Cheryl’s Wedding Bouquets

Frequently Asked Questions about Silk Wedding Flowers & Bouquets

There are so many reasons to use silk flowers for a wedding. Personally, I feel the main reason is to eliminate the stress that can occur with fresh flowers such as: the flowers you want are not in season, the flowers you ordered came in a slightly different color than you expected, the design isn’t what you envisioned. With silk flowers, you have the ability to view your bouquet ahead of time so there are no surprises. There is no stress on the wedding day trying to keep fresh flowers hydrated. The fresh bouquets need to be kept in water as much as possible. While you are getting photos, your flowers could be wilting and you have to carry vases of water around all day to keep them hydrated. With silk flowers, that is NEVER an issue! Fresh flowers are very susceptible to temperature changes. So if it is a hot day and you are having photos outside, your bouquets can wilt and if it is cold outside, they could freeze. Not an issue with silk flowers.

Are silk flowers cheaper than fresh flowers for a wedding?

Generally yes but not for the reasons you would think. High quality silk flowers can be as expensive per stem as fresh flowers. It also depends on the flower. Hydrangea for example are cheaper in silk per stem than fresh, as well as Peonies. Magnolias dont even come in fresh flowers for weddings because they are a tree in nature so they are difficult to use in wedding bouquets. Roses are about equivalent in price from fresh to silk but you generally need less of the silk roses because they are full open roses. Daisies and other wildflowers are generally less expensive than their fresh counterparts. Also, one reason that silk wedding flowers can be cheaper overall is because a silk floral designer usually works alone and doesn’t have to pay employees or have a lot of overhead. Many work from a home office so rent to pay! We generally don’t have delivery trucks to maintain and gas up so therefore we can pass those savings on to you!

Is it in style to have silk flowers at  my wedding?

It definitely is in style to have silk flowers at your wedding. I feel like it is becoming more popular every year! The quality of silk flowers has improved so much that brides love the “perfectness “of the silk flowers. As long as the silk flowers are designed by a floral designer, they will look amazing. I know it is tempting to DIY your silk wedding florals but it’s not as easy as it looks. There are design rules to get a beautiful bouquet in the end. Being able to keep your wedding bouquet is an added bonus. You pay so much for your flowers and put so much thought into your bouquet, it is nice to be able to keep it! I have done flowers for some very high end weddings in silk flowers, so it’s not just for a budget situation.

 Do silk flowers hold up well?

Absolutely! They are basically indestructible. No worries about the flower girl using her bouquet as a magic wand and destroying it! That is one of the main reasons to choose silk flowers for your wedding. No water needed. They are wind and temperature resistant. They are great for destination weddings because they hold up to those salty beach winds and you can pack them in a suitcase and take them with you!  Silk wedding flowers are HUG resistant also. There are many boutonnieres and corsages that get destroyed with the many hugs that occur at a wedding! They don’t get crushed so they last all day and through the reception.

Can I reuse my silk wedding bouquet for another purpose after the wedding?

Of course, how creative are you? Most brides tend to keep their bouquets as is and display them in a vase or cover it with a dome to keep the dust off. Some other ideas though are taking the bouquet apart and making it into a wreath that can be displayed in your home or on the front door of your house.  Some brides have a creative person make a shadow box with their wedding invitation and some of the bouquet flowers to have as a momento. Maybe you could give them to a friend or family member to use in their wedding if they are on a tight budget. You could sell them on ebay but keep your bouquet!

What types of flowers come in a silk variety?

To my knowledge, literally every flower has a silk variety, unless there is some flower grown in some remote part of the world that most people don’t know anything about. That is the beauty of silk flowers especially for weddings, they are available in all popular wedding flowers, fillers and greenery! Also, they are available during holiday time. You won’t find a lot of silk flowers in craft stores at holiday times but I can order from my suppliers at anytime of the year. Silk flowers come in many colors that nature does not provide. There is no such thing as a teal hydrangea or a navy blue rose in mother nature! That being said, some retail fresh flower florists can spray or dip fresh flowers in dye to get another color but honestly it looks terrible and hurts the longevity of the flower.

 Can I use silk flowers for my wedding cake?

For sure! I love flowers on a wedding cake. There is no other time in your life that you will want to put flowers on a cake. It makes a plain wedding cake look like an amazing cake.

Wedding cakes are very expensive and they should be, it takes a lot of effort to make a cake for 100+ people and stack like that. They are amazing and the flavors they have now are so cool.

Silk flowers are perfect for wedding cakes because they don’t have to be sprayed with chemicals to keep them fresh. Flowers will sit on that cake all day until its time to cut the cake, they have to be specially wired and sprayed with chemicals. Some flowers are actually toxic and should never be put on a cake. Why have that stress? The silk flower designs can be simple like a few cake corsages to place on the layers or elaborate. I decorated a five tier cake with silk flowers filling the space between each layer! It was beautiful and it was my son and daughter in law’s cake. It’s on my galleries page.

Can I use silk flowers for my wedding table centerpieces?

Oh yes you can! I do this for my brides all the time. They can be very simple such as an orchid underwater in a cylinder vase. The silk flowers actually work great for these types of centerpieces because they don’t try to float to the top, they stay where you put them. Because they don’t require water, silk flowers can be used as single flowers around the base of a candle holder with some greenery. I have giant balls of flowers that you can just pop into a skinny vase or I make bouquets that you can just place in containers that you already have. You can then let your guests take the centerpieces at the end of the evening. Another idea is to use dried willow branches in tall vases with a few silk flowers around the edge of the vase and use a filler or sugar in the vase to help hold the flowers. I used large pink cherry blossoms in floor vases for my son’s wedding. They were gorgeous. I have made smaller arrangements for brides to place in mason jars too so the sky’s the limit!

How else can I use silk flowers at my wedding besides the bouquets?

All wedding floral decor can be designed in silk florals. They can be used to decorate the church such as a unity candle piece for the altar of the church. Pews or chairs are often decorated for a wedding, those can easily be created to attach to the pew or chairs. It can be as simple as a single flower accented with a simple ribbon or a larger arrangement made in floral foam and attached to a clip that clips onto the end of a church pew. The great thing about using silk flowers at the church is that they don’t require water so they cannot damage the wood of a church pew! Some churches are very strict about that. Silk flowers are great to decorate arches as well becuase they are lightweight , they are much easier to attach to an arch. Also the decorating can be done the day before if needed and no worrying about the flowers wilting.

I have some allergies to flowers, are silk flowers the best choice for me?

I think it’s probably the only choice if you want flowers. I would hate to see a beautiful bride that just spent a lot of money on makeup to start sneezing and crying from the flowers. Why do that to yourself? Also, if having an outdoor ceremony, no need to worry about bees or other insects trying to get to your bouquet? I have heard this happen to someone, so crazy right? What if you have a bridesmaid or other guests that may have allergies. You don’t want your invited guests and wedding party to be miserable and leave the party early because they can’t stop sneezing.

Can I mix silk flowers with fresh flowers for my wedding?

Yes and no. It depends on how you mix them. I recommend to use silk flowers for the bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages and then maybe use fresh flowers for the guest tables. That way you can still get the smell of the fresh flowers without worrying about keeping the bouquets in water. The centerpieces will stay fresh in water on the guest tables. The other way to mix in fresh flowers is to use them at the church in vases at the altar. What I don’t recommend is using fresh flowers for the bride and silk for the bridesmaids. Why? They won’t match in the pictures. I have seen this and it is so obvious because the colors will not be exactly the same. It stands out like a sore thumb. So, that’s my advice on that.

Should I order all of my silk flowers from one vendor?

If you want them to match or coordinate, then my answer is yes. I have made single bouquets for brides and they get the rest of the flowers from another etsy vendor or a craft sore. I am fine to do that but I would be concerned that they would look different in the pictures. We all get our flowers from different suppliers so blush pink from one supplier may be different than another. If money is an issue, discuss options with your designer to make everything coordinate but still fit in your budget. I have less expensive bouquet options for bridesmaids such as single flower bouquets or petite bouquets that are still very beautiful. I prefer to put the money into the bridal bouquet anyway because it is your big day.

Can I make my own silk flower arrangements for my wedding?

Yes you can if you are crafty, have time and patience and are willing to watch some videos or something. It can be daunting to look at a bunch of flowers and figure out how to make them into flower arrangements. When I first started out, I took a few classes, read a lot of books and practiced a lot. After years of experience, I feel that my work has improved exponentially. It’s not as easy as it looks, let me tell you. There are many supplies needed such as floral stem cutters, floral tape, pins, ribbon, glue, and of course flowers. By the time you buy all of that it could be more cost effective to pay a professional. We get our flowers wholesale and we already have all the other stuff. I don’t want to discourage anyone from trying though, it may work out just fine.

Can I add brooches or other bling to my bouquet?

Of course! I don’t show a lot of that on my designs but I always welcome your suggestions for your bouquet. It is your bouquet to personalize your way! I have put brooches, picture frames, prayer bibles and lace from grandma’s veil into bouquets. Brides have sent me parts of their mothers’ dress to use on the stems of the bouquet. I can easily add pearl sprays or rhinestones. I actually have someone who makes custom bling pins to use in bouquets so if you have something special in mind just ask! I can even put seashells in it for a beach wedding. 

I hope I answered all of your questions, if not please email me and I will get back to you quickly with an answer 

Thanks,

Cheryl