Whilst real flowers always look stunning, using an alternative is a great way to let your personality shine!
Throughout this blog post we will go into more detail on some of the best and unusual bouquets plus their pros and cons with these 5 wedding flower bouquet alternatives.
Silk Flowers
The first obvious choice to talk about is silk flowers. Originating in China and Europe, they have been around for centuries, gaining popularity in the UK during the late 1700's. Posies of silk roses have been widely used by many brides and their bridesmaids, and coming in many colours they can even provide a true 'blue rose' option.
Genuine silk roses crafted by the finest artisans provide a realistic, if, expensive option. However, silk roses are now so widely available and in many different fabrics, that a simple posy can be the most cost effective option for wedding flowers, especially when considering their longevity and the option of re-sale if you do not wish to keep or display them.
When taking silk flowers into account, the freedom of arranging is more limited and less free-flowing than it's real counterparts and most affordable bouquets come with either solely roses or roses and diamantés, missing a lot of the green foliage that most real-flower bouquets have. Silk flowers will suit a couple looking for a more 'traditional' look to their bouquets or centerpieces.
Pro's | Con's |
All budgets | Unscented |
Traditional style | Not as realistic |
Everlasting | Limited styles |
Great for allergies | |
Purchase in advance |
Crepe Paper
Remember crepe paper from your school days? Well it's had an upgrade, and it produces some fabulous paper flowers!
Flowers made from crepe-paper have a much more realistic touch to them, especially when combined with soft colouring pastels to provide depth to the colours. The level of creativity that can be put into this style of flower is amazing and if you are into crafts and have the time, then this is something you could think about trying yourself with many YouTube videos and books available - try the link below!
Crepe-paper flowers can be arranged much more easily to achieve a free-flowing design than compared to silk and just like silk flowers are everlasting and therefore able to be sold on again or kept for display in your home.
They are great for people who suffer from allergies and do not want themselves or their partner sneezing through the ceremony!
A point to consider with crepe paper flowers is to be careful with water, if there are very heavy downpours the water can make the dye run. The last thing you want is a stain on a white dress, however, most artists will make you aware of this and sealants can be applied.
Pro's | Con's |
Realistic look | Time-consuming |
Easy to arrange | Unscented |
Everlasting | Colour bleeding |
Hen-do activity | |
Good for allergies |
Feathers
If you are looking to add a romantic-feel to your wedding day then look no further than feathers!
Whether real or kept vegan-friendly with fabric/paper feathers the style of arrangement can vary greatly with the amount, colour and type of feathers used.
Feathers can be used shaped into flowers and has been dated back to the late 1800's, this method has a soft look and a small simple bouquet can be picked up fairly cheaply. If you have the budget, there are great artists online that have created fabulous feather bouquets in beautiful variations and colour schemes and who can create to suit your wedding plans.
Another option with feathers is to partially use them to enhance the form of bouquets with natural flowers, whether that be softening areas with fluffy feathers, or adding drama with long feather spikes - think partridge tail feathers creating a trailing bouquet!
How about a whole bouquet of feathers? Layering the most delicate in the middle to stronger and longer on the outside will mimic the look of a posy and the natural colours of the feathers can provide texture too. Feathers don't have to be in a bouquet either, you could try feathers as a fan or hoop.
Pro's | Con's |
Feminine/Romantic feel | Looks less like flowers |
Large colour variety | Harder to source |
Natural or bold look | |
Lighter weight |
Crochet/Pom-Pom Flowers
The last style of flower we will look at are crochet/knitted flowers and pom-pom bouquets.
This is a wonderful way of having an alternative bouquet as not only do they look fantastic they can incorporate a loved one.
If you are lucky enough to have a friend or family member who knits or crochets for a hobby you can include a piece of their work into your special day. Why not try this cute flower bouquet in the link below?
No one available to crochet yours? There are crafters out their who can provide your flowers for you on sites such as Etsy.
Crochet flowers come in many styles and can be as colourful or muted as you like with many yarn choices available and flower types. Even delicate lace is an option if you want something more elegant or rustic style.
If you are having an Eco-conscious wedding then vegan options and recycled yarns are now available and the bouquets can be displayed or broken down into vases after your wedding day, which is great for those wishing to have a low impact on the environment by reusing.
Pom-pom bouquets are also fantastic for this as you can pick up left-over yarn from people's projects to create your bouquet and are much less time consuming and to make yourself. Another advantage to this is it being much cheaper. Here is a tutorial for making a simple pom-pom bouquet.
Pro's | Con's |
Re-usable as home decor | Takes time to create |
Can be sold | |
Wide choice |
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