Bride on a Budget

Fake flowers.

Yes, I said it.

Fake flowers.

It is probably a very unpopular opinion, but for me… it works.

Now, the obvious upside of using fake flowers for your wedding is that the cost is most likely going to be much cheaper than getting real flowers. I didn’t do the math— but I don’t have to. I use to work as a florist, so I know how much wedding bouquets and arrangements cost. I also know how much fake flowers can cost. Depending on where you go, they are significantly cheaper.

While cost definitely played a role in my decision to get fake flowers, I would choose it a thousand times over because fake flowers don’t die. I am not the greatest at keeping plants alive, so the floral arrangements in my house are fake. And I tell my fiancé that if he wants to get me flowers that I prefer to get Lego flowers or fake flowers. That way, I can have fun building them (if they’re legos) and we can build them together. Or, I can stare at those flowers every day and keep that memory alive because the flowers never die. My fiancé gets me a single flower every Valentine’s Day, and I love it— plus, I love getting to see the vase I’ve collected them in grow.

I want my wedding day to be the same. I hold onto things — maybe a little too tightly — but I just love the memories that they hold. Part of me fears that one day I’ll start forgetting things, so I cling onto the tangible so that I’ll always remember. It’s just always been the type of person I am. I love to collect things and keep things, so fake flowers make me so much happier than real flowers because I know that I get to keep that forever… and, to me, that’s more special and thoughtful. Because I’m getting something I can hold onto no matter the time that has passed.

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love real flowers, too. They are beautiful and they smell amazing. And, as a former florist, I can say that I admire the work of florists. It is not an easy job. But it is very rewarding. I enjoyed being a florist very much to the point where it rarely felt like work. I admit that I sometimes did buy real flowers when I was working as a florist because I would fall in love with the flowers as I made them into arrangements or centerpieces. I definitely had quite a few of my own centerpieces on the dinner table at the holidays…

But, it always made me so sad when the flowers died and I had to say goodbye to the centerpieces that I made. Of course, we cherished the centerpieces and loved them while they were on the table as decoration… and we took plenty of pictures! But not being able to keep that forever always made me feel bad.

I will say, I also do really love to receive real flowers because someone still took the time to pick them out and think of me. If I ever get them, I think it is a really thoughtful gift. And I love it so much. However, I just get sad when they die. So the people that know me very well know that I like fake flowers so that I can keep them forever. Even flowers that can be planted outside are also good because they come back every year if they are annuals!

Not everyone thinks this way, and that is perfectly fine. Some people prefer to keep the memories but don’t need to hold onto something to prove that those memories exist. They know that those events happen and they don’t need to hold onto a bouquet of fake flowers to remind them that it was real or that it happened. I do… because I never want to forget! So that’s why this is the perfect choice for me!

So, for my wedding, I will be doing fake flowers! I am making my own table centerpieces with fake flowers so that I can decorate my house with them after. And every time I see those decorations, I’ll remember one of the best days of my life. I want to keep my wedding bouquet forever so that I can look at it whenever I want and show my children and grandchildren. That is something that I can touch and hold forever, outside of my memories and photographs.

My sister was also a florist, so I am beyond excited to be able to go to the craft store with her and pick out the flowers that I want. We are going to be making the arrangements together, so it will be fun way to bond! What is great about using fake flowers is that we can also make our arrangements and bouquets as far in advance as we want! The flowers won’t die on us, so we can have everything prepared and ready for the day without worries. We can also see in real time if the colors we chose are everything we imagined in our minds! And, if it’s not, we can easily change them. We don’t have to worry about the status of our flowers or wonder when they will be delivered. It’s a great DIY project that can be more fun than stressful!

However, the decision of what you will be getting for flowers will also depend on the amount of flowers that you will be needing for your wedding and how central those flowers are going to be. As much as I stand with fake flowers for my own sentimental reasons, it is not always practical. If your wedding’s theme is literally “floral” and you want flowers lining every orifice, maybe real flowers (despite cost) is the way to go. There’s a lot you can do with real flowers, and it might even be cheaper in the long-run if you are able to get a bulk deal from a florist, versus if you are trying to get all your fake flowers on your own.

For me, the fake flowers makes sense for a small wedding, like the one that I will be having. I only have to make 7 centerpieces, a bouquet, corsages, and boutonnières. I don’t need a lot, which is what’s going to keep my costs low.

If I was going a different route and decided my florals were my main focus or I was having an even larger wedding, I would pivot a little bit. I would do my bouquet, corsages, and boutonnières in fake flowers that way I could still have something special to keep. And I would probably do centerpieces and other floral decorations as real flowers. I might even decide to make one fake flower centerpiece so that I can still have at least one of those. That way, I could still keep the flowers that I felt were most important to me.

Other ways to keep your flowers, if you’re sentimental like me, but absolutely hate the idea of fake flowers for a wedding, you can opt to press your flowers.

Now, I am not discounting florists or the amazing work that they do. Real flowers are beautiful and definitely have a place in weddings and special events, and even just on the daily to lighten someone’s day. If you have the money and just want fresh flowers, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. And, in fact, I encourage it. Do what makes you happy! Flowers make the world so beautiful and have the ability to put a smile on peoples faces!

For me, it wasn’t about saving money. It was about having something I could hold onto. But, as a bride on a budget, it makes sense to include the flowers in its own little discussion because, yes, while I wanted fake flowers so that I can keep them forever, a plus side is definitely that it keeps costs low.

~Sincerely and best wishes,

A Bride on a Budget