A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…

First off, quite honestly, artificial flowers are a lot more affordable than real flowers. Also, I really love the idea that I will be able to keep my bouquet for years to come, exactly as is, 50 years from now, it will look exactly the way it did on our wedding day! Finally, after viewing all of the available options in artificial flowers (the Real Touch flowers are absolutely amazing—they look, feel and in some cases even smell real!), I came around to the idea that fresh flowers are not the only way to go.

In my last post, I talked about some of my favourite finds on Etsy, one of which is JDLEGGANS, a sweet little boutique of artificial wedding florals. The designer behind all of the beautiful creations found in the store is Danielle McAfee. Working with Danielle to create our custom wedding package has been very rewarding—I’ve basically gotten to choose every single flower myself and Danielle has been so receptive in letting me decide how they’ll be arranged.  I had the chance to ask her some questions about wedding floral design and thought it would be nice to share some of her insight with all you fellow brides-to-be. Here is a snippet of what Danielle had to say:

Lara Varona: What's your #1 tip for brides when selecting their wedding bouquets/florals?

Danielle McAfee: My number one tip would be to have an idea of what you like, but be flexible. Especially with real touch flowers, because although there is a wide variety of high-quality real touch flowers available, some types or colours of flowers are not yet available. However, if you have a general "look" you are going for and can provide inspiration photos, your florist will be able create something similar for you that you will love!

LV: What would you say to a bride who is struggling between going for real flowers versus getting real touch/silk flowers?

DM: I would remind them what a great keepsake a real touch flower bouquet can be. With modern silk/real touch flowers, most people will not even suspect your bouquet isn't real unless you tell them. (At my wedding, my photographer, who has photographed literally hundreds of weddings, did not believe mine was silk even when she touched it!) And then, once your wedding is over you will have a beautiful keepsake for years to come.

LV: What is a good type of flower to choose for a bride that is trying to "stretch a dollar?" On the flip side, what flower would you recommend they splurge on and why?

DM: For budget-conscious brides, I always recommend gerbera daisies. They are such a fun, happy flower and look great in bouquets either on their own or mixed with other blooms. They are also one of the most inexpensive flowers you can buy—even Real Touch gerbera daisies are very reasonably priced. For a splurge, I think Real Touch calla lilies are always an elegant and timeless choice, even though they are a bit pricey. Hence the splurge!

Thanks to Danielle McAfee of JDLEGGANS for taking the time to answer my questions!  I was going to post pictures of our finished wedding florals, but for that you’ll just have to wait until after our wedding…

Are any of you planning “faking it” on your wedding day?