HOW YOU CAN SAVE THOUSANDS BY CREATING FAUX FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUR WEDDING
How to make your faux flower arrangements look (and smell) real while saving thousands of dollars
This post contains affiliate links to products.
In this blog post, I will discuss the faux flowers I used to create realistic floral arrangements for my wedding. See the tutorial and frequently asked questions videos below. Using faux flowers can save you thousands of dollars, create your ideal look without worrying about the flowers lasting through the night, and allow you to resell the arrangements after your big day to recoup more of the cost. I used a combination of faux hydrangeas, white peonies, blue and white delphinium, blue and white baby’s breath, and white roses. In this post I will list the pros and cons of having fake flowers, tips on how to make them look (and smell) real, give my cost saving tips and links to the exact products I used to create the look I wanted!
PROS vs. CONS OF MAKING FAUX ARRANGMENTS FOR YOUR WEDDING
PROS:
You can control the color that you want and don’t have to worry about keeping them alive. When contemplating whether to make my own real arrangments, go through a florist, or have faux arrangments I learned that some of the flowers I wanted (like blue hydrangeas) can vary in color quite a bit! Some looked green, some very light- almost white, and others were the exact blue shade I wanted. When talking to the florist she let me know that it can be very hard to ensure I get the exact color I was looking for when using real flowers. I also contemplated creating my own arrangements by ordering flowers in bulk from Trader Joes, Costco, or Sam’s Club. This is a tactic used by many brides and can also save you a lot of money! You can make it a fun afternoon with bridesmaids, your moms, or aunties who are in down a few days before the wedding too. Personally, I wanted to have all of my DIY projects done sooner, and I did not want the stress of transporting real flowers and keeping them alive throughout the day (I can barely keep a cactus alive at home!). Thus, I landed on the decision to use faux flowers.
It is much less expensive than real flowers through a florist. If you want a “hands off” non- do it your self option that you know will be executed beautifully then having a florist create your arrangements is a great option! Through our all-inclusive package at our venue we received a credit with a local florist which we used towards bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages. However, it is no surprise that the florist can quickly take up the bulk of the budget especially if you have elaborate centerpieces or arbors. We did shop around with different florists and received multiple different quotes and were still able to save THOUSANDS of dollars by creating our own faux arrangments.
You can sell them after the wedding to recoup more of the cost that was spent. If you are looking to save even more you can resell the arrangments you created! Personally, we did this through a local wedding sell and swap Facebook group.
CONS:
It can be time-consuming to create the arrangements. Faux flower arrangements take more time to create than if you hired a florist. However, it can also be a fun bonding time to share with bridesmaids or family members to reduce the time it takes. We were definitely not experts at creating arrangments and they turned out great anyway!
You have to find a way to transport them. If you are not going through a florist chances are you will have to find your own way to transport the arrangments you create to the venue. Personally we were able to do so in a family member’s car. Luckily, since the faux flowers were so durable compared to real ones, I did not have to worry as much about them getting smashed on the way there.
TUTORIAL
TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR FAUX ARRANGEMENTS
Start by placing the larger flowers first (ex: hydrangeas, flowers, and peonies) and use the smaller flowers to fill in second (ex: delphinium, baby’s breath, and greenery)
When finishing with the filler flowers, set the arrangement at eye level (or the level guests will be seeing it at when sitting at the table) to ensure you fill in any visible blank spots
Use green foam to make the arrangement look fuller and less likely for it to stand out rather than a white foam
Place the arrangement on a Lazy Susan / Turntable to make placing the flowers faster
Fluff and spread out the flowers prior to placing them in the foam
For larger floppy flowers you can flip the flower upside down and spin the flowers between your hands
For smaller filler flowers like Baby’s Breath, spread out all the branches in different directions to give it the most realistic look
Order and return as many flowers as you need to until you find the most realistic options
I ordered from Amazon, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby until I found the perfect fit
Take advantage of seasonal sales and online coupons
If you are worried about the flowers staying in the foam - if you have a windy outdoor venue for example- coat the stem in super glue prior to placing it in the foam
Add real greenery (such as eucalyptus) to the arrangments to give them a great floral aroma
Eucalyptus is a great option because it can stay alive and fragrant for days so you can prep them ahead of time
If you are not wanting to DIY your own arrangments, there are many companies that will creat them for you to buy or rent too!
