Creating Realistic Wedding Flowers: Elevating Faux Blooms

Flowers are an iconic part of wedding decor, but they can be expensive. Fake flowers are a great way to cut down on costs without compromising on beauty. With the right techniques, you can make artificial flowers look real and create stunning displays for your big day. From choosing the right materials and colours to blending them with fresh blooms, there are many ways to make fake flowers look authentic. Whether you're crafting bouquets, centrepieces, or floral backdrops, fake flowers offer a cost-effective and long-lasting alternative to real flowers.

Opt for natural colours

Opting for natural colours is a great way to make artificial flowers look more realistic at your wedding. While artificial flowers can come in any colour, it's best to avoid fluorescent shades as these can make the flowers look obviously fake.

Instead, choose flowers inspired by nature's colour palette to ensure a more blended look in your floral decor. For example, if you're planning a purple-themed wedding, you can still incorporate natural hues with purple hydrangeas and more subtle floral accents. This will make your floral arrangements look more authentic, even if you're coordinating a colourful wedding.

If you're mixing real and fake flowers, opting for natural colours for the artificial blooms will help to achieve a cohesive finish. Artificial colours will stand out in contrast to natural tones, so choosing natural hues will make it easier to blend the two types of flowers together.

Mix real and fake flowers

Celebrate Imperfections

In nature, no two flowers are the same. When selecting fake flowers for a wedding, look for blooms with slight colour and size variations. Combining fake flowers at different stages of bloom will also help you achieve a more authentic look. For example, you could include roses in bud form and in full bloom for added realism. Silk flowers are often more realistic than other fake flower options, as they are made from high-quality materials, allowing you to blend them seamlessly with fresh flowers. You can also bend their wire stems and trim additional leaves to replicate the natural flowers in your arrangement.

Opt for Natural Colours

Although artificial flowers come in a wide range of colours, it's best to avoid fluorescent shades, which can make the fakeness of your flowers obvious. By choosing flowers inspired by nature's colour palette, you can ensure a more blended look in your floral decor. For instance, if you're coordinating a purple-themed wedding, you can still incorporate natural hues with purple hydrangeas and more subtle floral accents.

Freshen Fake Flowers

Fake flowers are usually made from materials such as silk, nylon, and latex, which can attract dust particles. Therefore, it is important to clean your artificial blooms before mixing them with real flowers to ensure they look convincing and achieve a cohesive finish. Artificial flowers are easy to clean with a soft cloth and generally only require a light dusting. If storing fake flowers for an extended period, clean them monthly to prevent stains and find a moisture-free storage space to limit the likelihood of mould forming on the petals.

Benefits of Mixing Real and Fake Flowers

Cost

According to The Knot, the average cost of wedding flowers is approximately $2,400. By blending fake and real flowers, you can reduce this expense while still achieving beautiful results.

Accessibility

Your chosen flowers may not be in season during your wedding season. For example, peonies typically only bloom from April to June and live for up to 10 days. However, pink silk peonies are available all year round. Couples getting married in winter, when flowers are less abundant, will have more access to their favourite blooms by mixing real and fake flowers.

Longer Lifespan

Fresh flowers wilt within a week, whereas artificial flowers can last a lifetime. This is beneficial for those who want to display their wedding flowers at home after the wedding. Fresh flowers are also more likely to become damaged at weddings, especially when greeting guests. Fake flowers are more durable and can withstand accidental damage.

Freshen fake flowers

Freshening fake flowers is an important step when mixing real and artificial blooms for a wedding. Here are some tips to ensure your fake flowers look as convincing as possible:

Cleaning

Give your artificial flowers a light dusting with a soft cloth before the event. This will help to remove any dust particles that may have accumulated on the flowers, especially if they have been in storage. A quick clean will make them look more realistic and help achieve a cohesive finish when mixed with real flowers.

Storage

If you're storing fake flowers for an extended period, it's important to clean them monthly to prevent stains. Find a moisture-free storage space to limit the formation of mould on the petals. Placing a moisture absorber in the storage area will also help to draw excess moisture from the air and protect your blooms.

Maintenance

Before reusing your flowers, check for any damaged leaves and petals. Trimming these parts off will help to ensure they look as good as new. Fake flowers are made from materials such as silk, nylon, and latex, which can attract dust and other particles over time, so regular maintenance is key to keeping them looking fresh.

Colour

Opt for natural colours when choosing artificial flowers. While it's possible to get fake flowers in any colour, unnatural shades will be a tell-tale sign that they're not real. Choose flowers inspired by nature's colour palette to ensure a more blended look in your floral decor. This is true even if your wedding colour scheme is more adventurous. For example, if you're having a purple-themed wedding, you can still incorporate natural hues with purple hydrangeas and more subtle floral accents.

Imperfections

When selecting fake flowers, look for blooms with slight colour and size variations to mimic the natural world, where no two flowers are alike. Combining fake flowers in different stages of bloom will also add to the authenticity of your arrangements. For example, include roses in bud form and at the height of their bloom to create a more realistic look.

Choose silk flowers

Silk flowers are a great option for weddings, offering a range of benefits over fresh flowers. Firstly, they are much more cost-effective, saving couples up to 70% compared to a traditional florist. The average cost of a bridal bouquet with a fresh florist is between $175 and $250, whereas a silk flower bouquet can be rented for as little as $65. This makes a huge difference to the overall wedding budget, especially when you consider that the national average for fresh flowers is $3,500, while a silk flower wedding order typically costs around $500.

Silk flowers also offer convenience and predictability. The silk flower market is reliable in terms of pricing, selection, and availability, so you know exactly what you're getting and how much it will cost. With fresh flowers, there is no guarantee that your florist will be able to source the exact flowers you want, especially if your chosen blooms are not in season. Silk flowers are available all year round, and you can even rent them, reducing waste and saving money.

When it comes to durability, silk flowers are a far better option. They are sturdy and long-lasting, so you don't have to worry about them getting damaged during your wedding, especially when greeting guests. They are also low maintenance, requiring only a light dusting to keep them looking their best.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly, stress-free, and eco-friendly option for your wedding flowers, silk flowers are an excellent choice.

Bend and trim stems

Bending and trimming the stems of fake flowers is an important step in making them look more realistic. Here are some tips to help you achieve this:

Firstly, when selecting your fake flowers, opt for those with wire stems. This will allow you to bend and shape the stems more easily. When arranging your bouquet, gently bend the stems to create a natural, flowing look. You can also bend the flower heads slightly to give them a more natural, drape-like appearance. This technique works especially well with flowers such as lilacs.

Next, use sharp scissors or floral shears to trim the stems. Cut the stems to your desired length, ensuring they are comfortable to hold. The general rule is to leave around 8 inches of the stem. However, you may want to adjust this based on the size of your vase or bouquet holder.

When trimming, pay attention to the leaves and greenery on the stems. Remove any excess leaves that may be crowding the flowers or blocking the view of the blooms. You can also trim the greenery to shape your bouquet and give it a more polished look.

If you're working with multiple flowers, trim the stems to varying lengths to create a sense of depth and dimension in your bouquet. This will make the arrangement look more natural and help certain flowers stand out.

Finally, consider using floral tape to secure the stems in place, especially if you've trimmed them quite short. This will ensure the flowers stay securely in your bouquet and don't shift around too much.

By bending and trimming the stems of your fake flowers, you can create a more natural and realistic look for your wedding bouquet.

Frequently asked questions