KMich Wedding Soirée Blog

1. Compare the flowers you actually want

For artificial flowers, check whether the price covers finished pieces or stems you would arrange yourself. A bouquet that arrives wrapped and ready to carry is a different purchase from the materials needed to make one. Both are available, so read the description before treating the listed price as your total.

For fresh flowers, share your budget and flower list with a florist before ruling them out. Ask what they could suggest within that amount. In-season flowers may help you manage the cost, depending on the varieties and arrangement.

Use the same quantities, approximate sizes, and fullness when comparing the two. If you want one bridal bouquet, four bridesmaid bouquets, and six boutonnieres, request that same list from each supplier. Include centerpieces only if they are part of your plans.

Then check what is included: arranging, wrapping, shipping or delivery, and any supplies you would need separately. Compare the total for your finished flowers — not just the starting prices.

2. Look closely at what you love

If you find artificial flowers you like, ask whether you can see a sample before ordering the rest. Some suppliers offer previews, including Something Borrowed Blooms. Look at the petals, greenery, color, and size in person, then take a few photographs of your own.

For fresh flowers, talk through the varieties, bouquet shape, and colors you have in mind. Ask to see examples of the florist’s wedding work and discuss what is likely to be available for your date. Your reference photographs can explain what you like without becoming an exact shopping list.

The artificial bouquet pictured here is from a wedding we worked on. Its rust and cream tones, muted greenery, and varied textures give you an example photographed during the wedding itself.

With an artificial sample, notice how it feels in your hands as well as how it looks. Check the sizes and finishing details of your bridesmaid bouquets and boutonnieres, too.

If fresh flowers are what you have always pictured, give that preference room. Ask whether a smaller bouquet, different flowers, or a simpler arrangement could bring the quote closer to your budget.

Neither choice needs defending. You’re looking for flowers you will be happy to carry, wear, or have around you.

3. Decide how much you want to handle

With artificial flowers, you can buy finished pieces, rent arrangements, or make your own from loose stems. If you want to arrange them yourself, try one complete piece first, including the wrapped handle or boutonniere attachment. That helps you judge the work as well as the result.

Fresh flowers also give you choices. You can work with a florist, purchase ready-made bouquets, or arrange the flowers yourself. Suppliers such as FiftyFlowers offer ready-made fresh bridal bouquets, so choosing fresh does not have to mean starting with loose stems.

If you’re making artificial arrangements, decide when you will finish them, where you will keep them, and who will pack and bring them to your wedding. Leave time to check anything you order after it arrives.

If you’re handling fresh flowers, ask when they should arrive and what preparation and care they need. For finished arrangements, confirm who receives them and what you should do before carrying, wearing, or displaying them.

Think about where those responsibilities fit into your schedule. You don’t have to take on a project simply because you could do it yourself.

4. Ask what another couple would do again

When someone recommends artificial flowers, ask what they ordered and whether the pieces matched their expectations. Were the colors and sizes right? Did anything need changing? Would they order from the same place again?

When someone recommends fresh flowers, ask whether they were happy with what their florist created. Was the quote clear about what was included? How did collection or delivery go? Would they choose the same flowers again?

“I loved my flowers” is reassuring. Knowing why helps you decide whether that experience would suit you.

For artificial flowers, you could begin with The Brides Bouquet for finished silk bouquets, Afloral for stems to arrange yourself, or Something Borrowed Blooms for rentals. These are places to research, not suppliers we are presenting as personally tested.

For fresh flowers, ask a florist whether they can accommodate your flower list and budget. If you only need bouquets and boutonnieres, say that at the start. Ready-made fresh bouquets are another option to explore.

Before committing, confirm what you will receive, when it will arrive, and the cancellation or return terms. If you’re renting artificial flowers, check when and how they need to go back.

5. Leave room for a combination

You may want fresh flowers in your bouquet and artificial flowers on your tables. Or you may prefer an artificial bouquet with fresh arrangements elsewhere. You don’t have to make the same choice for every piece.

The centerpiece pictured here used artificial flowers at another wedding we worked on. Cream and warm brown flowers surround floating candles, with greenery and gold accents completing the display. It shows another place artificial flowers could fit into your wedding.

Cream and warm brown artificial flowers arranged around floating  candles at an Applecross Country Club wedding.

If you would prefer fresh flowers on your tables, show your florist what you like about this arrangement — its colors, size, or the flowers gathered around the candles. Ask what they could create within your budget rather than trying to reproduce every detail.

Compare the combination you would actually enjoy. And if your list stops at bouquets and boutonnieres, keep it there. The centerpiece is another example to consider, not another purchase you need to make.

Back to you

Your next step is a short flower list and a few photographs that show what you like. Use those to request comparable prices for fresh and artificial options, including what arrives finished and what you would handle yourself.

Then choose what feels right for your wedding, your budget, and your time. You don’t need to decide which kind of flower is better for everyone — only which option works for you.