Let’s talk about boutonnieres….

 

What is a boutonniere? 

A small cluster of florals which is pinned to the left lapel of a man’s suit. Depending on the designer they may consist of 1-3 small flowers, greenery, berries, or flower buds. We typically like a smaller boutonniere versus large, with lots of interesting texture and some great greens. We like for the grooms to be just a little more special than the groomsmen and for there to be some sort of coordinating element/colors between the bride’s bouquet and the groom’s boutonniere. And, most importantly any flowers used in the boutonniere MUST last out of water. The saddest thing is a wilted boutonniere, a good designer will never let that happen. Another important element - it should also be able to withstand A LOT of hugs. So anything that is very fragile probably isn't the best flower for a boutonniere.

 

Who needs one?

I feel like this comes up in just about every bridal consultation, “Who exactly needs a boutonniere?” There is no wrong or right answer here. Typically your groom, groomsmen, FOB/FOG and grandfathers will wear a boutonniere - but that’s only if you want them to have one. When you get into brothers, cousins, ushers, etc. - you’re just worrying about leaving someone out and getting carried away. Yes, you can get a boutonniere for anyone you’d like, but you DO NOT have to. Chances are whoever you think will feel left out, does not feel left out and having a boutonniere pinned to their jacket at your wedding has probably never even crossed their mind. In fact, I personally think outside of the groom, groomsmen and FOB, no one else really needs a boutonniere. 

 

What is the history of the boutonniere and corsage?

Both the boutonniere and corsage originated to ward off evil spirits and to make the groom or bride smell good. Whether either of those ever really worked we’ll never know. But, we’re still pinning flowers to men’s suits to this day, and sadly allowing women to wear a wrist corsage...

 

...Alright, so let’s talk about corsages.

Here’s where I’m going to have to be very frank and direct. Wrist corsages are so very 1980’s. Some aspects of the 80’s are making their way back and they are quite fabulous - however, the wrist corsage is not one of them. When it comes to loving or leaving a wrist corsage, we are going to LEAVE it. A typical corsage/lady’s pin-on is the female version of the boutonniere. In my experience, most ladies do not want to pin anything onto their dress. I'm not the biggest fans of lady's pin-ons either... but they're better than wrist corsages.

 

So what do we do for the ladies?!

We’ve got an amazing alternative to the wrist corsage. We take an actual cuff (3/4 inch cuff - either silver or gold) and attach tiny flowers onto it. They are SO cool. The cuff alone is cute enough that I’d wear it even without flowers. These don’t cost any more than a usual wrist corsage and they are really gorgeous. We find that the MOB and MOG always feel really special when they get one of these unique beauties. 

 

Not into “wearing” flowers? No problem!

We’re seeing loads of brides order a very small bouquet for the MOG and MOB. Think really small - like half the size of a bridesmaid bouquet, not to overshadow the wedding party. Not only are these really cute, but they can be reused as an arrangement at the reception. Have your florist or wedding planner have a small vase for the MOB/MOG to set their cute little bouquet in at the reception. 

 

The bottom line is, this is your day and you should get exactly what you want. You don’t have to listen to any old school, out-of-date stuffy rules. Do what makes you happy. You do you, girl!

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-Elizabeth Montgomery

March 26, 2018

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Photo credit to Jared Ladia

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