On the day of the wedding, is it strange to carry a bouquet of artificial flowers? I asked!

2024.01.16 published

Consultation from a Florist

Inquiry received in the DM of marry's Instagram. 🔽

*****

It's a bit hard to say...

These days, it seems many people are choosing artificial flowers (fake flowers) for their wedding bouquets on the day of their ceremony.

I've heard that rentals are also an option.

Perhaps because I've been in the flower business for a long time, I personally feel a strong discomfort with having artificial flowers as wedding bouquets. Is this opinion a minority...?

Since bouquets are seen up close, it's immediately obvious if they're not real, and I can't understand why artificial flower bouquets are trending. Does anyone else feel uncomfortable...?

I think using artificial flowers for pre-wedding shoots or as part of decoration has practical benefits like durability, but is there really a point in choosing artificial flowers for a bouquet that will only be used for a few hours...??

I'm curious if those who use them have chosen artificial flower bouquets because they believe it's completely okay for guests to recognize them as such!

*****

It's true that artificial flower bouquets are quite popular, isn't it? Perhaps because many people sell them, when I search for wedding bouquets on Instagram, most of the results are preserved flowers.

(They are easier to sell since they can be made and stored in advance, after all.)

You can select flowers from a catalog and have them sent, and unlike fresh flowers, you don't have to worry about market stock levels or blooming adjustments, and they're generally cheaper than fresh flower bouquets. (This could largely depend on the scale and stance of the seller...)

While artificial flowers have many advantages over fresh blooms, for flower enthusiasts, the visual difference is evident, and I can understand the feeling that "using artificial flowers for bouquets feels somewhat off..."

Survey results revealed the following.

About 40% of respondents said they have felt discomfort with artificial flower bouquets, while the rest had not (which likely means they felt no discomfort at all).

From here, I will share all the feedback we received. 🔽

Response 1

I want to preserve the beautiful flowers after the wedding, so I think artificial flowers are better!

I learned from this florist that fresh flowers are the norm for weddings💦

I can't tell the difference in appearance, so it doesn't particularly concern me!

Response 2

There were specific flowers I wanted, but I was told they couldn't be arranged due to seasonal availability, so I had to settle for artificial flowers😭

I was disappointed since they were obviously fake, but my desire to have that specific flower was stronger, so I endured.

I can understand if someone like me has a specific material! If they can't be arranged, artificial flowers are the only option, but using them just to save money is a bit hard to understand...

Different suppliers have varying capabilities; some can create well-balanced bouquets from 360 degrees, while others—those selling on Minne or Mercari—might produce something that looks nice on the surface but has a bare green side, which can be really cringeworthy...

Of course, I don’t say this out loud, but those with a saving mindset may have other concerns beyond just the bouquet.

Response 3

Flowers are really expensive, so I would prefer fresh flowers, but...😭

However, when I attended a wedding where the bride had an artificial flower bouquet, I didn't mind at all! It looked beautiful and wonderful to me!

Also, my venue doesn't allow fresh flowers to be brought in, but artificial flowers are allowed, so I think some people may choose them to express their individuality.

Additionally, I think there's a significant advantage in that artificial flowers won't wilt and can be kept almost permanently.💓

Response 4

The dates for the pre-wedding shoot and the wedding ceremony were far apart.

Ordering flowers separately would have been quite expensive, so I made my own bouquet using artificial flowers.

I had a lot of fun choosing the flowers and making it!

For the wedding, I ordered fresh flowers, but used my self-made artificial bouquet for the reception! Guests even said they couldn’t tell it was artificial! 😊

Response 5

I actually used artificial flowers for my color change bouquet. 🙋‍♀️

Reasons for choosing artificial flowers:

- While flower-loving guests may notice or recognize that the flowers are artificial, they likely mainly observe the bride (particularly her face).

- If I want to keep the fresh flowers as a memory, I have to arrange for aftercare bouquets, which is not necessary with artificial flowers.

- Artificial flowers tend to be less expensive.

There was about a 30,000 yen difference between fresh and artificial flowers. 😭

With everything said to be experiencing price hikes, I can imagine some brides are trying to cut costs wherever possible. 🥺

While the price difference may be around 30,000 yen, if we add in the cost of aftercare bouquets, the price range to create the after bouquet I wanted is around 50,000 to 80,000 yen; with both fresh bouquet and aftercare combined, you need at least 100,000 yen, so I gave up fresh flowers. 😭

Response 6

I used to be a planner.

I have felt discomfort with artificial flowers and dried flowers that have recently become popular.

I think there's a meaning behind fresh flowers 💐

I once heard that "the bouquet is the fragrant jewelry."

Once you have your hair and makeup done and your dress on, when the fresh bouquet arrives at your hands, the fragrance from those fresh flowers calms you a bit during the moment of high tension, hence why the bouquet is referred to as fragrant jewelry. 💎✨

I absolutely believe that fresh flower bouquets are more dazzling and beautiful.

Response 7

On such an important once-in-a-lifetime day, where we celebrate with our loved ones, flowers that have a real scent, colors, and add joy to the atmosphere should be real. It’s shocking to think of a bouquet being artificial 💦.

Response 8

I don't feel discomfort. I think people choose artificial flowers because they can reduce costs and look stylish. 🤗

I also think there may not be many bouquet tosses nowadays, and guests likely don’t pay much attention to the flowers up close.

Response 9

The way artificial flowers look when seen up close, you can definitely tell they are not real, and I think it feels different to hold it 💦. That's why I went with a fresh and dried flower bouquet!❣️

Since having two fresh bouquets made is costly, I wonder if everyone is heading toward artificial flowers for budget reasons! Also, since I wanted to keep and display it, I went with a dried flower bouquet 😊. I am very satisfied with the result!!

However, for the pre-wedding shoot, I went all out with three artificial flower bouquets 🤣.

They're unrecognizable in photos, and since fresh flowers are so expensive, I do find it quite strange for someone to spend the same amount on artificial flowers.

Response 10

I also went with an artificial flower wreath bouquet!

I liked the idea that I could keep something as a memory after the wedding in a physical form, and I chose it because I liked the unique colors of artificial flowers. 🤗

Response 11

I'm firmly on the fresh flower side! 🙋‍♀️ I then switched to dried flowers. 🥰

I think people are deliberately choosing artificial flowers because they can preserve the ones used during the ceremony in their original form as memories. 😊✨

But if it's just going to be discarded right away, does it provide any benefits? 🤔

Response 12

I'm a fresh flower believer!

I feel discomfort with using artificial flowers for the bouquet on the wedding day, as well as with reusing them, and the idea of keeping used flowers to display... makes me uncomfortable.

There's a sentimental value, and it seems I'd find it hard to throw away something that even if it gets dirty still holds memories.

If I were to display, I’d prefer to frame it and hang it on the wall.

Response 13

I'm planning on using an artificial flower bouquet!

The idea that a professional friend made it, as well as the fact that I can keep it at home for a long time after the ceremony, made me decide to use it. 😌

The venue bouquet was nice, but they were quite pricey when it came to making it an after bouquet, so I wanted to keep it long-term!

Response 14

I have the same values as the person asking the question, so I want fresh flowers.

But I can understand that many people switch to artificial flowers for price and weight reasons.

Additionally, those who probably choose artificial flowers don’t hold the view of "fresh flowers > artificial flowers," therefore they likely don’t care about the recognition aspect.

Because there are now more options for realistic artificial flowers, the value of fresh flowers might be left up to individual perspectives.

Response 15

I'm a bridal photographer.

I also find artificial flowers somewhat displeasing...

I understand that keeping something as it is could be appealing, but it often projects a sense of cheapness compared to real flowers in photos.

No matter how much effort is put into the dress, everything can appear cheap depending on the bouquet, which is really unfortunate.

If one is particular about many aspects, I would hope they’d also care about that one.

Response 16

I learned about artificial flowers for the first time 😳

I love flowers, so at my wedding, I asked for real flowers from the entrance decorations to the flowers in my hair. 💐

Perhaps many young newlyweds choose artificial flowers specifically to cut costs. 🤔

I haven't attended a wedding yet where artificial flowers were used, but as a flower lover, I’d likely feel disappointed if they were artificial. 😅

I understand this is not the opinion you were looking for, but I was so surprised that I felt compelled to send a message!