Build a Bouquet with Lilacs

Flowers of the Field
Aug 15, 2020
2 min read

"Bouquet Essentials: Carnations" title in purple with a hand-drawn carnation in the back. — @bridalbuilder

Here we are, at #4 most-popular flower once again! For a recap on how we find out which flowers are most popular in a bouquet, click here.

What are lilacs?

A bride and groom walk next to a wall of purple lilacs. The bride holds a bouquet of matching lilacs with white ribbons at her side. — Photo credit: @grace_creatives

Firstly, they're my favorite flower. Growing up in rural Wisconsin, lilacs were the flowery bush of choice in front of little country houses and their smell always gets me in the mood for late summer - despite all the heat and humidity.

According to Wikipedia, lilac, also known as syringa, is a woodland flower that grows in temperate regions, but originated in Europe and Asia. Lilacs grow on small trees and have simple heart-shaped leaves.

What do you need to know about lilacs in a bouquet?

Growing season

A bride with long, flowing blonde hair holds a purple and white cascading bouquet with messy greenery while in the sunshine. — Photo credit: @flowersbyld

The flowers bloom in late spring or early summer and can continue blooming through most of the warm season. They have an intense and sweet fragrance that can add a dimension to your special day.

Color variety

According to Wikipedia, lilacs can come in a wide variety of colors, such as the following:

White
Purple
Pink
Pale Yellow
Deep burgundy
"Cotton Candy" - a gradient of pink and white on the same head of flowers.

Bloom size

A bride with blonde hair holds a bouquet of purple and white flowers at her side while standing in front of a wall of purple lilacs. — Photo credit: @florence_design

Each floret is about 5-10 mm, but they come in large heads of flowers that look like fluffy clouds. Similar to hydrangeas and lavender, the flowers grow in bunches. Lilacs are small, but their heads can fill a lot of space in your bouquet depending on the species.