Real or Fake Flowers?

Do you have a florist that doesn't require you spend a certain amount? If you do that will help big time. Also, it depends on how many people you are having in your wedding and how many flowers you will need. You could always get the flowers you want, but have a smaller bouquet and then do something totally different for your BMs. Boutinierres aren't that expensive so that won't be where most of your money is spent. See if you can find a florist to work with, because they are out there. Mine came highly recommended and they don't require a minimun so we set a limit on what we can spend for flowers and they are working with us on that. I prefer real flowers to fake ones myself, but that is just me. I've been to a wedding where they used all fake and they looked really nice, but I just like the smell of real ones. If you need a site for fake ones, let me know - I can ask that bride where she got hers for you. They did look real!

I personally would choose real flowers any day of the week, but I understand there are budget concerns. A florist can also take a look at the colors you want and offer less expensive flower alternatives. I think any real flowers will look better than fake ones.

Real or Silk flowers can be expensive or inexpensive depending on the place you order your flowers, the arrangement, whether you do them yourselves. What I will suggest is this, Go to my website and enter for the free silk bouquet drawing, if you win that is one less bouquet you need to buy (you can use it for your carry or throw bouquet) so you can free up some money for real flowers. I will tell you that Calla Lillies are very expensive and of course remember seasons matter for flowers so check into that as well. Have you tried calling a florist and telling them your budget?

Best Wishes,

Have you talked to a florist yet about real flowers. I was going to do fake flowers and was hating the idea. My party planner recommened a florist and I was very surprised at how affordable they were. My florist helped me choose flowers that were in season in June. I also wanted calla lilies, however they are $12 a piece. So, I am using some calla lilies, casa blanca lilies, and friesia in my bouquet.

My bouquet $65

bridesmaid $33 (smaller version of mine)

boutonnieres $6.50 (friesia)

corsages $17.00 (friesia)

centerpieces $25.00 (2 calla lilies)

When looking at the cost of fake flowers and the time to put them together the florist was actually a better deal. I won't have a bouquet of just calla lilies but I really like the design the florist came up with better. The one thing I did not change was my centerpieces. However, I am renting the vases from my party planner for only $3 a piece instead of buying them for about $20 a piece.

Thats funny, I would choose fake flowers any day of the week =) I think they are easier to work with, plus i will have my bouquet forever.

Check local places and see what they are going to charge you. If they are so expensive you might not have a choice but to use fake.

I just had this debate with my sister's yesterday. We are going to just buy the potted flowers and grow them. It will proably cost me half the price to do that than to order them. Plust the flowers I originally wanted are not in bloom at that time.

Silk flowers are cheaper then real flowers. Plan a budget for your flowers. If you only want to spend three hundred then you tell that florist.

REAL, REAL, REAL! There is nothing like real flowers! The ones you've chosen are some of the most expensive ones but talk to your florist and call others, too ~ prices vary quite a bit between shops, sometimes the smaller shops have better prices ~ other times they are the highest in town so price shop.

Also be very direct with them - tell them your budget and what flowers you want to use and see what they can come up with to meet your budget...I've had bouquets done with mini-callas for $35 from my local florist so it doesn't have to be the traditional $100 bouquet.

With a little creativity, the right florist and some open-mindedness on your part you can have real flowers and it doesn't have to break the bank

I also plan on having silk flowers because I want flowers that will not be in season for my wedding. Many people have told me that they are cheaper as well as the fact that you can spray fragrant on them and they last forever.

Silk flower and beautiful, reasonable price please check out www.csilkc.com you can also request certain flowers

You could always do real ones on the tables and fake ones in hand or vice verse. I also really want calla lilies and no the cost so that prolly what ill end up doing

I suggest 2 artificial bouquets, one more elegant for you to keep and the other as a throw away for the Bouquet Toss, this way you will be able to keep the one you carry, also you can do this very cheap by buying all the things you need and like to make them right in your local craft store. I don't know if you have a "Dollar Tree" or a "Walmart" where you live but they are best for very little money and ask your friends or attendants to help you make them you can make a day of it when your addressing invitations!

Best Wishes to you Both and Have a great Day! My husband and I did our Wedding for less then $700.00 and we had a blast as did our guest!

I am using real flowers for the bouquets and fake for the centerpieces... i think... lol. BUT evaformart.com has nice fake flowers for really cheap! I ordered some to see how they looked. The roses would work just fine for the centerpieces for me. they might have the flowers you are looking for. Otherwise you could use the latex flowers, but honestly those are just about as expensive as the real thing.

try growersbox.com they sell flowers wholesale. good luck!

I may have a solution for you. I specialize in PRESERVED REAL FLOWERS. My flowers are real flowers that have been specially treated to last a long time with proper care ( out of direct sunlight, away from moisture). I have beautiful burgundy preserved mini callas and white cymbidium and dendrobium orchids, also preserved. I cut out the overhead of a flower ship because I work out of my home studio. I'm sure I can come up with a bouquet design to work in the callas and orchids within your budget. You can cut the costs for the bridal party by having the bouquet you want and providing bouquets for the bridesmaids that can find double use by placing them in vases for centerpieces. Or the bridesmaids can carry small posies or wear wrist corsages of orchids and callas to match your bouquet instead of a large bouquet. There are ways to get the flowers you want yet stay within your budget. Please visit my website for further info or contact me anytime. Thanks and good luck. Liz Ann

Silk floral is very popular and cost effective in todays economy, because quality silk floral looks and feel like fresh flowers. You can have them as a keep sake and/or give to the wedding party, family, and friends. They photograph beautifully and the design will be uniquely yours. How do I know, it is what I do!. Contact Verona or Monica for a free consultation at www.idocreations.com Floral can be previewed before the wedding and shipped anywhere.

Verona and Monica

"I Do" Creations

You could always mix real and fake.

Even if I had the money to do real, I would go with silk. 1. They last forever 2. They can definitely be cheaper if you purchase them when Joann Fabrics or Hobby Lobby has the 50% off sales. 3. You can always sell them when you're done to someone else having a wedding or at a yardsale and make back some of the money!

They don't have to look fake. Just don't buy them at the dollar store. Hobby Lobby and Joann's has some great looking "fakes".

My husband and I also paid for our wedding ourselves and I was in the same situation you are. If I had the money at the time I would have chosen all real flowers. So what I did was I ordered real flowers for my bridal bouquet, toss bouquet, bridal party flowers, and all the boutonnieres. And then I used fake flowers by the altar (no one could tell the difference), I rented tall candle sticks from the church that lined the isle and put long bows on them so I didn't need flowers there, and then at my reception I put bowls with floating candles on top of a mirror with fake flower pedals around the bowl along with my favors for the guests. On the pedals I was able to find a clear glitter paint at Michal's and just painted that on the flowers to make them look more real and sparkly.

Our daughter is getting married in September and we want REAL FLOWERS. The florists are quite expensive, but luckily in our area, there is a supermarket chain that has a floral shop and they do wedding arrangements. YEAH!!!! In Central New York, the name of the supermarket is Price Chopper.

Check supermarkets in your area to see if they have a floral shop.

Good luck! BTW, I'm also a vendor on this site, so if you're looking for wedding invitations online, please look me up:

http://www.creative-assistant.com/weddings.html

We're using real flowers for the bouquets and bout. However, our cake is on a series of cascading stands with clear acrylic tubes going up to each stand. We are putting flowers inside them, and are using fakes. The stand is not watertight, there would be no way to water real ones. And you really can't tell the difference when you are looking through the acrylic.