Real Flowers vs. Eco-Flowers

pinupbride6189 · June 2015

My wedding next April will (weather permitting) be in a garden with a gazebo and blooms all around. Since there's going to be a good bit of natural floral action happening, I was planning on only using a florist for personal flowers like bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, etc. Do you guys think it would look strange to have eco-flowers instead of regular flowers since it'll be in a garden? Or would it offer kind of a fun contrast? The pictures are kind of rough ideas of what I would want whether I went with natural or eco-flowers.

MesmrEwe · June 2015

Go with what YOU personally want. If you don't want real flowers to create a contrast, that's your choice to make. There are TONS of bouquet-esque types of arrangements out there... Brooches in the center of ribbon/fabric flowers, wood shavings made into flowers, bead flowers, etc.

pinupbride6189 · June 2015

MesmrEwe said:

Go with what YOU personally want. If you don't want real flowers to create a contrast, that's your choice to make. There are TONS of bouquet-esque types of arrangements out there... Brooches in the center of ribbon/fabric flowers, wood shavings made into flowers, bead flowers, etc.

It's not necessarily that I want to create contrast, it's just that I'm having a hard time deciding what it is that I do want. I'll be making the reception centerpieces myself with fabric and lace flowers, but the reception is inside a hall, not out in the garden. Another factor that's kind of playing into this, is that I'm one of three weddings in my family next year, my cousin in February, my sister in March, and then me in April. My cousin and I, inadvertently, have been planning very similarly in terms of color palette and atmosphere. I didn't know that until I went home to visit family last month, and showed her the top picture in my OP. She said, "STOP THE CAR! SHUT UP!" and proceeded to show me damn near the same picture for her flowers. So we came up with the ideas independently of each other, but they're still almost identical. I know that's a really dumb reason to change anything, and if I do decide to go with real flowers, I'm still bringing that picture to the florist, it's just one of those, "Well, shit..." moments. All that being said, I think the eco-flowers are really cool and pretty, and I like the idea of not spending tons of money on something that is going to die. With the eco-flowers, I can put them in a vase on my kitchen table until I get tired of looking at them. lol.

Knottie1432580817 · June 2015

pinupbride6189 said:

My wedding next April will (weather permitting) be in a garden with a gazebo and blooms all around. Since there's going to be a good bit of natural floral action happening, I was planning on only using a florist for personal flowers like bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, etc. Do you guys think it would look strange to have eco-flowers instead of regular flowers since it'll be in a garden? Or would it offer kind of a fun contrast? The pictures are kind of rough ideas of what I would want whether I went with natural or eco-flowers.

The photos you posted look great. Anyway since you are kind of undecided maybe you can order a few samples of different flowers and see what works best for you.

becomingmcclain · June 2015

My personal opinion is that sort of real looking eco flowers would majorly clash against the beautiful real gardens. I would either go with eco flowers that looks very un-natural (like the bright pink "roses" in the third photo you posted) or cary a simple bouquet of real flowers.

Some simple ideas would be roses of the same color, hydrangea of the same color or babies breath.

pinupbride6189 · June 2015

For reference, here is a picture of my ceremony site from their website. I won't be using those same colors, but I figured it would at least give a little more context.

labro · June 2015

becomingmcclain said:

My personal opinion is that sort of real looking eco flowers would majorly clash against the beautiful real gardens. I would either go with eco flowers that looks very un-natural (like the bright pink "roses" in the third photo you posted) or cary a simple bouquet of real flowers.

Some simple ideas would be roses of the same color, hydrangea of the same color or babies breath.

I agree with all of this. I think the eco flowers would kind of clash, especially in such a beautiful, natural setting. Your flower budget shouldn't be too overblown since you already have so much natural color. You could stick with really simple bouquets of roses and hydrangeas or just all hydrangeas/all roses like @becomingmcclain suggested.

fyrchk · June 2015

I am loving the eco-flowers. I am doing eco-flowers in our reception hall and outside. I say you do what YOU want to do.

One of the things that helped me decide is that I have thought back to the many weddings I've been in and been to. I cannot for the life of me remember the flowers or centerpieces with the exception of one wedding. And for that wedding, I only remember the centerpieces because they were unlike any I had ever seen. (Probably because that wedding was close to $1million.) But, I had hoped that my eco-flowers would stand out or at the very least, I wouldn't spend a ton of money on something no one remembers. Just my thought...

Knottie45547263 · June 2015

I'll think it'll clash with all the natural beauty around you.

lachattefatale · June 2015

Go with the real flowers. If you want to keep them after the fact, you can dry or press them. If you and your cousin have nearly identical weddings...honestly, it's kind of awesome to know someone whose taste is so similar to your own. Cherish it.

CMGragain · June 2015

Somebody please educate me! What the heck are "eco-flowers". What are they made from?
Natural flowers are as eco-friendly as you can get!

pinupbride6189 · June 2015

CMGragain said:

Somebody please educate me! What the heck are "eco-flowers". What are they made from?
Natural flowers are as eco-friendly as you can get!

@CMGragain here's a link to their website. They are made from recycled and sustainable materials.

http://ecoflower.com/

abbyandjade · June 2015

Don't get me wrong -- I love the eco-flowers!

However, I do think that the real ones would look better in that setting.

pinupbride6189 · June 2015

I think I'm beginning to agree with all of you. I think given the setting the natural flowers would be better.

CMGragain · June 2015

Natural flowers recycle, too. Artificial flowers are fine, but I just have a preference for natural flowers.

iloveu4ever · June 2015

Love eco flowers. It would be different yet beautiful.

Knottie1434114400 · June 2015

I think that it's better to use eco flowers. Of course it's your day and it's your choice but I would not spoil so many flowers for some ceremony.

melbenso · June 2015

Use whatever you want. No one will think twice about you using ecoflowers. I got married outdoors at a gazebo. I used real flowers for our bouquets/bouts, but wound fake flowers that matched our bouquets around the gazebo entrance and hung some ferns in it. I've attached a picture where you can see both types.

Knottie1434347718 · June 2015

I would definitely discard anything unreal if it were my wedding.

carpediem10 · June 2015

You should do what ever you want. If you like it, then who cares. People may not even notice honestly. There were a lot of things that I thought my guests would notice that they did not.

If you were thinking about this for cost saving options, think about silk flowers. I paid $300 for all of my wedding party flowers (an there were a lot). When I told everyone that they were fake, they were shocked... they were much lighter too.

Plus- now I can keep them and they will always look fresh

marriedwithpoodles · June 2015

I vote for natural flowers, mostly because I think eco flowers would give you competing elements. You shouldn't need many since the venue is already full of so many beautiful natural flowers. Either way, it's a lovely garden and your wedding will be beautiful

ETA: I'm also getting married next April at a garden!

pinupbride6189 · June 2015

DallasBtoBe said:

I vote for natural flowers, mostly because I think eco flowers would give you competing elements. You shouldn't need many since the venue is already full of so many beautiful natural flowers. Either way, it's a lovely garden and your wedding will be beautiful

ETA: I'm also getting married next April at a garden!

Yeah, I think I feel the same way after considering things. Maybe I'll just buy myself a bouquet from eco flowers to quench the craving as it were, and stick to the real flowers for the wedding. It will match the style a little better that way. And to the bolded, thank you!

FutureMrsPlasters · June 2015

Do you know what will actually be in bloom in April? Even here in the South, there was not much blooming this last April.

I used to live in the PNW and absolutely LOVED 2 things about living there- lilacs and the tulips in the tulip fields http://www.tulipfestival.org/.

My daughter was born in late April and a friend would bring me lilacs for her birthday party if they were blooming but many years they hadn't bloomed yet. I used to take my kiddo to the Tulip fields to take her photo for her birthday and some years those weren't even blooming...

Just something to consider- if things are not really blooming yet then you may want to go the route that will let you have the most flowers/ color.

WildMagelet · June 2015

I'd either do real flowers in the garden or something else entirely. I think faux flowers are great alternatives but they clash with venues that have large quantities of natural florals.

Confession: We got married at a mansion with a garden and we ended up skipping the flowers entirely. There were plenty of blooms around us on the grounds without putting any in our hands/on vases. H & I held hands during the ceremony.

kimmiinthemitten · June 2015

Your eco-flower bouquet photos are really cool, I just can't get past their name. It's like "vegan leather." LOL. Something recycled is ecologically friendly, but isn't as ecological as the real deal.

I agree with the PP, real flowers would probably look best in a natural garden, and best of all you probably won't need much because it's so pretty already!

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