SIlk Flowers

[jbennett]

I was watching a TV show on budget weddings and they suggested we use silk flowers. My question is, do people really do this? I mean, no one I know has used or suggested silk flowers, and aren't silk flowers considered tacky? I don't want a silk flower bouquet.

[alandenisefields]

No, it's not tacky at all! High quality silk flowers are dead ringers for the real thing.

Of course, you can use fresh flowers for bouquets and silks elswhere in your wedding.

Best wishes,
Alan & Denise Fields, Authors
BRIDAL BARGAINS * BRIDALGOWN.COM * CYBERBRIDE *

[jbennett]

Oh thank you! I think that is going a be a great cost-saver.

[joikb]

I don't think they are tacky either. A friend of mine got married last year and her silk flower bouquet was beautiful as well as the attendants. She even used a silk flower garland around her cake. It was all really beautiful.

[PRINCESS_KIM]

How does one tell the difference between high quality silk flowers and non-quality flowers? Where do you purchase them? From Michael's Craft Store?

[Kaimannaa]

Silk flowers are not at all tacky these days. My mom has purchased silk flowers from Pier 1 and Michael's arts & crafts that are so real-looking I have to touch them to make sure -- and even then, a few times I have had to ask her if they were real or fake! If you don't want a silk bouquet, why not use real flowers just for your bouquet, and silk for everything else?

[Selena]

We're using silk flowers from Michaels' for our ceremony decorations on the gazebo. They are gorgeous and you can't even tell they are fake.

My fiance' wants to use real flowers for the personal flowers, or else I'd use silk for those as well!

[icewitch26]

Hello,
I am using silk flowers too! I have really bad allergies and so does my son, my mother and half of our family. I was afraid if I went with real flowers half of my family would be sneezing through the ceremony or worse I would be doing it while trying to say my vows. I don't think that would be very romantic. We went to AC moores and Micheals and even wal-mart to purchase our flowers. We have made bouquets for 7 female attendants-including myself, 3 mothers corsages, the trellis,table centerpiece arrangements for 17 round tables, cake table, head table, boutonieres for 8 men, buffet table and 3 or 4 large floral arrangements for roughly 700 dollars.This was the cost of the flowers and all the stuff needed to go with it such as the holders. I am not an experienced person with making flowers but I bought a book on it for about 10 dollars and it is really easy.You just have to have patience. I saved alot of money by doing it myself and not having to pay someone for their labor. The key is to shop around and get them when they are on sale, alot of craft stores when they are getting ready to change their season selection will sell them at 50 percent off. A friend of mine just recently found a sale where they had long stem roses for 30 cents apiece. An added bonus is that your silk flower bouquet will never wilt and die and the only thing you need to preserve it is a plastic bag. You can keep it forever. Hope this info helps-icewitch

[missfisch]

I'm doing my own silks too! I took a class in college on floral arranging...learned a lot. Check your community college for classes. My cousin used silks and so did my fiance's sister...both have offered to help with mine...plus now it doesn't matter when I get married...I can get whatever flowers i want!

[aioffa]

Tacky????? Hardly!!!

Silks are FANTASTIC for weddings. Especially now. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the fakes from the real stuff.

I know I'm replying to an old post, but it's worth it if I can help someone save a little money.

Go take a look at my Wedding Page and tell me if you think it's silk or fresh.

Richard
American Floral Arts
www.SomethingSomethingSomething.com

[loscoz]

My wedding isn't till 2004 but I plan on combining silks with real. That way I can make all the decorations/bouquets/whatever when I have some time to play, and just have some real flowers added in for the smell.

A good source for silk flowers is to find a wholesaler through your local yellow pages. Inquire if they sell retail, as some do on the weekends. They usually have huge selections and are a bit more accomidating on ordering large quantities if you find something you love - and may offer a bulk discount to boot! One local wholesale shop here sells 28" tall glass vases for $12.00 each... a local florist offered to rent me theirs for $10.00 but only if I did my floral arrangements with them. I may be spending a bit more here but it'll be worth the extra $2.00 per table for something that I or my guests can keep.

[DealFinderBride]

I went to a wedding recently where they used both silk and real and it was beautiful, the large arangements that were by the bridal table were silk and the individual tables were real centerpieces that were simple but nice. I think the sister of the florist did the silk arangements and you really had to check close to figure out if they were or were not real on the silk plants.

Now i have to figure out weather or not to use the same people :)

[PRINCESS_KIM]

Over the weekend on one of Martha Stewart shows, she showed how to make beautiful table decorations using silk flowers. You could go to www.marthastewart.com and search for ideas.

[aioffa]

Silks can REALLY look like the real thing.

It's all in how it's done and WHICH flowers are selected and used.

I teach people EVERY SINGLE DAY how to create a realistic appearance with fresh flowers. After all, silks were developed to simulate the real thing. You should take advantage of the opportunity. It's not as expensive as fresh (or at least it doesn't have to be). The greatest part is that you can make them yourself. It's MUCH easier than you think.

If you need ideas, you can visit my wedding page at:
www.http://hometown.aol.com/aioffa/WeddingPage.html

Best of luck and best wishes,
Richard

[rachel in la]

If you are looking for inexensive but good-quality silk flowers, I think I have found a good site. Maybe the Allens can check them out too. www.save-on-crafts.com

Rachel
8.16.03

[aioffa]

Absolutely RIGHT!!!

Their prices are very very good (www.save-on-crafts.com) for the one time buyer. I've found that most of their floral products are as inexpensive to the public as I buy wholesale locally. A very good deal.

Richard - American Floral Arts www.SomethingSomethingSomething.com