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!