Choosing Between Real and Silk Flowers
Written by
Jessica Sullivan
Maryland
As if brides today don’t have
enough choices to make regarding flowers, a trend increasing
in popularity today brings forth yet another decision:
should you go with real or silk flowers? Both have benefits,
and both have drawbacks, so the decision can be a tough one
for some brides to be. To assist in your decision, let’s
take a look at what each has to offer.
Real flowers are the traditional route. The way that the
scent of a rose or lilac can fill a room draws many people
to using real flowers. Scents are often tied to emotions,
and as a wedding is one of the most emotion-filled events a
person can ever experience, the emotional factor is another
selling point. The delicate beauty real flowers possess is
usually the main reason many people choose real over silk.
But don’t let this argument fool you; real flowers do have
their drawbacks. Real flowers fade and wilt away after a few
days. For the more sentimental brides, who wish to keep
their bouquet, this factor may push them to consider silk
flowers. Even though real bouquets can be preserved, it is
often a costly process. Cost in general is another drawback.
For brides preferring simple hand-tied bouquets with
seasonal flowers, this is not as much of an issue, but for
those with more exotic tastes in flowers, or those wanting
flowers that aren’t in season, it’s a very real issue. You
can often get the exotic flowers in silk for much less. And
finally, allergies are a major factor. No bride wants to be
sneezing and red-eyed at her wedding. Many people in the
wedding party may be allergic to real flowers, so silk may
be a better option.
Now let’s examine silk flowers. Although not as traditional
of a choice as real flowers, they are becoming more popular.
Today, there are many realistic looking silks out there.
Craft stores sell a wide variety of silks, and you don’t
have to worry about whether or not your choice is in season.
In general, silks are a less expensive alternative to real
flowers. You also save money on preservation. Again, more
sentimental types might want to save their bouquets, and
with silks, there’s no need to spend money on expensive
preservation techniques; your bouquet will always look the
same as it did the day you walked down the aisle.
Additionally, silks are the perfect alternative for allergy
and asthma sufferers; there’s no need for worrying about
carrying tissues in case of an allergy fit (although, silks
won’t eliminate those tears of joy, so keep the tissues
handy anyway!).
As with real flowers, silks do have their drawbacks.
Although they may look just like real flowers, many people
feel that there’s something missing. You can have your silks
scented, but they often won’t match the real flower scent.
And they just don’t “feel” like real flowers. Many people
are drawn away from silk flowers because when you touch
them, they are missing that delicate feeling. The fact that
they aren’t the traditional choice is a drawback to many
people as well. And although in general, they are less
expensive, that is not always the case. They key to
realistic looking silk bouquets is purchasing the higher
quality silks, and that can come with a hefty price tag.
No matter what your preference, real or silk, you can have
beautiful flowers on your wedding day. Before making a
decision on which one is right for you, it’s important to
consider all of your options. Consider what is important to
you in terms of flowers, and make a choice that’s right for
you!
message
boards
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)