Let's Be Faux Real - What Couples Need To Know Before Booking Floral & Decor

When couples start planning their wedding flowers, the conversation usually starts with one question:

Fresh or faux?

But there is a lot more to choosing your wedding floral and décor than deciding whether your flowers are real.

Your budget, venue, guest count, weather, allergies, personal style, setup requirements, repurposing, and even what happens at the end of the night can all affect what makes the most sense for your wedding.

So for Episode 9 of Set the Stage: Central Florida Weddings, I sat down with Addie Thompson of Faux Real Flowers Orlando to talk about what couples actually need to know before booking their floral and décor.

And considering Addie spent more than a decade as a wedding planner before moving into the floral industry, she brings a pretty unique perspective to the conversation.

Want to watch the full interview?

Set the Stage: Central Florida Weddings, Episode 9

featuring Addie Thompson from Faux Real Flowers Orlando

Watch the full interview on YouTube here.

Prefer to listen instead? Listen to the interview podcast-style on Spotify.

Premieres October 5th, 2026 at 7 pm EST

Or continue reading below.

Fresh, Faux, or a Combination of Both?

According to Addie, the first question shouldn't necessarily be, "Do I want real flowers?"

It should be:

What are you trying to accomplish?

Maybe floral is one of your biggest wedding priorities and you want to invest heavily in it.

Maybe you're looking for ways to save money.

Maybe you have allergies.

Maybe you're getting married in Florida and don't want to worry about certain flowers wilting in the heat.

Or maybe you love a particular flower but it's not in season when you're getting married.

Those things can all influence whether fresh, faux, or a combination of the two makes sense for you.

And faux doesn't mean you have to give up fresh entirely. Addie explained that couples can still choose fresh bouquets, boutonnieres, or other personal flowers while using faux floral for larger décor pieces.

What Does "Faux" Actually Look Like?

Let's address the elephant in the room.

When some people hear "faux flowers," they immediately picture the dusty, plastic-looking arrangements that used to sit around Grandma's house.

That's not what modern faux floral is trying to be.

Addie explained that Faux Real focuses on blooms that look and feel as close to naturally occurring flowers as possible. The goal is for someone to look at an arrangement and genuinely have to stop and think, Wait... is that fake?

That realism is also why Addie doesn't necessarily try to recreate every AI-generated or highly edited inspiration photo exactly as shown.

If a couple brings her an image of navy roses, for example, she may explain that navy roses aren't naturally occurring and suggest another flower that creates a similar effect.

The goal is to capture the feeling and overall design, not blindly recreate something that doesn't actually exist.

Ask About Your Venue

One of the first questions Addie recommends asking any floral or décor vendor is:

"Have you worked at my venue?"

If they haven't, ask:

"Are you willing to connect with my venue?"

Your florist should know whether they're permitted to work on the property and should be prepared to provide the appropriate insurance documentation.

And don't forget to ask about weather.

Especially in Central Florida.

If you're planning an outdoor ceremony, ask what happens to your flowers if it rains.

Fresh and faux floral respond differently to moisture, and you don't want to discover your vendor's weather plan on your wedding day.

What "Full Service" Actually Means

Another thing couples should look at when comparing floral quotes is everything included beyond the flowers themselves.

Faux Real has a $1,000 minimum and provides delivery, setup, repurposing or flipping when applicable, and end-of-night strike.

That distinction matters.

Because you can absolutely buy faux flowers online and DIY your wedding floral.

But that doesn't mean the flowers simply arrive ready to go.

Addie talked about the work involved with flowers ordered online, including flowers that arrive compressed and need to be steamed, fluffed, arranged, transported, set up, and eventually dealt with after the wedding.

And after you've spent thousands of dollars and countless hours putting everything together, you still have to figure out what happens to it all at the end of the night.

As Addie put it, Mom probably doesn't want to leave your wedding with a car full of flowers.

Full-service floral can take those logistics off your plate.

The Flower Bar is Part of the Experience

One of the things I loved about Addie's process is that couples don't just have to pick their flowers from a computer screen.

Faux Real has a warehouse just south of downtown Orlando with a large flower bar.

Couples can come in, see the flowers in person, choose the blooms they want, and build their own "recipe" for the wedding.

They can see the vessels and hard goods, play around with combinations, and actually experience the product they're booking.

And honestly, I think this is a good reminder that wedding planning doesn't have to be one giant checklist.

Make it an experience.

Bring your mom. Bring your girls. Bring whoever is going to have an opinion anyway.

Just maybe don't bring everyone.

Planning From Out of State?

If you're planning a Central Florida destination wedding, you may not have the opportunity to visit a warehouse every time you need to make a decision.

That's why Faux Real offers virtual warehouse appointments.

Addie walks couples through the flower bar virtually, showing them different blooms and helping them decide what they like and don't like.

She estimates that roughly 30–40% of their couples have virtual appointments during the planning process.

So if you're planning from another state, don't automatically assume you need to make a trip to Orlando just to choose your flowers.

Ask what your vendor can do remotely.

Ask How Repurposing Works

If you're trying to stretch your floral budget, this is a big one.

Ask your florist what can be repurposed.

Ceremony flowers don't necessarily have to stay at the ceremony.

Addie gave several examples of how Faux Real designs with repurposing in mind.

A ceremony swag can be moved to the sweetheart table. Bridesmaids' bouquets can be placed together in a vase to create a larger reception arrangement. Other ceremony pieces can be designed specifically with a second location in mind.

Instead of asking only:

"How much does this cost?"

Ask:

"Where else can we use it?"

That can completely change how you look at your floral budget.

What About Personal Flowers?

Interestingly, Addie often encourages couples who are using faux floral throughout the wedding to consider fresh flowers for their personal flowers.

Her recommendation is especially relevant for couples who want a fresh bridal bouquet. If you're going fresh for the bride, she often recommends keeping the bridal party cohesive with fresh flowers as well.

And there is also the sentimental factor.

A bridesmaid bouquet or boutonniere isn't necessarily something you want to worry about collecting at the end of the night.

As Addie joked, if a groomsman accidentally goes home with his boutonniere, she's probably not chasing him down for it.

Grandma's wrist corsage?

If Grandma is still dancing with it at the end of the night, apparently it's hers now.

On Pinterest (or AI-Generated Content)

AI can be incredibly useful when you're trying to visualize your wedding.

But there's a catch.

Addie estimates that about half of the inspiration photos couples send her are AI-generated, and couples don't always realize it.

That can create some unrealistic expectations.

Maybe the flower doesn't naturally exist in that color.

Maybe the arrangement uses a combination of flowers that isn't actually available.

Maybe the proportions or scale aren't realistic.

That doesn't mean you have to throw the inspiration photo away.

Instead, use it as a starting point.

Ask your florist:

"What can we realistically do to create this look?"

A good floral designer should be able to tell you what's possible, what's not, and what alternatives can create a similar feeling.

Ask Who Will Actually Be There

Here's a question I think more couples should ask every wedding vendor:

"Will the person I'm planning with actually be there on my wedding day?"

For Faux Real, Addie and her husband personally handle the deliveries and weddings, and they limit themselves to two weddings per day.

For larger installations, they can bring in an assistant or coordinate additional support through other Faux Real locations.

That's a pretty significant difference when you've spent months communicating your vision to a specific person.

You aren't just handing your Pinterest board to a stranger and hoping for the best.

What Does Floral & Decor Actually Cost?

Of course, we had to talk about money.

Faux Real has a $1,000 minimum, and Addie says their average invoice is around $2,500 for a 100-person wedding.

She estimates that couples can often save around 40–50% compared with fresh floral, depending on the scale and scope of the event. Labor-intensive installations, however, can cost closer to fresh floral because the labor is still the labor.

And this is where I want to make an important distinction:

Don't compare floral vendors based on the price of the flowers alone.

Look at what you're actually getting.

Does the price include:

• Delivery?

• Setup?

• Strike?

• Repurposing?

• Design?

• Vessels?

• Candles?

• Installation?

• On-site support?

A $1,500 quote and a $2,500 quote aren't necessarily comparable if they include completely different services.

Your Florist Should Know How To Work With Your Planner

One of the biggest benefits of Addie's previous experience as a wedding planner is that she understands what happens behind the scenes.

Her team coordinates with the planner and venue on load-in times, photography, ceremony flips, and other vendors.

And once they're there, they're not afraid to help.

They've helped with things like lighting candles, placing chargers, and flipping ceremony décor so the planner can stay focused on everything else happening on the wedding day.

That's what good vendor relationships look like.

You aren't operating in individual little silos.

Everybody is working toward the same outcome: making the wedding day work.

Questions to Ask Before Booking Your Wedding Floral & Decor

Before you sign that contract, here are some questions to add to your list:

About the venue

• Have you worked at my venue?

• If not, are you willing to coordinate with them?

• Are you approved to work there?

• Do you carry the required insurance?

About the flowers

• Do you offer fresh, faux, or both?

• What happens if it rains?

• Can I see the flowers in person?

• Can you recreate my inspiration photos?

• What happens if a specific flower isn't available?

About the design

• How does your design process work?

• Can I make changes before the wedding?

• Do you provide mockups?

• What vessels and décor elements are included?

About the wedding day

• Who will actually be there?

• How much setup time do you need?

• Do you handle repurposing?

• Do you handle breakdown?

• How do you coordinate with the planner and venue?

About the money

• What is your minimum?

• What's included in the quote?

• What is required to book?

• How much is the deposit?

• What happens if my guest count changes?

• Can I remove pieces I no longer need?

Don't Forget to Vet Your Vendors

Addie had one final piece of advice that I think couples should take seriously:

Use the people already helping you plan your wedding.

Ask your planner who they've worked with.

Ask your venue about their preferred vendors.

Look for reviews and an established presence.

And, when possible, actually see the product or meet the vendor before you book. Addie specifically encourages couples to come to the warehouse, and says they don't limit how many times couples can come see them.

Your wedding vendors don't have to be strangers you found because an Instagram Reel told you they were amazing.

There is an entire local wedding industry full of professionals who work together every weekend.

Use that network.

So... Should You Choose Fresh or Faux?

Honestly?

That's up to you.

And that's the point.

There isn't one floral choice that works for every couple.

The better question is:

What do you want your flowers and décor to accomplish?

From there, you can look at your budget, venue, style, season, guest experience, logistics, and priorities and decide what makes sense.

Fresh. Faux. Or both.

Just make sure you're making the decision because it works for your wedding—not because you assumed there was only one way to do it.

Meet Addie Thompson | Faux Real Flowers

Addie Thompson is the owner of FauxReal Flowers, an elevated faux floral experience based in Orlando, Florida. With more than a decade in the wedding and events industry, Addie brings a refined design perspective and a passion for creating florals that feel anything but faux.

FauxReal was created from Addie’s love of beautiful, thoughtfully designed weddings and her desire to offer couples a floral experience that feels both elevated and more attainable. The company provides the same personal, full-service floral design experience as a traditional florist, using high-quality, real-touch and silk florals. Every design is completely custom and intentionally created for each couple and their celebration.

For more information about Faux Real Flowers Orlando visit:

orlando.fauxrealflowers.com

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