25 Purple Flower Ideas for Your Wedding Bouquets and Beyond

From tulips to dahlias, here are our favorite purple stems.
Samantha Iacia - The Knot wedding style expert
by
Samantha Iacia
  • Samantha writes articles for The Knot Worldwide, with a speciality in wedding decor, trends, and fashion
  • Prior to The Knot Worldwide, Samantha was a features and weddings contributor for The Baltimore Sun
  • She is based in Washington, D.C. and holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism
Updated Oct 28, 2022

When choosing your wedding flowers, you first need to finalize a wedding color palette. If purple is one of the hues you've decided on, you're in luck: Not only does this color provide plenty of stunning floral options for purple wedding bouquets, but it also looks amazing in your decor, centerpieces and other floral accents. Ready to prep for your wedding florist consultation? We're giving you the rundown on some of the most popular purple flower types, along with pictures of how you can use them for your own event, so you can share the ideas you love with a pro when the time comes.

In this article:

The Best Purple Wedding Flowers

No matter your wedding season or theme, there are dozens of purple flower types to choose from. Here are some of the most common options for bouquets and other wedding arrangements.

Anemones

In season during winter and early spring, anemones are easily recognized by their prominent black center. The purple variety blooms in a bold violet shade, but you can also find anemones in white, red, pink, blue, maroon and bicolor types.

Calla Lilies

Considered to be one of the most classic wedding flowers, calla lilies feature an elongated, cup-like shape. They're available in several light or dark purple varieties and naturally bloom in late spring and summer.

Clematis

Clematis flowers grow on a climbing vine instead of single stems like most other purple wedding flowers. They have a distinct star-inspired shape and bloom in early summer.

Delphinium

Also sometimes called larkspur, delphinium flowers grow on tall, upright stalks. Available in pastel purple, blue, pink and white, these summer wedding flowers bring a wildflower-esque look to your decor.

Hydrangeas

With shades ranging from light purple to deep plum, hydrangeas are no doubt one of the most popular types of purple flowers. They're at their peak in early summer and can be incorporated into a handful of different wedding styles, from beachy to rustic or classic. Depending on how they're grown, hydrangeas also come in white, pink, blue and multicolor varieties based on the acidity of the soil.

Lavender

Incorporate this fragrant herb into your wedding decor to further strengthen guests' memories of the day. Lavender is at its peak during the hottest summer months, from June to August, and its rustic look makes it a popular choice for laid-back wedding themes.

Lilacs

Sometimes confused with lavender, lilacs are actually a type of flowering tree rather than an herb. The flowers bloom on thick, sturdy branches starting in mid-spring. Like lavender, lilacs are heavily fragrant and feature a delicate, powdery scent.

Orchids

There are thousands of different orchid varieties, but the most popular ones for weddings include phalaenopsis orchids, cymbidium orchids and dendrobium orchids. Nearly all commercially sold orchids are grown in hothouses, which means they're available for weddings year-round.

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Roses

Whether you choose petite spray roses or a dreamy garden rose variety, roses are another incredibly popular type of purple flower. Most are available year-round, but some rarer varieties may come with a higher cost.

Purple Wedding Bouquet Ideas

Your wedding bouquet is one detail that's bound to be in a lot of the formal portraits from your big day. Check out these real-life designs to inspire your own purple posy.

1. Light and Dark Purple Bridal Bouquet with Blue Ribbons

When it comes to cohesive wedding color palettes, purple and blue are like two peas in a pod. The dusty blue and ivory ribbons tied to this sweet bouquet are a perfect finishing touch for the violet and pastel purple blooms.

2. Cascading Purple Wedding Bouquet

A cascading wedding bouquet shape is ideal if the design includes vine-like flowers like these purple clematis. The flower's leaves trickle down from the arrangement, creating the eye-catching waterfall effect.

3. Pink and Purple Wedding Bouquet

Looking for a more vibrant take on purple wedding flowers? An assortment of fuchsia and raspberry-hued blooms will bring energy and zest to your bouquet, especially with the addition of a giant king protea at the center.

4. Pastel Purple Sweet Pea Wedding Bouquet

Perfectly sized for an elopement or intimate ceremony, this petite bouquet of spring wedding flowers includes pastel purple sweet peas, delicate lily of the valley and a fluffy pink peony that stands out in the design.

5. Rustic Purple Wildflower Wedding Bouquet

rustic purple wedding bouquet with purple wax flowers, dried wheat grass, mums and greenery
Emma Freeman Photography

Leave the flowers wispy and uneven to achieve a rustic, fresh-from-the-garden look. This bouquet includes purple chrysanthemums, wax flowers, limonium and decorative grasses.

6. Purple Bridesmaid Bouquet

Bridesmaid bouquets may be smaller and less elaborate than the main bouquet, but they're still important. Incorporate a purple color palette by using roses, scabiosa, clematis buds, stock, and sword ferns similar to this arrangement.

7. Oversized Purple Tulip Wedding Bouquet with Greenery

Flowers in deeper purple tones, like plum and eggplant, are gorgeous for a fall wedding. Eucalyptus stems and hints of white astrantia break up the saturated palette and add fullness to the overall shape.

8. Dark Purple and Burgundy Wedding Bouquet

dark purple wedding bouquet with burgundy scabiosa, blush roses, and light pink astilbe
Bean and Cole

Tap into your moody side with a combination of mulberry-hued scabiosa, blush astilbe and cream rose buds. We'd envision this dark bouquet at a late fall or winter wedding if you're not into the seasonal red and green.

9. Jewel Tone Purple Wedding Bouquet

As their name implies, jewel tones will bring a glamorous, majestic look to your wedding color palette. For the bouquet, consider stems of purple orchids, dark red roses, purple privet berries and oversized pink peonies.

10. Purple, Pink and Peach Wedding Bouquet

boho bride holding wedding bouquet with light purple lilacs, orange and pink roses and light pink ribbons tied to the stems
Shane and Lauren Photography,
Plenty of Petals

Light purple flowers, like lilacs, sweet peas and lisianthus, can easily pair with other blooms in pink and orange colors for a summer wedding. This whimsical assortment also includes garden roses, cosmos, foxglove and berries.

11. Garden-Style Flower Bouquet with Purple Orchids

A bouquet of purple phalaenopsis orchids, white calla lilies and trailing vines looks classic and chic, but the vibrant colors would also work for a beach wedding or tropical theme.

12. Small Pink and Purple Wedding Bouquet

Accented by clematis, zinnias and berries in pink and purple tones, the standout details in this bouquet are actually the white roses clustered to one side.

Other Purple Wedding Flower Arrangements

Beyond the bouquets, purple flowers look incredible as part of your wedding decorations. Here are just a few ideas you can recreate, from ceremony decor to centerpieces.

13. Wisteria Wedding Ceremony Arch

Create a magical backdrop for your vows by adding a wisteria arch or canopy to your altar. These wisteria vines are pink, but you could swap in the purple variety or add urns of purple delphinium instead to bring in your color palette.

14. Lavender Wedding Boutonniere

lavender and greenery boutonniere pinned to black tuxedo jacket with white pocket square
Larissa Cleveland Photography
,
Wilder Floral Co.

Lavender is usually associated with rustic themes and casual dress codes, but this boutonniere is a great example of how the fragrant plant can work for black tie. Finish the boutonniere with a satin ribbon for a more formal look.

15. Purple Calla Lily and Greenery Boutonnieres

For something more contemporary, opt for a mixture of calla lilies, lisianthus and leafy greenery in your wedding corsages or groom boutonniere.

16. Purple Wedding Ceremony Aisle Decor

Long-stem flowers, like delphinium, stock and foxgloves, can be used to create statement aisle decor. When they're arranged standing up, it gives the illusion that they're growing directly out of the grass at an outdoor ceremony.

17. Lilac Pillar Candles with Purple Flowers

Thinking of adding candles to your wedding decor? Don't limit yourself to the standard white candles. Pale purple pillar candles look especially lovely in centerpieces or as aisle markers when you add matching purple flowers or petals.

18. Wedding Escort Card Wall with Purple Wildflowers

This cute wedding escort card idea provides a decorative statement wall and wedding favors. Place single purple stems into glass test tubes, then tag them with each guest's name and table assignment.

19. Purple and Blue Flowers on Wedding Welcome Table

This springy arrangement of hydrangeas, tulips and delphinium in mismatched vases would quickly dress up a welcome table, venue bathroom or bar top.

20. Low Wedding Centerpiece with Purple Roses

You don't need to use tall wedding centerpieces to make an impact with your tablescapes. A monochromatic arrangement of purple roses and foliage looks gorgeous when you pair it with perfectly coordinated table accents, such as purple candle holders, patterned china or even fresh fruit, like this chalice of grapes.

21. Pastel Purple and Pink Wedding Venue Decor

Want to incorporate hints of purple without going all out? Bring in color through the accents, like these plumosa branches that are spray-painted a lilac hue, while limiting the actual flowers to blush or ivory tones.

22. Wedding Place Setting with Light Purple Sweet Peas

We love this simple wedding place setting idea for a garden theme or romantic springtime wedding. Aside from sweet peas, you could also use sprigs of lavender, lilacs or dyed baby's breath.

23. Deep Purple Wedding Centerpiece

Complete with pale pink roses, white sweet peas, dark purple ranunculus and greenery, this low wedding centerpiece is classic and timeless.

24. Naked Wedding Cake with Lavender Roses

Flowers are one of the easiest ways to decorate a naked wedding cake, and this two-tier confection nails it with the help of purple roses and scabiosa.

25. Potted Lavender Plant Wedding Favors

Send your guests home with potted lavender plants if you're on the hunt for unique wedding favor ideas. The plants are fairly easy to grow, so they'll be enjoyed by gardeners and non-green thumbs alike.

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