Rose Petals - the Best Choice for Your Wedding
By Janice Kaye

When choosing which rose petals to buy for your wedding, you need to define when and where you will be using them and if there are any restrictions imposed by your venue. Then take into account the advantages and disadvantages of each of them, to help you reach your decision.

For Outdoor Use - you will need a natural, biodegradable petal. Many parishes have banned the use of rice and paper confetti as they are not good for the environment. You have a choice of fresh, freeze dried or heat dried rose petals.

For Indoor use - you need to check with the venue if there any restrictions. Flower Girls - you may want to have your flower girls toss petals and any type will do as guests do not usually give these too close an examination. Table Decoration - freeze dried petals are good for table decoration as they look realistic, but on the downside, they can be costly. Silk petals give the look of rose petals at only a fraction of the cost. Natural rose petals are not ideal as they can start to look shabby, before the guests have even sat down. Tossing Petals - if indoors, then silk petals are probably the best choice because of cost considerations and appearance. If outdoors, then you should choose any of the natural alternatives mentioned above. Now that we have discussed the different choices available, here are the pros and cons for each type.

Fresh Rose Petals need to be obtained on the day of the wedding and also need to be prepared just before use, meaning extra stress for the bridal party. The upside is that they are all-natural and biodegradable, but the downside is that they also break down fast and they may not look so great later in the day. Another disadvantage is that they can stain clothing and tablecloths, and can also be slippery, so you and your guests need to be extra careful.

Freeze Dried Rose Petals are usually less expensive than fresh rose petals and are a long lasting alternative to fresh with the look and feel of fresh petals. They can be ordered up to a month in advance of the wedding. They are preserved at the peak of their freshness so should look good. There is usually a wide choice of colours available. They need to be exposed to humidity in advance of the wedding, so that they are not too brittle, and in order to bring out the natural colour of the petals. It is best keep them in a cool dry place as exposure to light and humidity is not good for them and if you buy them too far ahead of the wedding then the colours may fade

Heat Dried Rose Petals - these can be bought well in advance but are usually only available in dark reddish colours, but they are usually cheaper than the freeze dried alternative. They can be stored for longer than freeze dried rose petals, and if any are left over, you can make a long lasting scented potpourri mix, which will remind you of your wedding day. You can also place a few of these inside each invitation to set the scene.

Silk Rose Petals - these are usually the cheapest option and are perfect for indoor use. They are good for indoor pathways or for table decorations. There are many different qualities of silk petals, so it is always best to see if you can get a sample first so you can check the quality and to see if the colour is a good match for you before committing to a large quantity.