We need to talk about… QUALITY! (Part 2)

This morning I posted a story on my Instagram account showing the quality of some white, red, and pink roses I bought yesterday. While I was looking through some old materials in the “discard” pile, I was reminded of how different the product you get can be. It’s not just “you get what you pay for”, though. I also find a huge difference between when I order something online, sight unseen, vs. buying something in person and hand-picking each stem. Faux flowers are one of those things that can be tough to buy online, so the majority of the time, I hand pick everything.

Here’s a red rose I bought, compared to a cheap version of the same thing:

Huge difference! The one on the left has no variation in color, it has almost no volume, and you can easily tell it’s made of cheap fabric. The one on the right has a gradient of color, has a veining in each petal that looks exactly like the real thing, is “real touch” (velvety) material, and has a stem that looks real.

The same goes for this white rose. My favorite part of the one on the left (high quality rose) is that it has the intentional imperfection of some petals being pulled away at different angels. That makes it look realistic. I love that the color is not stark white, but rather the off-white shade that white roses generally come in.

The cheap version on the right has fabric that’s unraveling in spots, cheap looking greenery, and (not pictured) underneath it you can see glue. It also has a wire instead of a stem.

The reason quality is so important for me to point out is because the stereotype or general feeling about faux florals tends to be that they are “the cheap option”. While they can be made affordable for your wedding and hit any price point, affordable doesn’t have to mean low quality. In fact, it can be quite the opposite! With care and attention from the florist preparing your arrangements, you can get bouquets that pass as real - AND, you get to keep them! The rest of the materials can be reused (this is my business model).

If you’re looking for “the cheap option” and thinking faux florals are the answer, well - they can be - you get what you pay for, and what is picked out for you. But if you want something high quality to carry on your wedding day and keep forever - that can also be true! It all depends on the quality of materials used.

For more side by side photo comparisons, check out Part 1 of “We need to talk about… QUALITY!”.