiring is a really affordable option. If you've been dreaming of a large floral installation (an arch, overflowing urns, a garland), but your budget is tight, hiring faux flowers makes your dream possible.
If you decide to buy rather than hire (for example, buying your bouquet as a keepsake), then the cost per stem over time becomes negligable.
As there is no water in faux florals, there is no risk of wetting and staining clothing or table linens. Did you know that many linen hire companies will charge an extra laundry fee if your table arrangements leave marks? This can be a real problem with garlands and draping foliage.
5. Easy To Handle
The lack of water makes faux flowers much lighter. This is a real bonus if you want a large bouquet - it can be very tiring holding a heavy bouquet during your ceremony and photo session.
The lighter weight also makes it much easier to hang large floral installations, especially at venues which will only allow removable hanging hooks. These are convenient, but not as strong as screws and nails. This might affect what you are able to have and how much you will have to pay for setting up your installation.
With faux flowers your bouquet, buttonholes and floral installations will stay looking fresh and gorgeous throughout your wedding.
It also makes outdoor installations in summer possible. Many delicate fresh flowers are not an option in the blazing sun.
Additionally, it means that your arrangements can be made and installed ahead of time. This avoids bottlenecks and last-minute stress, especially at venues where set-up time is limited. It might also save you money if your florist/stylist doesn't need to hire extra staff for the installation.
7. No Watering Needed: Less Waste and Hassle
Fresh flowers need water to keep them looking fresh. For installations, this usually means the use of plastic-based single-use floral foam which creates a lot of waste. Another option is the use of plastic water vials, but in hot weather these need to be topped up which is a huge hassle - and often the vials are thown out afterwards.
Yes, plastic foam-free options are getting more common, but they are often more expensive in terms of construction and/or materials.
Some fresh flower installations are created using no watering devices at all. But these have a very short 'fresh life', especially in Summer, or require frequent spritzing to keep them from drooping. This is a lot of hassle that you will either have to pay someone to do, or sweet talk some poor friend/relative into doing.
8. Sometimes No Scent Is A Good Thing!
Sadly, faux flowers have no scent. As much as I love faux flowers, nothing beats the scent of freshy cut flowers - jasmine, rose and daphne are my favourites.
However, in some instances this is a plus. For example, heavily scented table arrangements interfere with dining. And some flowers have an unpleasant smell. Gypsophilla has been described as smelling like cat's pee!
9. Allergy Free
For hayfever sufferers, faux flowers are heaven-sent. Irritants and allergens can be found not only in the pollen of fresh flowers, but in leaves, stems and sap.
10. Easier To Transport And Re-purpose
As Faux Flowers are light and hardy compared to fresh, they are more easily transported. This can save in set-up costs as more can be packed into the same space.
It also means that the flowers used for your ceremony can be easily repurposed for your reception. For example, the flowers in the photo below were first used in the rainbow installation shown earlier. Repurposing your flowers will save you a lot of money.., and it helps to create visual unity across both venues.
11. You Get To Have A Lasting Memory Of Your Special Day
If you choose to purchase your faux flower bouquet rather than hire it, it will be the perfect memento of your day. All that is needed is for you to pop it into a favourite vase.
After that, the occassional dusting is all that is needed to keep it looking gorgeous.
WHY NOT MIX IT UP?
If you are still struggling with the Faux vs. Fresh debate, one option is to have both. Consider having fresh flowers for your bouquets (and possibly even your table flowers), and using faux flowers for your installations and ceremony backdrop.
This way, you can enjoy the scent and 'special' nature of fresh flowers, and at the same time, get the look of massed flowers at an affordable cost from hired faux flowers.
Another option is to add sprigs of fragrant fresh florals (for example eucalyptus) to your faux arrangements to add freshness and scent.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Here at Little Lace Flower Company, we offer an excellent bespoke faux flower hire service. This means we will design and make your arrangements from our hire stock. However, if you would like only fresh, or a mixture of fresh and faux we are happy to provide that service too. When we design with fresh, we aim to be as eco-friendly as possible. We'd love to help you design your perfect wedding florals.
Click here to learn more about our Floral Design Services
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