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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask whether fake flowers for wedding venue are tacky

78 replies

Scrumbleton · 01/07/2021 23:26

Second wedding. We are middle aged getting married with a flexible budget. Country house/ small castle venue. Bridal bouquets, button holes and corsages will all be fresh flowers. I’ve found a supplier that will provide really lovely tall blossom displays on plinths and matching table centre pieces, with a flowered arch for the service. The cost to decorate the venue would be around £600 versus more than double that for fresh flowers. But is it tacky to have fake venue flowers

OP posts:
Slimmingstar · 01/07/2021 23:31

Yes. Use balloons, bunting, pom-poms, anything but fake flowers…….

We don’t want the expense of lots of fresh flowers so are using lots of potted roses and orchids. Still lovely, but cheaper.
Plus, people can take them hone as a living momentoe of the evening/day.

mondler · 01/07/2021 23:34

Depends on the type of fake flower. Plastic/cheap might look a bit tacky but you can get some lovely foam ones which look lovely. My friend had them in her wedding bouquet and it was really hard to tell they were fake. So its doable x

SchrodingersMat · 01/07/2021 23:38

Yes they are tacky, and disagree with pp about balloons, they are massively tacky at weddings.

TippledPink · 01/07/2021 23:39

You can get some really beautiful realistic foam flowers, I would go for it! Definitely not balloons and pom poms.

porkincider · 01/07/2021 23:40

Yes, they’re tacky as are balloons (although I’d probably say balloons are worse tbh). What about dried flowers? They can look lovely.

Gingersay · 01/07/2021 23:42

Yes. When are you getting married pick what is in season and that should bring the cost down.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 01/07/2021 23:46

We still have one of our artificial centrepieces. We've been married 11 years

People want good food, reasonably priced drinks and a good party. They don't care whether your flowers are expensive roses, bought from tesco or artificial.

HeddaGarbled · 01/07/2021 23:46

A fake flower arch is definitely tacky. But the table centre pieces could be nice. Not sure about the tall arrangements on plinths - I’d have to see them.

JadeSeahorse · 01/07/2021 23:47

When we married many, many years ago we had silk flowers for everything, I.e. my bouquet, buttonholes, flower arrangements etc.

They were absolutely gorgeous and really felt and smelled like the real thing.

I don't know if they still offer these nowadays but they were far from tacky and not cheap either but worth it to save the worry of something going wrong with fresh flowers.

LifeinPieces21 · 01/07/2021 23:48

@SchrodingersMat

Yes they are tacky, and disagree with pp about balloons, they are massively tacky at weddings.
The balloon clusters are awful but so popular.
Original poster
Scrumbleton · 01/07/2021 23:52

This is an example

AIBU to ask whether fake flowers for wedding venue are tacky
OP posts:
AlwaysLatte · 01/07/2021 23:54

Why use plastic? Yes, definitely tacky, sorry,

1000umbrellas · 01/07/2021 23:58

If you've seen photos/samples and think they look lovely, go for it rather than worrying about what other people might or might not consider tacky for a wedding. Hopefully your wedding will be free from snipey types but be assured if you fork out for fresh they will find something else to snipe about!

NeepNeepNeep · 02/07/2021 00:00

I probably wouldn't even notice and if I did I wouldn't think tacky. It doesn't matter.

HarrietHairbrush · 02/07/2021 00:01

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got from Mumsnet in the many years I have been here is “if you have to ask ‘is this naff?’ Then it probably is”

ValerieMalone · 02/07/2021 00:08

If budget is an issue — as it is for most of us — these will be lovely I’m sure. My BIL and SIL used foam ones and they looked really nice, especially from a distance. I would definitely prioritize food, drinks and a nice venue but if you can do all that and responsibly stretch to fresh seasonal flowers there is no question that they are SO much nicer.

frigglerock · 02/07/2021 02:40

If you're happy with how they look that is absolutely all that matters. There are fake flowers that look completely real, unless they're closely examined. Most of your guests won't give the flowers more than a passing glance.

I like your example. Personally, I'd go with what I could afford. Those particular flowers don't look cheap or fake to me.

cariadlet · 02/07/2021 03:29

You've already got fresh flowers for the bouquet and corsages. Personally, I'd scrap the idea of decorations and save myself £600 which I'd put towards my holiday fund.

LunaMuffinTop · 02/07/2021 04:37

All the flowers for my wedding where foam and unless you knew they where foam you would’ve thought they where real there is nothing wrong with fake flowers and I would hate it if anyone thought my bouquet was tacky because I certainly never and I’ve kept all the flowers that where used for my wedding. From the picture you have posted I would go for the fake flowers they look really lovely and it’s something that you can keep if you want to.

Wiredforsound · 02/07/2021 04:57

I wouldn’t care. If people are going to criticise your floral arrangements they’re probably not the sort of friends you want to have. They’re there for you. Most peole don’t even notice them.

readingismycardio · 02/07/2021 05:13

Yes, I'm afraid so. I've seen some pretty decent ones, but still tacky. If you don't want fresh flowers this type of centrepiece might be an option:

AIBU to ask whether fake flowers for wedding venue are tacky
AIBU to ask whether fake flowers for wedding venue are tacky
Backhills · 02/07/2021 06:49

Balloons much worse than even the worst kind of artificial flowers IMO and most are really good now.

Personally, I think a flower arch is OTT and a bit tacky in itself. Just have fewer flowers to keep within your budget.

PurpleyBlue · 02/07/2021 06:54

Loose the flower arch and have real ones? Though tbh I never really pay much attention to the decorations at a wedding unless they are particularly quirky. I think fake would be fine.

blackcat86 · 02/07/2021 06:54

All the flowers at my wedding were fake including my bouquet. No one noticed! Many have been kept for displays at home. They were not expensive, just well made and well chosen.

newnortherner111 · 02/07/2021 07:00

Please don't do fake, do less if necessary.