Silk Flowers vs. Real Flowers
It may seem an easy decision choosing whether to have silk or real flowers for your wedding is more difficult than it
appears. Both have their advantages and disadvantages - it's just a matter of deciding which of those attributes works
best for your wedding. Ultimately choosing silk or real flowers comes down to cost, durability, appearance and
convenience. To help make the decision easier here are the advantages of both silk and real flowers.
Silk Flower Advantages
Look fresh all day long (won't wilt or turn brown)
Last forever (make a great keepsake)
Less expensive than real flowers
Non-allergenic
Can be received weeks ahead of the wedding
Don't attract insects
Don't need to be refrigerated Can You Tell the Difference?
Can be easily transported
Always in season (large, readily available variety)
Lighter to carry than real flowers
Real Flower Advantages
The heavenly scent
Exquisite detail
Soft and delicate to the touch
More vendors to choose from
More traditional than silk flowers
Photograph extremely well (especially in close-ups)
Large variety of type and color
More luxurious than silk flowers
Can be preserved (freeze dried)
The emotions they evoke (the sentimental value)
One major advantage silk flowers have over real flowers is the early delivery - if there are any problems they can be
fixed in plenty of time. Conversely, real flowers are delivered the day of the wedding, so if the flowers are less than
perfect you're stuck with them. While many silk flowers are incredibly realistic (in some cases, indistinguishable from
real flowers), for most brides, only real flowers will do.
At my wedding I used both silk and real flowers. Some real flowers just don't last all day. My bouquet and cake topper
had silk mixed with real flowers. I was able to keep the silk and still enjoy seeing them on display in a vase, even after
20 years!
It may seem an easy decision choosing whether to have silk or real flowers for your wedding is more difficult than it
appears. Both have their advantages and disadvantages - it's just a matter of deciding which of those attributes works
best for your wedding. Ultimately choosing silk or real flowers comes down to cost, durability, appearance and
convenience. To help make the decision easier here are the advantages of both silk and real flowers.
Silk Flower Advantages
Look fresh all day long (won't wilt or turn brown)
Last forever (make a great keepsake)
Less expensive than real flowers
Non-allergenic
Can be received weeks ahead of the wedding
Don't attract insects
Don't need to be refrigerated Can You Tell the Difference?
Can be easily transported
Always in season (large, readily available variety)
Lighter to carry than real flowers
Real Flower Advantages
The heavenly scent
Exquisite detail
Soft and delicate to the touch
More vendors to choose from
More traditional than silk flowers
Photograph extremely well (especially in close-ups)
Large variety of type and color
More luxurious than silk flowers
Can be preserved (freeze dried)
The emotions they evoke (the sentimental value)
One major advantage silk flowers have over real flowers is the early delivery - if there are any problems they can be
fixed in plenty of time. Conversely, real flowers are delivered the day of the wedding, so if the flowers are less than
perfect you're stuck with them. While many silk flowers are incredibly realistic (in some cases, indistinguishable from
real flowers), for most brides, only real flowers will do.
At my wedding I used both silk and real flowers. Some real flowers just don't last all day. My bouquet and cake topper
had silk mixed with real flowers. I was able to keep the silk and still enjoy seeing them on display in a vase, even after
20 years!
| Copyright © 2009 Carolyn Burke - Wedding Liaison |
