Real vs. Fake Wedding Flowers: What You Need to Know

Flowers are one of the most iconic wedding decorations, used for everything from the wedding ceremony arch to reception centerpieces. Decorating with flowers is an effective way to lend a touch of natural beauty to your big day!

There are pros and cons to choosing fake wedding flowers versus real wedding flowers - but which should you decide on for your wedding? We're here to help you weigh the choice. Keep reading to learn whether real or fake flowers best align with your wedding vision.

Kennedy Blue Bridesmaid Dresses in "Cinnamon" | Santiago Murillo Photography

Why Would I Get Fake Wedding Flowers?

In more recent years, fake wedding flowers have become a popular alternative, and the options have gotten much more realistic. Choosing fake flowers for your wedding is a great way to cut down on costs without compromising on beauty! Below are some of the reasons that you might consider featuring fake flowers at your wedding.

Average Costs of Wedding Flowers

One big deciding factor for real vs. fake flowers is the cost. Wedding experts and recent brides alike will tell you that when it comes to wedding expenses, flowers are a doozy!

Real wedding flowers: Most couples spend between $700 to $2500 dollars on real wedding flowers, with $1500 as the average.
Fake wedding flowers: The range is around $500 to $1000 for fake wedding flowers.

There is no doubt that real flowers are much more expensive than fake wedding flowers. If you are hoping to get wedding flowers on a budget, fake wedding flowers will free up some of your money to use for other areas of your event, or even for your honeymoon!

Kennedy Blue Bridesmaid Dresses in Sky | Nicole Catherine Photography

Endless Artificial Floral Options to Choose from

Faux flower options have only grown in recent years, with more realistic-looking options than we've seen in the past. We've seen beautiful examples of:

Silk flowers
Wood flowers
Rental bouquets
Foam flowers
Wax-coated flowers
Dried flower decor
...and more!

We'll walk you through some of our favorite choices below, but for now, here are 10 reasons to choose artificial wedding flowers:

1) Fake Wedding Flowers Come in Every Color

Our favorite reason to opt for fake wedding flowers is that you can find them in almost any color you want! You can have purple roses, red hydrangeas, or blue tulips. Not only will this lend a unique look to your event, but it will allow you to match the color of your bridesmaid dresses. If you want to ensure that your fake wedding flowers will match your Kennedy Blue bridesmaid dresses, take advantage of our color swatches.

Kennedy Blue Bridesmaid Dress in "Spice" / Tonya Hjort Photography

2) Buying Artificial Flowers Helps Spread out Wedding Costs

We've already gone over how much you can save using artificial wedding flowers, but another advantage is that they can be pre-ordered months in advance. This can alleviate the massive bulk of wedding costs that tends to land in the few weeks surrounding your wedding day.

Pay for them to be delivered well in advance of your event, and you might save some money in the case of a sale. If anything, it will help spread out the cost and make the payments less burdensome.

3) Fake Wedding Flowers are More Durable

It will take much more than a gust of wind or some light rain to cause any significant damage to fake wedding flowers. By design, they are much more sturdy and durable than any real flower. If you are planning to have an outdoor wedding, fake flowers will free you up from the stress that comes with unpredictable weather, and you can rest easy trusting that your decor will remain intact all day long.

The Tarnos

4) You Can Buy Fake Greenery and Flowers in Bulk

If you have plans to feature greenery or a large array of flowers at your event, consider purchasing in bulk. This is a great option if your decor of choice will be garland, which is often used on long banquet tables at wedding receptions. They will look real, but by buying in bulk you will also save a lot of money. If you're lucky, you might also be able to resell your bulk goods once your event is over!

Peridot South Photos | Kennedy Blue Real Weddings

5) No Worries about "Out of Season" Wedding Flower Costs

Designing arrangements and bouquets are ultimately up to your wedding florist, but most couples have an idea of what they want - most often, a specific look, theme, or flower.

When it comes to real flowers, however, there are costs associated with whether or not a bloom is in-season. If it's not, the price goes up. Thankfully, fake flowers allow you to choose any flower in the world, irrespective of whether it is in season or if it even grows in your country!

6) Fake Wedding Flowers are Allergen-Free

For some guests, real flowers present a problem in the form of allergies. While this isn't always a huge concern, it is an appreciated thought - especially if it is a problem that plagues someone in your wedding party, such as the maid of honor, a groomsman, or your mother-in-law.

If a member of your wedding party is going to be carrying or wearing the flowers all day, fake flowers will allow them to fully enjoy your wedding day without any worries or discomfort!

Calli Brown Photography | Kennedy Blue Real Weddings

7) Flower Rentals Allow You to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Renting blooms is an alternative to buying fake flowers for your wedding. This is an excellent option for those wanting to be eco-friendly and create less waste!

First, you'll browse through a catalog of pre-designed bridal bouquets made from silk flowers and choose the one which you would like. The company will pack the flowers and ship them to you. After the wedding, all you need to do is ship the bouquet back. All this can be made possible by paying a very nominal rental fee of about $50 - far less than what you would pay for a bouquet of real flowers. The best part is that the flowers will then be reused in a future wedding, rather than getting tossed into the trash the very next day.

Emily Easton

8) Your Wedding Guests Won't Notice (or Care)

Real flowers do look more natural, but most of today's artificial flowers don't scream fake. The likelihood that your guests will notice that your flowers are fake is marginal - after all, how many people are really touching and smelling the centerpieces? And even if they do notice, they probably won't care. Your guests' focus is more likely to be on the open bar and food or appetizers. After all, this is your wedding - so don't spend any time worrying about what anyone else will think!

Kennedy Blue Bridesmaid Dresses in Wisteria | Amanda and Chad Photography

9) Use Your Fake Flowers to Create a Wedding Keepsake

The worst part about getting real wedding flowers is that they will likely go to waste once the event is over. Granted, you could donate them to a nursing home to make someone's day - but that's another task on your to-do list.

If you go with fake flowers, you will have the option of taking them home. You can use the flowers to decorate your place, or even gift them to friends or family. They are also much easier to hold on to as keepsake, considering they won't ever shrivel up and fall to pieces.

Kennedy Blue Iris Bridesmaid Dress in "Navy" | Deidra Mckenzie Photography
(featuring wood wedding flowers)

10) Endless Options for Materials

Silk wedding flowers are one of the most well-known flower options for your event, with countless designs and colors. With Etsy, you can get some truly natural-looking flowers, and at a very reasonable price. Whether you want to use silk flowers for centerpieces or for your bridal bouquet, Etsy has some amazing options. You can purchase pre-made arrangements, or singular blooms to create a design of your very own.

Outside of silk, there are other options as well! More recently, wood flowers have become popular. You can also find them made from polyester, nylon, and other types of fabrics. Fake flowers can even be made from tissue or paper for an especially unique look that your guests are sure to appreciate.

For brides who want to be more unconventional in their choice, there are other options as well. Succulents, seashells, and other choices can add a truly unique look to your wedding flower choices.

Kennedy Blue Bridesmaid Dress in "Rosewood" / The Tarnos

Artificial Wedding Flowers We Love

We've picked out some of the best wedding flowers for you to choose from. Whether you choose real or fake flowers for your wedding, we want you to know what options are available to you. If you're in the market for cheap wedding flowers, we've got some favorites that won't look cheap. Get ready for some of the best budget wedding flowers on the market right now!

1) Silk Wedding Flowers

We can't believe how realistic these silk flower bouquets are! They come in a variety of sizes and combinations - everything from silk boutonnieres to silk flower corsages and hair combs. The cascading faux eucalyptus is also a nice touch for your fake wedding bouquet.

Silk Wedding Bouquet | Etsy

2) Wood Wedding Flowers

We are very impressed with this wood bridal bouquet! Woodland Flower Co offers a variety of wood options in many different colors (pictured here in an ivory, apricot, and copper color combo). As far as artificial wedding bouquets go, the durability and beauty is unmatched! Wood flowers act as the perfect wedding flower decor.

Wood Wedding Flowers | Etsy

3) Wedding Greenery

Wedding garland looks perfect running across long tables, across wedding archways, and on entryways. We love the assortment that this Etsy seller offers! Available in different greenery types (such as Eucalyptus and Boxwood), these realistic faux wedding flowers will have your guests fooled. You can also choose between softer greens and brighter ones depending on your wedding colors.

Wedding Greenery | Etsy

For a greenery option with faux flowers included in the display, we really like this lush-looking lamb's ear garland. The combo with eucalyptus is stunning, and the lambs ear softens the look along with the gorgeous flowers.

Wedding Greenery with Flowers | Etsy

4) Artificial Wedding Flower Centerpieces

As far as artificial wedding flowers go, we love how realistic these faux peonies are. These wedding flower centerpieces are bestsellers, and feature acrylic water for a no-mess solution to wedding decorating. If you prefer, you can also order the centerpiece without a vase so that you can choose your own in order to better match your color scheme. It's a win-win!

Artificial Wedding Flower Centerpiece | Etsy

5) Wedding Arch Flowers

One of the most visible places for flowers at your wedding is the wedding arch, where all eyes will be on you during the ceremony! Your arch decor can be your largest wedding flower cost since they tend to be the biggest blooms.

In terms of budget wedding flowers, Etsy has endless options for a flower arch, and the best part is that most sellers will customize your order to match your preferences. Our favorite floral arch is this one - an elegant, luxe set of faux arch flowers that look very real!

Wedding Arch Flowers | Etsy

6) Fake Flower Petals For the Flower Girl

Fake rose petals are an excellent choice for the wedding, even if you decide to go with real flowers for your bouquet or other decor. Once your flower petals hit the ground after being thrown by the flower girl, the delicate petals will crumble and shred as soon as the guests start to walk around.

Fake flower petals don't pose the same problem, leaving them intact even after a few footprints land on them! We love these realistic-looking petals from the Magical Wedding Store.

Fake Flower Petals | Etsy

7) Paper Wedding Flowers

If you had told us that these wedding flower arrangements were made from paper, we would not have believed you! Made from Mulberry paper, these blooms are durable and perfect keepsakes for after the wedding. They come in many different colors to suit your theme!

Paper Wedding Flower Bouquet | Etsy

If you are seeking a wedding flower arrangement that is more obviously paper, we adore the idea of custom flowers made from book pages. These are perfect for bookworms, or those that wish to have a special or romantic message or song lyric embedded in their bouquet. They are truly one-of-a-kind and serve as a cherished keepsake after the wedding!

Book Bouquet Paper Flowers | Etsy

Choosing between real and fake flowers can be a difficult choice! But by considering these factors, hopefully you will be able to make a confident decision. If necessary, ask your friends and family about what they think of real versus fake wedding flowers. But in the end, remember that it is your event and your happiness is what matters most!

Real or Fake Wedding Flowers?

What are your thoughts on real or fake wedding flowers? Let's chat! Tell us about your experiences with both, and let us know what amazing options you have seen at the weddings you've planned or attended. What are the pros and cons of fake wedding flowers?

Let us know your thoughts or decisions in the comment section below!

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Need some wedding inspiration before you dive into researching wedding flowers? Check out our 2023 Wedding Color Inspiration Guide to help spark your creativity. Here you will find the latest color trends and combinations, with options for every type of bride.

Stacy Parker

January 13, 2023 10:35

I’ve been a wedding planner and florist for 20 years. There are a few more things to keep in mind among all of this great information. While yes, you can usually get fake flowers cheaper than real flowers, sometimes the quality isn’t the same. Some fake flowers look, well, fake. But that’s subjective. I could think something is beautiful and the next person could think they look plastic. It’s your personal preference! I only mention it because super realistic looking fake flowers can be very pricy if you’re not going to rent them. I’ve seen one Real Touch rose stem be more than $5 whereas the same fresh rose could be purchased for around $2/stem. Also, be realistic with your expectations in light of your budget. $1500 in either fresh or fake only goes so far. That’s often the budget for personal flowers and maybe a couple of ceremony arrangements or very simple centerpieces. Arches, large ceremony arrangements, flower-heavy centerpieces (especially elaborate ones), etc. will cost anywhere from $4000-$10,000 and up depending on your flower type and the number of things you need, number of tables you have, etc. You can 100% do wedding flowers for $500-$1500! Just keep your wish list in line with that. Happy planning!

Avery W.

April 28, 2022 18:55

I’m so glad I ran to this article because I’ve been giving my mom mother’s Day flowers for years and she always complained how quickly they die so could you recommend anyone.. a great place to get silk flowers for mother’s day

Hannah Mayer

June 28, 2020 10:47

Wow!! These were so cute! I love the idea of fake flowers because it takes so much hassle out of the day

Mallory

June 27, 2020 17:55

Renting fake flowers would be a great option!

Emilie

June 18, 2020 12:14

We will be doing the Sola wood flowers for ours!

Ruthie

Doing a combination of dried and fake but still deciding on fake. Many pros on fake.

Heather

June 14, 2020 08:44

Definitely will be doing a combo of real and fake!

Mirada

May 28, 2020 10:38

I am so glad I found this article. I have been debating on wether or not to get real or fake flowers for my wedding. I’m artsy so I figured I could make my own bouquets but was worried it would still be just as expensive as real flowers in the end. I had NO IDEA you could rent wedding flowers! Some of them look so real and beautiful too! Definitely going with that option.

Brianna M

May 11, 2020 10:34

This just confirmed my debate! Thanks alot! Fake flowers for sure