Which Artificial Flowers Don't Look Fake? The Difference Between Realistic and Artificial-Looking Faux Flowers.

2022.07.01 published

The Peak of Artificial Flowers...?

It seems that artificial flowers are becoming more common at weddings for bouquets than they used to be.

Artificial flowers used to be mainly utilized by companies for events (like long-term outdoor events, etc.), but

✅ Since it's just for photos, as long as it looks fine, there's no need for fresh flowers.

✅ Artificial flowers that can be kept forever without wilting are preferable.

✅ Since there's no strong preference for fresh flowers, artificial ones are fine.

✅ Compared to fresh flower bouquets, the selling price is cheaper.

For these reasons, brides are increasingly choosing artificial flowers for their weddings.

If you use them, it might be better to choose those that look less like artificial flowers.

Since artificial flowers can be rented, they can be borrowed much cheaper than buying them outright... Moreover, the completed form can be seen in advance. Artificial flowers are not affected by seasonality, allowing for the use of winter and summer flowers at the same time, and they're durable, so there's no need to handle them with care (they can withstand long photo shoots without any issue).

... While there are many perks unique to artificial flowers, there are a few points I think should be noted.

For example, fraying of the fabric, wrinkles in the petals, and bending can create an atmosphere that subtly implies, "This is definitely not real," making it look somewhat tacky.

That’s something we want to avoid, right...?

(By the way, I often hear the opinion that "artificial flowers are cheaper, so it's for saving money," but in reality, artificial flowers can surprisingly be expensive, and sometimes fresh flowers can be cheaper. However, that's in terms of the selling prices at florists and artificial flower shops, which relates to material costs, separate from the selling price...)

Therefore, when using artificial flowers, I personally think it would be good to choose flowers that don’t look too much like artificial ones.

Based on my judgment, having seen many artificial and fresh flowers, I have a sense of "this is clearly an artificial flower" vs. "this is hard to tell it's artificial," so I’ll summarize them.

First, let’s start with flowers that can easily be distinguished as artificial!

By paying attention to such characteristics and flower materials, you might be able to choose artificial flowers that look less fake.

↓↓↓↓↓↓

① Roses

Roses are indeed the king of flowers, and because everyone has "seen the real thing," there is a tendency to notice the cut of the petals more easily.

(I personally find it really noticeable. This one ⬇️ is crushed...!)

② Baby's Breath

It seems that there are hardly any artificial flowers that really resemble real baby's breath.

The white flower parts of baby’s breath are often made of silicone, but they inevitably end up looking rubbery and don't appear realistic. Many look like food samples.

Therefore, when looking at examples of bouquets from artificial flower shops, it seems that bouquets with baby's breath are relatively scarce.

When viewed from a distance during a shoot, it might not be an issue.

③ Hydrangeas

The flower language of hydrangeas is "family" and "harmony," probably because of the many small petals grouped together...

A large number of small flowers means many edges of petals... which is why it may be a difficult type of flower to replicate as artificial flowers.

Fraying is often noticeable.

Does anyone else feel the same? Most hydrangea artificial flowers are made of fabric, but real hydrangeas don't have that fabric-like texture. They’ve more of a silky feel, don’t you think?

I recently went to an artificial flower shop, and high-quality, cute hydrangea artificial flowers are really expensive...! About 4000 yen for a single stem....

Due to budget constraints, it’s tough to use something that expensive, so the cheaper ones are often used more, which might make them more noticeable.

④ Poppies

They are indeed popular materials.

Real flowers are unique in shape due to being natural, but artificial flowers are standardized and all look the same, which inevitably gives off a copy-like feeling. For example, in the flowers from this photo, the stems all have the same spiral shape, which feels unnatural, doesn’t it...?

The petals of this flower type spin like a propeller, but sometimes all the petals overlap in the same place.

Such occurrences do not happen with real flowers, so it makes you think “huh...?” and requires attention when taking photos.

(As a solution, you might want to secure them with a glue gun or something.)

⑤ Ranunculus

Lux Ranunculus. Such a cute flower.

It is also a popular product among artificial flowers, but the texture is quite different from that of real lux ranunculus.

Purely looking at it in isolation, it’s a cute product, but I think it doesn't feel quite right compared to real lux ranunculus.

Additionally...

✅ Mimosa

✅ Oncidium

✅ Blue Star

I also feel that among artificial flowers (high-quality fake flowers), the texture is quite different from the real ones, so I tend not to choose them when delicacy is crucial.

Also, as with any artificial flower, after time has passed since purchase, if stored for a long time it tends to become wrinkled, bent, and frayed, or small flowers might fall off from the adhesive areas, leading to deterioration in appearance.

Conversely, which artificial flowers do I think look more like the real thing?

Here, I've considered the types of flowers that look realistic even as artificial ones.

① Phalaenopsis & Cymbidium

Phalaenopsis and Cymbidium have a somewhat silicone-like texture, so there are many artificial ones that appear realistic at a glance.

② Anthurium

Anthurium also has a smooth, vinyl-like texture, making it a material that can effectively bridge the difference between real and artificial flowers.

The smooth parts of anthurium are actually prone to scratches and damage, so when using it for things like ring pillows and having multiple rehearsals, opting for an artificial flower might be a good choice.

@tnc_wedding

③ Calla Lilies

Calla lilies also have a somewhat silicone-like material texture, so I feel that artificial ones don’t feel out of place.

(This calla lily in the picture seems to have some wrinkles...!)

Perspective When Choosing Artificial Flowers*

Thank you for reading the article so far!

Did you find any agreements or differing opinions?

The above are all my subjective opinions, and I’ve spoken with others who love flowers. Some said, “Tulips also have good, albeit expensive, artificial ones!” or “(The anthurium, which I thought might be okay as artificial,) really has quite a difference,” so everyone has different opinions.

I hope that you can appreciate the various perspectives out there and, with this in mind, find good options for yourself based on this article.