Versatile, Sustainable & Beautiful: Silk Flower Wedding Bouquets

Interview with Anika from Prestige Flowers & Co.- Wedding Bouquets

We had the pleasure of chatting to Anika, owner of Prestige Flowers and Co. Have you ever considered a more environmental option for you wedding bouquet flowers? Read on for more information about these beautiful silk flowers, tips on choosing your flowers and how Anika got started.

1. What are silk flowers, please tell me a bit more about this and the process involved in making them..

Silk flowers are the most realistic alternative to fresh flowers, and are available in every season. Hard-to-get favourites such as peony flowers come in a stunning variety of buds, flowers and colours and thus can even feature at Winter weddings. Many now are scanned from fresh flower specimens and recreated so that they’re botanically correct - with pollen and everything! We purchase our flowers from incredible Australian suppliers, and we only deal in exceptionally high end botanicals. Many of our silk florals are from the same supplier who provided the many florals in The Great Gatsby. It’s quite an amazing process, we receive them just like fresh flowers, and must remove leaves and stems and then arrange them according to the designs required.

2. When did you start the business and when did your love affair for flowers begin? And please tell me a bit about your journey in starting the business. 

My love affair with flowers began at a young age, growing up learning floristry from my Mother who was a master florist in the city, and has done arrangements for many politicians and celebrities such as Mariah Carey. I’ve learned the art of fresh floristry for over fifteen years now, and moved to silk flowers to provide my clients with something more reliable, and without seasonal limitations.

3. What made you want to go down the path of environmental and economical weddings? What are the advantages of silk flowers when compared to real flowers?

Living in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges has always installed a love for nature, and the amount of wastage that is created by offcuts of both fresh and silk flowers can make a huge impact long term. Being that wedding bouquets are typically a single-use item, I’ve always been concerned about the collective environmental impact when making a new set for each client. Along with floral offcuts required with both fresh and silk flowers, there are also many delivery boxes and packing materials that must be taken care of. All of our promotional materials are printed on 100% recycled paper and Brides being able to hire their bouquets, means they are recycling items which would otherwise be made for single-use. We finely check all of our silk floral items between bookings, to ensure that every Bride enjoys bouquets just as they would look, if purchased brand-new.

4. How do you recommend brides choose the right flowers for them?

Our hire ranges feature simple and classic designs that don’t stick to a theme, so they compliment almost any gown and Bridesmaids. We wanted something pretty universal that makes it easy for Brides to select their favourite package. I’m often consulting with Brides over the phone to ensure they are happy with their decision prior to booking. A great rule of thumb in choosing any wedding flowers is: if your gown has lots of detail, compliment with a simple, neutral coloured bouquet. If your gown is sleek and simple in design, you can afford to have a larger mix of florals and colours to balance the look.

Silk flowers are the preferred choice for many Brides who want to know exactly how their bouquets will look, prior to the day. It’s also an advantage for Brides who want a mixture of their favourite blossoms if they’re not all usually in season at the same time. For more information you can email Anika at - orders@tokeepyounear.com