Yet there is something in using fake flowers for a wedding, particularly if you are on a tight budget – as so many are in this recession period. Real flowers are a real extravagance, with the average bill for flowers running easily into thousands of dollars. Yet when the wedding is over, these flowers are more often than not thrown away. While they may have looked spectacular on the day, this is in essence like throwing money down the drain; fine if you have money to spend, but if things are tight it does begin to seem like an unnecessary expense.

The difference in cost between real and faux flowers is staggering, with the fake version of an arrangement often costing less than a third of their genuine counterparts. While some would say that the expense is worth the difference in quality, many arrangements – such as those at the church or around the altar – and not going to be viewed closely, therefore it is more than possible to substitute for fake arrangents without anyone even knowing.

There are some arrangements involved in a wedding that should, wherever possible, be kept real. The bridal bouquet is an intrinsic part of the day for many, and space should usually be made in a budget to accommodate this. Everything else, however, can be fake and only the most fastidious of guests will ever be aware of it.

Another great advantage of using fake flowers is that you can keep them with you following the big day. Many couples who have used fake flowers pack and store them, bringing them out for anniversaries and enjoying being surrounded by reminders of the day. So while you may naturally shy away from the idea of a false arrangement, it is nevertheless something to consider, and you will be surprised at the quality of fake flowers in the 21st century.