Lilies are absolutely perfect for a stunningly unique wedding bouquet with a history woven into the stories of Greek mythology. Not only are they beautiful, but they also come in many different types and colourways, meaning they can be added to almost any bouquet throughout the whole year.
I’m sharing with you the three designs above, as inspiration for using lilies in your bouquet to give you a classic-meets-contemporary flair to your day. These elegant flowers combine well alongside more classic wedding blooms such as roses. Include them in an all-white rose bouquet to convey a more traditional look, or choose Star Gazer lilies for a pop of colour, as we did in Kimberley’s bouquet [right].
When we think of graceful, elegant flowers, calla lilies definitely make the list. They are named after the Greek word for beautiful ‘kala‘. While most often used in its crisp white colour, calla lilies come in a wide array of colours, from pink to orange to a deep aubergine that borders on black. Their trumpet shape adds a statement to a modern bouquet [left] and the soft curve of its petal is undeniably romantic when combined with eucalyptus, roses and wax as in our Lefkada island wedding bouquet [right].
The story of lilies in Greek mythology
Associated with Hera the Greek goddess of marriage, lilies appear in the legend of Zeus and his son Hercules by the mortal woman Alceme. According to the legend Zeus brought Hercules, his son from another woman, to Hera, his wife, while she was asleep to drink her milk. When she woke up she pushed him away and drops of milk flew across the sky to create the milky way. The ones that fell on the ground grew into beautiful lilies.
When Venus, goddess of love, beauty, and desire, saw the lilies she was jealous of their beauty. She cursed their beauty by placing a large yellow pistil in the middle of the flowers.
How we used lilies for a wedding in Lefkada
We arranged pink calla lilies with blush pink hydrangea, vintage roses, astilbe and olive branches in glass vases on the tables at Zorbas Restaurant. This is one of my favourite wedding venues on Lefkada; the private beach location is ideal for a destination wedding, enclosed by olive trees with an endless view of that blue Ionian Sea! See more here.
Photo Credits:
- Bouquets 1: Still Co | Jodi & Kurt Photography | Maxeen Kim Photography
- Bouquets 2: Allan Tsai Photography | Kalampokas Fotografia
- Venue Images: Planning by Lefkas Weddings with Maxeen Kim Photography
Photographers Lefteris Kalampokas and Maxeen Kim Photography are two of my talented wedding partners in Lefkada