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Wedding florals tips with Roots Floral Design of Cincinnati

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If you’ve been around my little corner of the internet for a bit, you know I am a huge fan of fresh flowers! There’s nothing like a beautiful, bright vase of tulips, maybe some ranunculus or peonies that warms my heart and brightens my soul!

Today’s blog post is a burning topic in the wedding industry: real flowers vs fake flowers with the most common discussion being “real flowers just wilt and die after the wedding so what’s the point of spending so much money on them?” Weddings are expensive, all of us in the industry understand that. And for today’s post, I’ve teamed up with the very talented Kaytee from Roots Floral Design, a wedding florist in Cincinnati, to explain the benefits of and beauty in having fresh flowers at your wedding!

Fresh flowers are actually cheaper

Yes, you read that right. Silk flowers will actually cost you more than fresh flowers! Kaytee says, “realistic silk flowers are outrageously expensive. You could always opt for cheaper silk flowers but oftentimes those are not realistic in color or design.” Many couples will usually counter that argument with the idea of having craft store bouquets but let me tell you the one major drawback to saving money there: your photos.

You can tell the difference

There really is nothing like the real thing. While the design behind artificial flowers has come a long way from the hard, plastic-like artificial flowers of our past, real blooms are still elegant, more delicate and more high-end than their artificial counterparts. If you’re looking for something to really make your day extra special, Kaytee and I would choose real floral designs every single time.

Fake flowers photograph poorly

After your wedding day, the only thing left is your photos. There is no way to photograph fake flowers in a way that makes them look like fresh blooms. And forgive me but there is no delicate way to say this — those craft store flower arrangements will photograph the worst. They’ll just never have those rich deep, organic colors for the camera to pick up. Any photographer will agree that fresh flowers will always give your day a high-end look!

If a bride decides on fresh flowers, one way she could SAVE a few dollars would be to order a variety of smaller centerpieces or arrangements and mix them in with the more extravagant ones. If this were the case with one of my brides, it would be my job to photograph everything but all-around highlight the high-end florals so that after your day is over your photos showcase the most beautiful (and most expensive) details of it! For example, I’m educated in floral costs and I always make sure to photograph the most expensive ones!

Not only do real flowers photograph so much better than fake ones, they truly serve a better purpose after you become Mr. and Mrs.

Post-Wedding Purpose: Donating

Spending money on fresh blooms makes for so much more than just wedding day decor. “After your wedding is over, real flowers can be donated or sent to compost. Donating your flowers is a great way to brighten up nursing homes and hospitals,” Kaytee says. I can’t support this idea enough! And not only that, you can give centerpieces and other arrangements from the day to friends and family members! My husband and I did this at our wedding and I loved being able to share the beauty of our day with our loved ones. Kaytee says, “if your florist is purchasing from quality wholesalers, your flowers should last another 5 days after your wedding.”  Our guests were able to enjoy the beauty of fresh roses and the smell of eucalyptus in their homes all through our honeymoon days!

Post-Wedding Purpose: Composting

Real flowers are also so much more environmentally-friendly. If your flowers aren’t donated, composting your flowers is a positive way to give back to the Earth! Kaytee shares, “Roots Floral Design is proud to offer both an arrangement and donation service for your wedding. If a couple opts out of donating or repurposing, flowers are then composted. It’s a beautiful circle of life. Dead flowers are composted to help bring to life new flowers!” This is such a beautiful way to give life back to the planet. And I truly hate the idea of fake flowers with their plastic wrapping and metal wires ending up in a landfill to sit for ages. Let your fresh flowers serve a purpose after your nuptials! 

There truly is something to be said about real flowers. People LOVE flowers! If you decide to take the plunge and spend on fresh florals, you will without a doubt be applauded for your decision! Flowers evoke joy, celebration and sacredness. Who wouldn’t want that to be part of their wedding day?

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Courtney is a Wedding Photographer in Indiana. Her specialty is joyful, timeless and playfully romantic wedding photography for classic and timeless couples and educating photographers on how to build a business that delivers an unforgettable client experience. Within Indiana, she serves Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Carmel, Noblesville, Zionsville, Lafayette, Bloomington and South Bend. Areas in surrounding states that she serves: Columbus, Dayton, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, Ohio; Ann Arbor, Battle Creek and Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is available for destination weddings. Contact her for investment details and reserve your date.