Did you have real or artificial flowers for your wedding bouquets?

Me being my usual indecisive self, I can't decide whether to have real or artificial flowers. The prices are similar, fake being ever so slightly cheaper, but not a huge difference. I'm having red roses. I'm thinking it would be nice to keep my bouquet which is why I'm thinking of artificial flowers, but then again real just look and smell just beautiful, not that you would be able to tell the difference in photos! Preserving a real bouquet afterwards is very expensive too so not sure I want to spend that money.

So, did you have real or artificial and why? :)

real never thought of artificial, I had artificial for decos in the church and there was ahuge difference in the pics of us you could tell what was real what wasn't I ad gerberas BTW

I had artificial - I actually used the same bouquet my grandmother used, so I guess it was my 'something old' :)

Having said that, even if I had gotten a new bouquet, it still would've been artificial. They look so real these days, you really can't tell the difference. Perhaps you could have a real bouquet on the day, for smelling and throwing, and get an artificial copy made to keep forever?

I had artificial (silk) pink and white lillies. Mainly because I got married in a tiny country town with no florist. The silk flowers for boquets etc are usually much better quality than those for decorations (i know mine were). Mine looked awesome in real life and everyone who saw the photos commented on how gorgeous it was. I actually bought all my flowers for the bridal party on ebay and saved a bundle!

I had artificial ones, and I made it up myself.

I don't think you can obviously tell that they are fake in the pictures, plus I didn't have to worry about them bruising or being horribly expensive cos it was the wrong season for them to grow :rolleyes:

I'll have to look at my pics again now just to see if you can tell.. LOL

ETA - HERE is a pic. Can you tell? (maybe? probably? lol)

My SIL wanted frangipani's & seeing they weren't in season during her Wedding she had them artificial ... One in her hair on the side & a small simple bouquet :D

I had real flowers. My flowers were natives, I have hung mine and DD's bouquets upside down and they have dried really well, they still look great.

It is lovely to keep them :D.

I had fresh/real flowers, orchids. I didn't have them preserved but my photographer did a spectacular job and really captured how beautiful they were.

I had Real flowers - Red Roses!
And they looked and smelt Beautiful!

U can still keep ur flowers even if they are real - my friend got hers framed and that was 3yrs ago and they still look really nice!

I had real - never even thought of artificial. I had pink lilys and my bridesmais had white.
It was sweltering and they did suffer on the day, but I didn't reall want to keep mine anyway. All the preservations I have seen just don't suit my tastes.

I had real flowers, white phalaenopsis orchids..they were beautiful and while they were too delicate to keep, I'd never have used artifical I don't think.

I agree with Kim too, I'm not much of a fan of the preserved/framed bouquets.

I had real flowers never even thought of artifical.

roses, singapore orchids and cimbidium? orchids

I did get mine preserved and framed, had never really liked till it was my bouquet we were talking about and not just pictures of other peoples framed flowers.

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Preserving a real bouquet afterwards is very expensive too so not sure I want to spend that money.

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You could always dry them? Thats easy? After the wedding that is hehe

i had real roses and kept them/had them framed. i loved having real - the smell was gorgeous on the day, and even on a 40 plus degree day, they didn't suffer too much. having had them framed now, i wouldn't even think of having artificial - i dunno - i think i just like the look of the real flowers freeze dried and hand touched.

it's not to everyones taste though...

Laranna, I had fresh white long stemmed roses. I had a bouquet of 18 roses, while my bridesmaids had 6. They looked stunning. I paid $250 for the lot & I went through a lady who works from home. I was 100% happy with her efforts & the price. I notice you are in Perth so if you are interested in getting her details & photos of my flowers, PM me.

Thanks for the replies girls.
Arimeh - nice photo, the flowers don't look fake.
MadsMum - have PM'd you

I keep changing my mind between real and fake lol...I'm terrible, only 6 weeks to go before the wedding too!

Real flowers - WHITE roses (well done MadsMum for picking the right colour rose too). I didn't really think of artificial and no-one suggested it. I just wanted white roses. My girls had a single long-stemmed white rose each and we kept and dried DH's white rose buttonhole.

I'm now going to get a copy of my bouquet made up in artificial flowers so I can keep it forever! What a great idea! I can use it when we renew our vows in five years' time (DH still not on board with this for some reason). Have to diet down to fit into the dress again... that's fine, I can eat for another four years still.

Lol Lady, white roses look stunning dont they? As for drying them, my bouquet is still hanging upside down in a dark spare wardrobe in the house - wondering what to do next hehe

Like Lady mentioned, you can go all out on your bouquet & keep the bridesmaids simple, if you are looking for cheaper options. My girls had 6 in their bouquets & they didnt look like I'd scrimped etc iykwim?