Flowers play a major role in setting the mood and improve the aesthetic of your wedding. Whether it’s a grand ballroom celebration, an intimate reception at a restaurant, or an outdoor garden ceremony, floral arrangements bring beauty, romance, and elegance to the event.
But when it comes to choosing between artificial wedding flowers or fresh flowers for your wedding, the decision isn’t always straightforward. Both options have their pros and cons of course; but each individual bride would have their own priorities when it comes to the wedding. Several factors such as budget, venue, sustainability, cost, convenience and resale potential can influence your choice, depending on which factor is more important to you.
If you're uncertain about which option is right for your big day, here's a comprehensive guide to help you make the best choice.
Fresh vs. Artificial Flowers: Pros & Cons
Both fresh and artificial wedding flowers offer unique benefits, but they also come with some trade-offs. Here's a quick comparison:
| Factor | Fresh Flowers for Wedding | Artificial Flowers for Wedding |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Naturally beautiful and classy looking | Silk flowers can look fake, even to the naked eye. However, if you are willing to spend more, higher quality silk flowers can look very realistic as well |
| Cost | Generally more expensive due to seasonal availability and labor costs |
Can be very cheap, especially if DIY, rented or bought second-hand |
| Longevity | Wilts within a day or two, especially in outdoors | Lasts forever and can be kept as keepsakes or resold |
| Customization | Wide variety of colors and styles, but seasonal limitations and shipping schedules apply |
Available in any color or style, with no seasonal restrictions so you can get really creative. |
| Photography | Looks stunning and natural in photos, no matter the lighting or camera distance |
Can appear slightly artificial in close-up shots |
| Sustainability | Biodegradable but may involve plastic packaging and high water and pesticide use |
Reusable and waste-free, but often made of non-biodegradable materials |
| DIY difficulty level | Depending on the style it may be challenging to make a bridal bouquet from scratch without prior experience. |
As long as you have a good wire cutter on hand, it’s easier to handle than fresh flowers as it’s more durable and forgiving. You don’t have to worry about breaking a stem or bruising the flowers. |
| Fragrance | Natural floral scent enhances the bride’s and guests' experience at the wedding. |
No natural fragrance, but can be infused with essential oil or perfume |
Now that we’ve compared the key differences, let’s look at the factors to consider before making your final decision.
1. Wedding Budget & Cost Breakdown
Your wedding flowers can take up a significant portion of your overall budget. On average, fresh flowers for a wedding can cost anywhere from $300 for a bridal bouquet, boutonniere and corsage bundle to $10,000 for a full scale floral installation that includes an arch, aisle stands, reception table, chair posies, plus the bridal bouquet and centerpieces. Use of rare flowers (like peonies, delphiniums, David Autin roses or ranunculus) will push costs even higher.
Meanwhile, artificial wedding flowers for a wedding can offer savings of around 30% to 60%, especially if you choose DIY arrangements or simply choose to rent them instead. If your budget is tight and flowers won’t be a big thing at your wedding, artificial flowers could be a cost-effective alternative.
Tip: Get fresh and artificial flower quotations from different florists and compare them. This will help you make an informed choice based on your budget.
2. Outdoor vs. Indoor Wedding Venue
If you're having an outdoor wedding, fresh flowers may be more challenging due to heat, humidity, or wind. In Singapore’s warm climate, delicate flowers like delphiniums wilt quickly while tulips become over bloom. And if you’re thinking orchids would be the perfect choice, they unfortunately bruise easily, the bruises and spotting show up even more obviously for white orchids. Artificial flowers might be a more practical choice for an outdoor ceremony as they can stay in good shape all day.
For indoor weddings, such as in a hotel ballroom or restaurant, fresh flowers tend to hold up better, especially in air-conditioned venues. They also add a luxurious touch that’s hard to replicate with artificial arrangements.
3. Potential to Recoup Partial Cost
One major advantage of artificial wedding flowers is the potential to recoup a portion of your costs. After your wedding, you can either:
● Resell them to other brides or event planners
● Rent them out to future brides who want budget-friendly floral arrangements
Some florists and rental companies even offer artificial flower rentals, where you pay a fraction of the price for high-quality floral setups. This could be an ideal middle ground if you want elegant decor without a hefty price tag.
Of course, if you want to keep them as a memento after the ceremony, you can also repurpose them for your new home decor.
4. Beautiful Florals in Your Wedding Photos
Photography is a key part of preserving wedding memories, and fresh flowers always look better in pictures. Their natural texture, soft edges, and vibrant colors enhance the overall aesthetic, making your wedding photos more visually stunning.
Artificial flowers can still look great in photos—especially high-quality silk blooms—but they may appear a bit flat or lack the soft, natural beauty of fresh petals in close-up shots.
Tip: If photography is a top priority, you can opt for fresh bridal bouquets (which will be featured in many close-up shots) and use artificial flowers for table centerpieces or venue decor.
5. DIY or Ready-Made Bouquets
If you enjoy hands-on projects, artificial flowers offer the flexibility to DIY your own bouquets, corsages, and centerpieces well in advance. With so many tasks on a bride’s plate, being able to check one item off the wedding to-do list early can significantly reduce stress levels.
Tip: If you are particular about your flowers looking a certain way, you can keep redoing it until you’re satisfied as artificial flowers are very durable. This is not the case for fresh flowers.
With fresh flowers, DIY can be tricky as they must be arranged at the last minute to ensure freshness.
Transporting fresh flowers could be troublesome as well - multiple trips might be needed if it’s a large quantity of florals, and securing the arrangements to be stable in a moving vehicle would require extra work. If you really love to have large amounts of fresh florals for your wedding and prefer a stress-free experience, it’s best to order from a florist as they would handle the transportation and set-up process too
For those considering professional help, reaching out to the Best Florists in Singapore can ensure beautifully arranged florals with seamless setup and delivery.
6. Environmental Considerations
If sustainability is important to you, both artificial and fresh flowers have their own pros and cons:
● Fresh flowers are biodegradable but may involve high water usage and pesticide treatments. When they are packed from the farm and transported internationally, plastic and foam packaging are necessary to protect them from damage.
● Artificial flowers (especially hybrid silk or plastic ones) are not biodegradable. But unless they are stained or thrown away, they can be reused multiple times, reducing overall waste.
For an eco-friendly compromise, you can:
✅ Choose fresh flowers sourced from nearby countries like Malaysia and Vietnam, rather than Kenya or Holland to reduce carbon footprint. (Nearer countries also mean less transport time and less shipping cost)
✅ Consider renting artificial flowers or buying them second-hand to help reduce the demand for plastic.
✅ Consider sola wood flowers, which are made from the tapioca plant fiber. much more durable than fresh or even preserved flowers, making them a long-lasting option. However, their price point is similar to that of fresh flowers, so while they offer better longevity, they may not provide the same cost savings as artificial flowers.
Final Decision: Which One Is Right for You?
Still unsure whether to choose fresh or artificial flowers for your wedding? Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:
Choose fresh flowers if:
- You love the natural beauty and fragrance of real flowers
- You want your wedding photos to look stunning
- You have a comfortable budget for floral arrangements
Choose artificial flowers if:
- You’re on a very tight budget and want to save on floral costs.
- Your wedding is outdoors, and you want flowers that won’t wilt.
- You are comfortable with the idea of reselling, repurposing, or renting your wedding florals.
Hybrid Option: Many couples mix both! Use fresh flowers for the bridal bouquet and boutonnieres while opting for artificial flowers for large floral installations, centerpieces, and aisle stands. It’s also common to replace some of the highly seasonal and expensive fresh flowers (such as peonies or dahlias) in a bridal bouquet with the artificial version. This is a creative solution where you can add in cheaper fresh flowers in your bouquet to make it look more natural and authentic.
Conclusion
When deciding between fresh flowers for a wedding or artificial wedding flowers for a wedding, the key is to consider your budget, venue, sustainability preferences, and photography priorities. Both options can create a beautiful wedding atmosphere—you just need to choose what works best for you!
If you’re looking for wedding flower arrangements, reach out to the best florists in Singapore for personalized recommendations based on your theme, color palette, and budget. No matter which option you choose, your wedding day is sure to be stunning and unforgettable.
