Why We Use Silk Flowers Instead of Fresh Flowers

Let's face it: fresh flowers are beautiful, but they can also be unpredictable. I want to remove that potential stress from one of the biggest days of your life.

Picture this: you're walking down the aisle towards the love of your life who's holding back their tears and standing in front of a fresh flower arch. However, as you step closer, you realise that the fresh flowers are looking a little sad and are starting to wilt. Total disaster!

This scenario is easily avoidable by instead using the most realistic faux flowers and foliage from around the world. This way we are able to create reliable, durable - whilst still breath-taking - large floral installations. All without sacrificing the beauty of florals and resulting in those picture-perfect moments that you'll treasure forever.

What Inspires Me

  • Family

    I have always felt a connection to flowers - it's something that runs on both sides of my family. My Nan's garden was full of flowers, fruits and vegetables; my Grandma planted dozens of roses in her front garden for all to admire, and my Grandpa grew a dahlia garden and often entered the National Dahlia Society shows in the 70s.

  • English Literature

    Like many children of the 90s, I grew up reading whimsical tales like The Wind in the Willows, Beatrix Potter and Roald Dahl. As an adult, it's a life goal of mine to have a quintessential cottage garden - just like the ones Beatrix Potter so wonderfully illustrated in her books.

  • The Lord of the Rings

    Another huge influence of mine is the exquisite ethereal beauty of the Lord of the Rings films.

    I won't confess how many times I've watched this incredible trilogy - or how much Lord of the Rings inspired décor I have dotted around my home - but, take it from me, I'm a big fan!

The Face Behind the Flowers

Hi there - my name is Gemma and it's wonderful to meet you. I'm the creative mind behind Botanical Gem.

I took the leap into the world of weddings after working in a 9 to 5 office job for years - too many years, really, as it wasn't nourishing my imaginative soul. In 2024, I decided to bet on myself and follow my heart into the silk floral industry - Botanical Gem was born.

In my spare time, you can find me dreaming of exciting new products, walking my dogs, browsing Instagram for new recipes to save for later (but usually forget to make), pottering around my allotment and spending quality time with friends and family.

I am passionate about...

  • Sourcing High-Quality Realistic Silk Flowers

    There's a huge red flag for faux flowers - they can easily scream 'fake' and 'tacky'.

    I'm committed to finding the best realistic silk flowers from around the world in order to create exceptional floral arbours, aisle flowers and urns for your special day.

  • Ditching Dated Designs

    When you think of silk flowers, your mind likely goes to cheap poor-quality stems you can get in any old shop. You know: ones that feel horrible, are an unnatural colour (e.g. blue roses), sprayed in glitter etc. Low-quality silk flowers will always look very dated!

    I want you to look back at your wedding photos in years to come and still marvel at your beautifully timeless wedding florals.

  • Specialising in Natural Garden Styles

    My goal is for my couples to feel like they're in a secret garden on their wedding day - as if they've stepped straight into the pages of a storybook.

    Our floral designs are light, airy and delicate - just like how flowers move in nature.

We are a 'Gift of a Wedding' Gift-Giver

'Gift of a Wedding' is an amazing UK charity who organise weddings for those who are terminally ill.

Botanical Gem is proud to be one of Gift of a Wedding's selected wedding suppliers for the Norfolk area.

For more information about this fantastic organisation and the incredible work they do, please visit their website here.

Good to Know

I am in the process of designing more floral goodness - arbours, floral urns, aisle flowers, flower walls and more - so please stay tuned for our new releases!