This is going to be controversial – but there’s one clear choice when deciding on flowers for your wedding.
I’m begging you to steer clear of the silk “faux” flowers for your wedding and opt for real blooms.
Listen, I get it – you’ve been told:
“No one can tell the difference.”
“They’ll droop by the reception anyway.”
“Then you’ll be able to save them forever!”
Fact – we can see the difference! ESPECIALLY as your wedding photographers. 
We’re going to be up close and personal for detail images, and there’s just no comparison.
Fact – you can save them forever anyway! Keep reading 😉
Fresh versus Fake Wedding Flowers: Cost Comparison
Using silk or other types of faux flowers is often touted as a way to save money for your wedding. This is a common misconception. Believe it or not, really good fake flowers made of silk are often more expensive than real flowers!
Additionally, even if you go for high-end faux flowers, it’s easy to tell your flowers are fake from a close distance. If you’re having a small, intimate wedding, your guests will definitely be able to tell the difference.
If you’re looking for ways to stretch your flower budget, look for ways to reuse your flowers. Can the flowers from your ceremony arch be reused at the reception?
Make Your Wedding More Eco-FriendlyWith Fresh Flowers
Additionally, using locally-grown seasonal flowers is a great way to keep your wedding eco-friendly! Plastic flowers typically aren’t recyclable and end up in landfills when they’re no longer needed. While you may plan to preserve your bouquet forever, your bridal party probably isn’t planning to do the same.
If you plan to use real flowers but are looking to keep things sustainable, here are a couple of tips:
Use a local florist or flower farm. Shopping local means your blooms won’t ship as far, which is both good for the environment and good for the freshness of your bouquets. (Protea Floral in the Keweenaw sources many of their summer flowers locally.)
Consider choosing flowers and foliage that are naturally in season when you’re getting married. Growing flowers naturally uses a lot less energy, water, and chemicals than ‘forcing’ them to grow out of season (source).
If you’re wondering what wedding flowers will be in season for your big day, Michigan Wedding Guide has a great list here.
The Best Alternative to Real Flowers For Your Wedding
If you decide real blooms just aren’t the right option for you, consider wooden flowers instead! The best faux flowers we’ve seen are by the company Sola Wood Flowers.
Cory and Gabrielle used Sola wooden flowers for their intimate Pictured Rocks wedding, and they were truly stunning. The petals aren’t stiff, but velvety and soft to the touch similar to real petals. One of the top things I hear brides comment on is how heavy their bouquets get during portrait time after the ceremony, but Gabby’s bouquet was extremely lightweight. Additionally, it was 80+ degrees and humid on their wedding day, but the florals held up beautifully all day in the August heat.
Preserve Your Wedding Bouquet
If you’re looking for a way to keep your flowers forever, consider entrusting your bouquet to Shawna at The Evermore Floweret, a Michigan-based company specializing in wedding bouquet preservation!
In closing:
At the end of the day, it’s true that what flowers you have at your wedding are just a small detail in a whirlwind of a day. However, you’ve spent so many months planning to make this a beautiful experience for you and your guests, so elevate your wedding one step by using real flowers.
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