What’s all the buzz about faux flowers? We learned about Alyssa Grogan from The Rogue Petal Co. and had to catch up with her to learn all about this movement. What do you think? Read on to learn more about faux flowers and tell us what you think! A big thank you to Alyssa for sharing her time, talent, and insights as well as these awesome photos. Enjoy!
Tell us a little about why faux flowers are becoming so popular...
I think that in the past, there were less options for realistic-looking, artificial flowers. When most people think of faux flowers, they think about the stems that look blatantly fake and almost plastic--but now there are so many more possibilities that make it almost impossible to tell the difference! Artificial flowers can look just as elegant, as classic, or wild as you can imagine. I think for brides and grooms that are planning their wedding on a budget, faux florals are becoming a realizable, low-maintenance option.
Why would you recommend faux bouquets over regular flowers for weddings?
It absolutely depends on the person, in my opinion. I am not here to coax anyone into using silk flowers for their big day if they have their heart set on the real deal. Who doesn't love real flowers, right?? But, real floral design comes at a cost that is often very high as well as with potential limitations. For those couples on tight budget, or who maybe traveling, or are just a tad Type A (raises hand), I think it’s worth looking into.
What are the main differences between regular flowers and faux flowers?
With the real deal, you are limited on the season, geographic location, and availability of the flowers you may be imagining. With faux, you don’t have to worry about those draw backs. You also don’t have to stress about flowers wilting on scorching hot or extra long days, becoming bruised from transport, staining clothing, or causing issues with guests who have sensitivity to floral allergens. Artificial flowers are also a viable option if you have a destination wedding and want or need to bring the arrangements with you. After the wedding, unlike real arrangements, you can keep your bouquet or any other piece you love forever--in the same state it was on the day of the wedding! And if there are any brides out there like me when I was planning my wedding, I know they can appreciate a checked off task on their wedding to-do list; with their arrangements tucked away in storage and any surprises on the day of… because they’re already done!
What is the price difference between these flowers and regular bouquets?
So artificial flower arrangements, like bouquets, can be of comparable cost to the real thing, but are often are less expensive. It depends on the size and the type of flowers of course. I only use stems and pieces that are the most realistic, so they come at a higher cost per piece for that reason are comparable to real flowers in pricing. However, because the faux flowers are low-maintenance, there are no fees for delivery, no need to pay into keeping them crisp in a fridge, etc. and are associated with lower costs. What you are essentially paying for are just the materials to create the arrangements, the time spent to make them, and maybe shipping costs if the business is not local.
Although it varies on the florist, a typical bridal bouquet costs between $150 to $350, whereas silk bridal bouquets are between $75 to $250. Bridesmaid bouquets range $65 to $125 for the real deal and for faux are anywhere from $50 to $100.
The other amazing option with faux florals is the potential to rent arrangements which will further lower cost. There are a few businesses that you can do this already and I am planning to expand my business into rentals as soon as possible! Often if couples purchase the faux florals and decide they do not want to keep the arrangements, they can sell them after the wedding.
What is your favorite part of the industry?
With the faux floral designing, I have a hand in helping visions become realized without an extravagant price tag. I have been a maker and crafter for most of my existence, so doing that as much as possible is so exciting. I had an amazing time creating arrangements for my own day, so I am thrilled to be able to do it for clients with The Rogue Petal Co. on the regular!
Can you see faux flowers taking over the wedding industry?
It would be really surprising to me if real florals didn’t remain the forefront of the industry. But, I know the faux floral market is growing! If couples are able to budget for larger scale designs like hanging installments and ceremony pieces, it makes sense to go with real florists who can imagine that design and do the on-site work to make it come to life. But, that also invites the idea that you could have a faux florist create the smaller, more mobile arrangements and then collaborate with the larger pieces to save money.
What are current trends within faux bouquets? ex: colors, fabrics, and flower type
I think the best thing about the faux stems and greenery is that it looks so much like the real thing, that they mirror each other. When I look for design inspo, I’m always searching and pinning what I assume are real flowers. With that said, I have found a lot of my brides asking for king proteas, dahlias, and bouquets full of mixed greenery!
How do you make your bouquets?
I collect all the stems I want to use for the bouquet and usually start from the center and work my way out. This might be weird, but I also like to look in the mirror as I’m putting it together as if I am a bride holding it--often that’s how I decide if it needs more pieces, any changes, or if I just need to start over again! I feel like you can really appreciate the shape of the bouquet by looking at it from that perspective. Then I use rubber bands and floral wire to secure them and wrap in floral tape. Last, I add things like twine or ribbon to fancy it up.
Besides bouquets, how else can people use faux flowers?
You can use faux flowers to add many other floral elements to your wedding such as pieces for the table arrangements, stems for the cake, flowers draping over signs, the dessert table, sweetheart table, and bar, etc. You can have flower crowns or combs, floral hoops, pieces for your furry family members (!) and so many other things! Really, the possibilities are in-line with real flowers, but with far less of the hassle.
Credit:
Florist: Alyssa Grogan, @roguepetalco
Photographer: Alyssa Grogan, @roguepetalco
Hair & Makeup: Blake Cornelius, @Blakehairstylist