Silk vs Fresh Flowers

Advantages and disadvantages of using silk flowers instead of fresh flowers for your vow renewal

A lot of people have the preconception that silk flowers are less expensive than fresh flowers. However, this may or may not be true.  It is important to do your research when looking to silk flowers as a way to save money. Silk flowers are obviously hardier than fresh flowers, but they are not less expensive or a better option in all cases. There are a number of factors that you need to take into account when deciding between silk or fresh flowers for your bouquets, centerpieces and other wedding décor including allergies, hardiness, availability, beauty, and price.

Allergies

Does the very thought of flowers make you sneeze?  If so, then silk flowers will enable you to have all the beauty of flowers without the itchy watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, coughing, and even hives or a rash that a flower allergy can bring on. And while you could take allergy medication, who want to chance an allergy attack on this special day?

Hardiness

One of the best reasons for choosing silk wedding flowers is because they are durable, giving you advantages in temperature extremes, handling, and longevity. If you are planning a wedding that will take place during the peak of summer or the dead of winter, the temperature extremes become a concern with fresh flowers. Fresh flowers are prone to dying quickly in either condition making transportation of them to the ceremony, and reception challenging and their beauty tends not to last long in the heat of an outdoor event. Silk flowers, on the other hand, are not susceptible to these conditions, so they will not wilt or freeze, are easy to transport, and can be set up hours before the ceremony and reception are set to start. Silk flowers are good for the DIYer since silk bouquets and arrangements can be made months ahead of time and are easier to arrange since broken stems and crushed flowers aren’t an issue.  On the same note, they make a nice keepsake since your silk flowers will stay looking just as they did for your vow renewal for many years, unlike fresh flowers which are very expensive to preserve.

Availability

Are your favorite flowers out of season when you’re planning on having your vow renewal?  No worries!  Silk flowers are always in season.  Out of season fresh flowers are very expensive since they have to be imported.  Where if you use silks, you can have any kind of flowers your heart desires, without any issue.

Beauty

Silk flowers have come a long way over the years in looks, but they will never be a perfect match for mother nature.  Fresh flowers are incredibly beautiful and smell wonderful.  Granted, you can have a scent applied to your silk flowers, but it’s simply not the same as their natural fragrance.  Silk flowers appear very realistic from a distance, but up close you will always be able to tell that even the highest quality ones aren’t real.   If the look and smell of fresh flowers have from being alive is important to you, then forgo silks as you won’t be truly happy with the silk ones.

Price

Silk flowers can be less expensive than fresh flowers, but not always.   There are a few considerations in the cost equation:

• Do you want to assemble your own arrangements, boutonnieres, corsages, and bouquets? If the answer is yes, then silks may be less expensive since you can save on labor costs for a florist.
• Are you wanting exotic or out of season flowers? If the answer is yes, then silks may be less expensive since their silk versions are more readily available.
• Do you want common types of in-season flowers?  If the answer is yes, then you’re probably better off using fresh flowers since more common fresh flowers, such as roses and daisies, tend to be less expensive than their silk versions.

Both budget fresh and silk flowers are available online, so it’s important to price your options in both varieties to determine whether silk or fresh is less expensive for what you are wanting.  It’s also a good idea to compare prices from a number of vendors!