Dried Flowers vs. Fresh Flowers : Which is better for your wedding ?

When planning your wedding, one of the big decisions you'll make is choosing your flowers. While fresh blooms have always been a wedding staple, dried flowers are having an on-trend moment and are often marketed as the 'eco-friendly' alternative. Both options offer their own unique benefits, so how do you decide which is the best fit for your big day? Should you choose fresh or dried flowers ?  As a flower farmer, I love both for different reasons but let’s break down the pros and cons of dried flowers vs. fresh flowers to help you make an informed choice.

Fresh Flowers: What's not to love ? 

There’s something timeless and magical about walking down the aisle surrounded by fresh blooms. Fresh flowers bring life, colour, and fragrance to your wedding day, instantly elevating any space with their natural beauty, colours, textures and fragrance. 

Benefits of Fresh Flowers:

  1. Fragrance: One of the biggest advantages is the scent (much more likely if you are choosing locally grown/locally sourced flowers) . Fresh flowers can add an enormous sensory and unforgettable element to your special day. Think jasmine, lavender, sweet peas, garden roses, dahlias, herbs etc. If you are located near flower farms, then do check out their offerings first for the best of seasonal and fragrant flowers and get advice from them in terms of whats best in season when. 
  2. Variety: There’s an enormous range of fresh flower varieties available in every season of the year, allowing you to customise your bouquet and décor. Seasonality is really key to getting the best of fresh flowers. In Ireland, (according to Bord Bia stats ; over 90% of our fresh flowers are imported from countries all over the world so by choosing local flower farmers or locally grown flowers, you will get the best of seasonal flowers, get more unusual varieties of flowers and ensure your wedding flowers are more sustainable and eco-friendly. On seasonality , if you do have a favourite flower, find out what months it is available in e.g. peonies ;  best in season and widely available normally between the months of May/June. If you are getting married outside of those months, peonies will be harder to source and the same applies to some of the focal flowers you may be hoping for on your special day. Flower availability is really dependant on your geographical location and the time of the year so do talk to your florist or flower farmer about that first when planning and they will offer the best advice on this.  The style and design you choose will be dependant on a number of factors but most importantly ; on your budget and the floral designer or florist you choose. I do recommend working with a designer whose style really appeals to you and choose flowers and colours you love for yourself not for others;  those flowers you choose will be in many wedding photos with wonderful memories of your special day in years to come. 
  3. Lush Appearance: Fresh flowers provide a soft, lush texture, making them ideal for fuller bouquets, centrepieces, and greener installations and can have such a beautiful visual and sensory impact on your special day both for you and your guests, especially if you love flowers. 
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(Photo: fragrant sweet pea) 

Considerations:

  • Short Lifespan: Fresh flowers can have a limited vase life depending on the time of the year you are getting married;  often wilting or bruising from all the movement, hugging, holding dancing etc. For summer or outdoor weddings, this can be an issue or if you eloping or getting married abroad. Also note, many countries will most likely not allow fresh flowers in through their border control so if eloping do check this out too. 
  • Cost: As they are a fresh natural product, fresh flowers can be expensive -yes,  even if you just want a green foliage option, especially if you’re importing out-of-season blooms in cooler times such as winter when there would be a lot less locally available flowers.  It takes a lot of both natural and man made resources to grow and get flowers to you as the end customer so don't underestimate how much you think they might cost once all the other costs and charges are added on. 
  • Preservation : if you love fresh flowers and want to keep them after your wedding, it is best to hire a floral preservation artist or an expert who can either dry, press or design art with your flowers. There are now endless options from framed flowers, pressed flower art, resin floral art etc. It is best to research this in advance to ensure you get the artist you want. Keep your flowers in their best shape by cutting the stems with a sharp pruners the day after the wedding and keep them cool and in fresh water until they need to be shipped or delivered to the artist. 

Dried Flowers: Sustainable and Long-lasting Beauty

Dried flowers, on the other hand, offer a totally different appeal. Long-lasting, sustainable - sometimes, and unique, dried flowers have gained popularity for their durability and charm. 

Benefits of Dried Flowers:

  1. Sustainability: I really love working with dried flowers. They can be so full of textures and shapes,  really wild and natural too. In the main, dried flowers are now being marketed as the 'eco-friendly' and sustainable option but this is not always the case so it is important to be aware of a few factors when deciding. If sourced locally, they will of course have less air miles travelled and so have a lower carbon footprint. If you can source locally grown and dried flowers, they may also often be grown organically too,  so better for the environment overall. Another important thing to consider is that certain flowers do not come in every colour of the rainbow . It is now quite common to see lots of dried flower offerings clearly  labelled as 'eco-friendly'  or 'sustainable' dried flowers which have in fact clearly been dyed with chemicals or bleached. Whether or not you choose these flowers is completely a  personal preference of course. The reality is that unless you are a florist or an experienced gardener, you may not be able to tell what is really natural versus what is chemically enhanced or treated so my biggest recommendation here is that if you are wanting to be truly eco-friendly with your wedding flowers, then do ask the questions of your florist or floral designer. 
  2. Longevity: Unlike fresh flowers, dried blooms can last indefinitely. You can keep your dried flower as a bouquet as a keepsake, bring it home, pop it in a vase, no water required and it will last a minimum of 1 year or much longer - the secret to keeping them in their best condition is to keep them dry and out of damp or humid environments. Please note that as with all natural things, the flower colour will fade slowly over time though. To maintain them, you can use a hair dryer on a cool setting and gently blow over the flowers to remove any dust. 
  3. Versatility: Dried flowers offer unique textures and earthy tones that fresh flowers don’t always provide. From pampas grass to lavender, dried flowers can add a boho or vintage wild vibe to your wedding. 
  4. Cost-Effective: Because they last longer and don’t need refrigeration or quick shipping, dried flowers can be more affordable in the long run if you want to have a keepsake after the wedding. Dried flowers are also a great option for destination weddings or elopements. In terms of budget and the cost, they can be more expensive than fresh depending on the type of flowers or foliage being used so of course, research all of this with your chosen florist or floral designer. 
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(Photo : An example of some dyed/bleached flowers) 

Considerations:

  • Fragility: Dried flowers are more delicate than fresh flowers, and they can be prone to shedding if not handled properly and will turn brown and break down if exposed to wet or damp environments. 
  • No Fragrance: While some dried flowers retain a slight scent (like lavender), most don’t have the same fragrant appeal as fresh flowers. 
  • Pets :  If you have a pet that loves chewing on everything it gets its paws on, always keep dried flowers away from them and out of reach. Many arrangements (the same as with fresh blooms) may contain seed heads or flowers which may be toxic to animals. 
A note on 'preserved blooms' versus dried blooms : The difference here is that preserved flowers undergo a special preservation technique where fresh flowers are treated with a mixture of glycerin and other natural substances. This process keeps the flowers' natural texture, shape, colour, and softness, making them look and feel a lot more like they do when fully fresh and will also last for months or even years as they are. Dried flowers tend to be air-dried without the use of chemicals in most cases and are more ruffled and papery to touch. 


Choosing Between Dried and Fresh Flowers

Ultimately, the choice between dried and fresh flowers depends on your wedding style, budget, and personal preferences. Fresh flowers are ideal for so many different styles ;  classic, lush, and fragrant while dried flowers are perfect for a more relaxed, bohemian, or rustic aesthetic. Some couples even choose to mix both for a best-of-both-worlds approach! It is completely up to you and your own situation. 

Choosing Your Floral Designer Carefully

As I already mentioned your florist or floral designer will play a huge role in bringing your floral vision to life, so choose someone who understands your style and values and how you like working with. Whether you're going for fresh or dried flowers, ask your designer about their experience with both types of florals, and how they approach sustainability. Look at their portfolio, ask for recommendations, and ensure they can deliver the look you're going for—whether it’s an elegant fresh flower arrangement or a whimsical dried flower creation.

Whether you choose fresh or dried flowers, both can make your wedding day beautiful and memorable and become part of the beautiful story of your special day, so choose what you love and choose local if you can!