The Pro's and Con's of fresh and dried flowers. Things to consider when making your choice.
Flower are synonymous with getting married and can be made as unique as you are. The challenge is that there are so many options now that it can get a bit over whelming. So Hopefully this will help you answer at least one question by the end of this blog.
Do you want fresh flowers or dried?
Fresh Wedding Flowers
Seasonal blooms freshly cut have a sense of vibrancy and energy about them that is truly unique. When you walk into a room where a floral arrangement is the scent immediately envelopes you. When paired with a truly special moment like a wedding that scent will trigger those memories for years to come.
There are a few key things to think about when choosing your fresh flowers though. The season you are getting married can really influence what flowers you will be able to have. So if you are set on having peonies for your big day ask your local florist when they are in flower and think about planning your wedding during that period.
Flowers can be imported out of season but the quality can vary massively as they will likely have been forced in a greenhouse or been flown in from places like Africa or south America.
If you are a eco conscious couple wanting to keep the carbon footprint of your wedding down then opting for locally grown seasonal flowers is going to be your best option. A great place to find your local grower and florist is Flowers From the Farm. www.flowersfromthefarm.com
The majority of the local flower growers that I know also grow pesticide free. So you don't have to worry about any nasties when carrying, wearing or burying your nose in your flowers. I would always recommend asking your florist if the flowers they will be using have been sprayed, just to be on the safe side though.
Some of the downsides of fresh flowers is they will truly shine on the day but will probably only last for a few days afterwards. Though they will be forever captured in your photos.
A popular option is to have some of the flowers dried and preserved in resin as a keep sake. This will need to be undertaken by a professional as close to the wedding day as possible.
They will also likely need to be delivered the day before or the day of your wedding and ideally need to be kept somewhere cool for as long as possible. Fresh flowers don't always cope well in heat or direct sunlight. A wedding in a marquee in the middle of summer can sometimes feel like a greenhouse which by the end of the day can make even the hardiest flowers and people start to droop.
As a quick round up below are some of the main points to consider.
Pro's
They are vibrant fresh and smell incredible
They come is a beautiful range of textures and colours
Seasonal blooms really epitomise the time of year you are getting married. Seeing and smelling those blooms again every year will trigger the amazing memories of your day.
Seasonal locally grown blooms are a great eco conscious option that will probably also support a small local business.
Con's
They are seasonal so not all flowers will be available all year round.
You will need somewhere cool and dark to keep them if you are having them delivered the day before.
The flowers will need to be delivered either the day before or the day of your wedding
They won't last more than a few days after your wedding as they will have been picked to look their best for the day.
Arrangements are still regularly created using floral foam, which is a single use plastic, though there are many more eco alternatives now available.
Dried Wedding Flowers
Dried flowers have been growing in popularity over the last few years and this is starting to seep into the wedding industry as well now. I'm very excited to be creating two fully dried flower weddings this year (2024).
Dried flowers are a brilliant option if you are getting married during the winter season or if you want to have the flowers long beyond your wedding day. Due to their dried nature they are normally available all year round and can be kept in a vase in your home after your big day. One thing to keep in mind though is that they do need to be kept dry and out of direct sunlight to keep them in tip top condition. some dropping and bleaching over time is natural though it would still be worth getting some of them preserved in resin if you wanted a life time keep sake. Dried flowers tend to keep looking good for up to three years before they might need a refresh.
I've read in a few other wedding flower blogs recently that dried flowers are a cheaper alternative to fresh which is unfortunately not true unless you are buying in something mass produced which is liable to be covered in chemicals. Dried flowers take all the same work as fresh flowers to grow but with the added steps of carefully drying and storing them. They then also have the benefit of lasting for many years longer than fresh flowers to.
Many of the dried flowers I see online can be incredibly cheap but they are also dyed garish unnatural colours and can be covered in preservatives as well. If you want these bright colours just be careful to wash your hands thoroughly after handling them.
As a quick round up below are some of the main points to consider.
Pro's
They can be collected or delivered up to a week before your wedding day.
Displayed in a vase at home they can be a treasured keep's sake after your big day.
They are super easy to preserve in resin as they are already dried. It is still best to let a professional do this though.
They can be used at any season even in the depths of winter
Con's
The colours can be limited as only a select variety of flowers and foliage dry well.
They can be very delicate and will naturally drop some petals.
They need to be kept dry and out of direct sunlight to prevent mould and bleaching
The vast majority of commercially available dried flowers are dyed and preserved with planet harming chemicals.
They are more expensive than fresh flowers due to the extra steps needed for drying and storing them.
How about both?
Another alternative I love to create is a mixture of both!
Below is a wedding from October 2024. This is right at the end of our cut flower season here in South Wales but I had some stunning dried flowers I could add to the mix. By mixing the fresh with the dried there was the bonus of the scent, movement and vibrancy of the fresh brought to the arrangements along side the longevity of the dried. At the end of the day these dried flowers could be taken out of the bouquets and buttonholes and kept as keepsakes.
I love to create all of the above and each one has their merits and things to consider. I hope this has possibly helped you and I would love to hear what you thought or if you found this useful. Drop me a message at rhiannon@bluehillflora.com
Thanks
Rhiannon
