How to Make a Lilac Bridal Bouquet

Lilac flowers grow in pyramid-shaped clusters.

Recognizable by their fragrant blooms, lilacs grow on shrubs in pyramid-like clusters. There are more than 20 species of the flower, including the lavender “Common” lilac, classic white “Mount Baker” and delicate pink “Beauty of Moscow.” Arranging a homemade bouquet is one way to shave costs from a floral budget, according to the book “Real Savings on Your Dream Wedding” by Crystal Tai. When designing her very own bouquet, a bride can choose between a classic monochromatic arrangement or a ménage of different hues.

Things You'll Need

• 20 to 30 Stems of lilac
• 15 Sprigs of song leaf
• Pruning shears
• Vase
• Floral food and antibacterial powder
• Floral tape
• Ribbon
• Straight pins (with a single pearl head)
• Hair spray

Instructions

1. Prepare the lilac flowers by picking off the leaves along the bottoms of the stems, leaving only the foliage surrounding the blooms. Next, cut the tips of the lilac and song leaf stems on an angle using a pair of pruning shears. Place the flowers in a vase, filled with lukewarm water and antibacterial powder, and allow them to hydrate overnight (approximately 8 to 10 hours).

2. Grab the four fullest lilac flowers, placing one in the center and the other three around it. The center flower should be about 1/2 inch higher than the others. Secure the flowers together by wrapping them with floral tape, about 2 to 3 inches below the last flower bud. The tape should cover about 4 inches of the stems.

3. Add another layer of flowers, placing six to eight clusters around the original bunch. Try to fill any gaps in-between the individual lilac clusters. Once satisfied with the arrangement, squeeze the stems together tightly and tape the flowers in place. Use the initial taping as a guide, covering about 4 to 5 inches of the stem.

4. Continue by adding a third row of about 10 to 15 lilac flowers around the bouquet. Then, introduce sprigs of song leaf around the periphery of the bouquet, which adds greenery to the arrangement. Secure this tertiary row by squeezing the bouquet tightly and wrapping the stems with another layer of floral tape.

5. Snip the branches of lilac and song leaf about 1 inch away from the tape. At this point the bouquet’s stems should be about 10 to 12 inches long.

6. Cover the floral tape with ribbon. Start by winding the ribbon around the stems from the top of the tape to the bottom, and back up to the top. When finished, the bouquet’s handle should be about 5 to 6 inches long. To secure the ribbon in place, insert pins through the fabric and floral tape. The first pin should be placed at the top of the ribbon, positioned so that it points upward (at about a 45-degree angle) into the stems. Four to five pins should keep the ribbon in place.

7. Spray the flowers with clear hair spray, which can help the flowers to look fresh throughout the wedding day.

References

• “Real Savings on Your Dream Wedding”; Crystal Tai; 2011
• Project Wedding: Create a Wild Lilac Bouquet
• The Knot: Homemade Wedding Bouquets: The Basics
• YouTube; How to Make a Wedding Bouquet at Home; February 2010