How to Add Lilacs to a Wedding Bouquet

Lilacs are a colorful bouquet addition.

Lilacs are a vivid, lush flower that looks splendid in a bridal bouquet. Its long, tapered shape may leave you perplexed about how you should include it among flowers that have more rounded blooms, like roses, hydrangea or clusters of sweet peas. Lilacs that are arranged poorly may protrude from the bouquet, overshadowing the other flowers and making the overall arrangement look unbalanced. With proper techniques, you can include lilacs in your bouquet seamlessly so that they only enrich the lush arrangement.

Things You'll Need

• Cut lilacs
• Other flowers
• Garden or kitchen shears
• Floral tape
• Scissors
• Wide ribbon, 1 1/2 to 3 inches wide

Instructions

1. Trim the stems of the lilacs and other flowers with garden or kitchen shears so that they are all about the same length. The total length of each flower, from the end of the stem to the top of the bloom, should be within 1 inch of a set measurement. A total length of 12 inches is appropriate.

2. Remove the leaves from the stems.

3. Lay all of the flowers in a single layer on your work surface. Group the flowers by variety.

4. Select the longest flower from each group. Hold the flowers in a small bouquet in one hand with the blooms pointed toward you. Arrange the flowers so that the tops of the blooms are even.

5. Add the longest remaining flower from each group to the arrangement. Place the flowers in a position that maintains a balance of texture and color throughout the bouquet. Continue building the bouquet by adding the longest remaining flower from each group.

6. Position each flower slightly lower in the arrangement as you work outward. The finished bouquet should have a slight dome shape.

7. Wrap floral tape around the stems to secure the finished arrangement. Wrap the tape in a 1- to 2-inch-wide band until the tape immobilizes the flowers. Trim the tape with scissors.

8. Cut a 48-inch piece of wide ribbon. Center the ribbon behind the taped portion of the stem. Wrap both ends of the ribbon around the stem handle two times. Tie the loose ends of ribbon into a basic bow to secure it on the bouquet.

Tips & Warnings

• You need about 12 to 18 total stems to create a small bouquet. Work with 20 to 40 stems to create a medium-sized bouquet. Between 40 and 70 stems should yield a large bouquet. More than 70 stems should become a exceptionally large arrangement. Consult a florist when purchasing your flowers to ensure you have enough for your desired bouquet.