Silk Flowers vs. Fresh Flowers

We have come into a new era of Do-It-Yourself-ers, bulk-buyers, and budget brides. Everyone wants the best deal and we're all willing to go the extra mile or think outside the box to get it. One thing that seems to be on a lot of brides' minds these days is silk flowers. But it seems most people don't know much about them. And the reasons for considering silk flowers are quite varied.  Just some of the reasons are, allergies, wanting a permanent keepsake, cost, wanting difficult to find/unnatural colors, etc.

Some of these reasons are quite valid, but many are simply misguided. So, let's examine these motives one at a time.

Allergies:

This is a perfectly valid reason for wanting silk flowers. One thing you don't want at your wedding is a puffy-faced, runny-nosed Maid of Honor, or even worse, Bride. In this case, silk flowers may be a good option. But consider first that many flowers do not produce a lot of pollen and may not aggravate  your allergies. Simply avoiding some of the well-known culprits, like lilies, and opting for more "hypoallergenic" flowers, like the many types of orchids, could be an easier solution.

Preservation:

If you are looking for more than photos to hold on to, a silk bouquet could be a good option for you. Preserving fresh arrangements can be costly and, depending on the method, may or may not leave your bouquet looking the way it did on your wedding day. The issue here is whether to design just the bride's bouquet in silk, or all the bouquets to keep a unified look. 

Cost:

It's a common misconception that silk flowers are less expensive than fresh. For realistic silk flowers, you may end up paying more than you would for the same flowers in fresh. There are a lot of costs involved in manufacturing high-quality silk flowers and it shows up on the price tags. So if you're looking for the most cost-effective route, go with fresh.

Color:

A good florist will suggest colors and types of fresh flowers that will coordinate with your color scheme and create a beautiful bouquet with depth and texture. Even if it doesn't have the exact shade of the napkins in it, the colors will work together well and create a harmonious palette.

But, some brides are dead-set on that mauve, teal or periwinkle flower that may or may not exist in nature.  If you're ultra-picky, and you simply need that specific shade, you may have to go with silk flowers. Nature creates flowers in all shapes and sizes and colors, but they may not always match your Pantone# perfectly. For simple arrangements such as hair flowers or corsages, silk flowers can work fine.

Some other questions we get about silk flowers are:

Can I combine silk and fresh flowers in the same bouquet?
-The answer is usually "Yes, but..." It may not result in a balanced design and sticking with one or the other most often looks best.

I bought silk flowers elsewhere, can you arrange them for me?
-Maybe. But it's difficult to determine how many stems will be required for the arrangement you want and you could end up spending more than you would have just purchasing fresh flowers, or allowing the florist to purchase the silk flowers for you.

If you're thinking of silk, talk to a professional florist about the pros and cons for your situation. Most of the time, fresh flowers win out. But for special cases, silk flowers could be a good option if you are careful in selecting the right florist and the right supplier. And keep in mind, prices on silk flowers are extremely varied and good quality stems may cost quite a bit more than fresh flowers. So expect to pay more for a nice-looking silk bouquet.