Purple wedding flowers are the most regal choice for any special day.
Colors can range from light lavender to dark eggplant; all shades are effortlessly feminine, and lend an air of majesty. In the springtime, purple shades evoke Easter and rebirth.
A natural complement to purple wedding flowers is green, either in the form of leaves or accent flowers. Alternately, a green palette with purple accent wedding flowers would give an organic edge to an arrangement, while blue and red are the shade’s natural complements. The color’s natural opposite is yellow.
To make dark purple wedding flowers pop, place them in bouquets with white- or cream-colored flowers.
One of the most popular purple wedding flowers is the iris, shades of which run from bluish purple to a shade of violet. It can run from $1 to $1.25 per stem, and is available in the summer.
Roses come in every shade, and are a classic choice of purple wedding flower. Lavender roses evoke a Victorian sensibility; darker purple flowers appear more medieval. Roses range from $1 to $2 per stem. Summer is a perfect opportunity to add yellow buds for contrast, but the rose is available year-round.
Alstroemeria, about $1.25 per stem, is seen by many as a more modern take on the rose; its tropical appearance makes for an incredibly lush arrangement during the summer months.
Tulips are so spectacular that they inspired a market frenzy in the 17th century; today, they are much more affordable at about $1.50 per stem, and come in a range of shades. In the fall, try blending purple tulips with earthy shades. They’re available in the winter and spring.
The Bolero Deep Blue, also known as Lisianthus and the Texas bluebell, looks like a cross between a rose and a poppy, and is a vibrant shade of bluish purple. It’s about $1.50 to $2 per stem, and is available during the summer.
An inexpensive flowering lilac branch, which usually comes in a shade of dark lavender, produces very small blossoms that make good natural accents in a white- or cream-colored bouquet. A shrub can be purchased for about $25 and grown in any garden to produce all the branches a bride will need. It is available by the branch in springtime.
Heather produces a similar effect, and is perfect for Scottish-themed weddings, but is more expensive due to its rarity. It is available year-round.
Other purple wedding flower options include tulips, orchids, sweet pea, freesias, gladiolas, asters or hydrangeas.
In designing an arrangement, consider adding a few stems of wisteria vine in the corners of the arrangement; the vine’s dainty trails will add a romantic touch.
Brides have a variety of resources both online and off for locating purple wedding flowers. Consider wholesale clubs like Costco in buying bulk flowers; ask local florists to show a variety of past purple arrangements. Don’t rely on a pre-printed brochure.
Consider joining together with other brides in your area to purchase purple wedding flowers in bulk from online merchants. If you all agree on similar flowers, you can order a higher quantity and pay less per person. The flowers are shipped to your door from growers around the world, and often arrive fresher than if they were purchased at a florist.
An option to brides who live in major cities is that city’s flower market, where the florists themselves go every day to pick up their flowers. A simple web search will direct you to the flower market, where florists arrive before dawn for the best pickings – at substantial discounts.
