A boutonnière is a French word for buttonhole. It’s a floral arrangement worn in a buttonhole on the lapel of a suit jacket or tuxedo. It is always worn on the left hand side of the suit jacket by the groom, his groomsmen and close family members of the couple to distinguish them from the rest of the wedding guests. Boutonnières were commonly worn in the past but in present times it’s worn mostly on formal occasions like weddings!  It’s supper easy and inexpensive to make your own boutonnieres at home and we’ve got a few steps to show you how to do it yourself!

*Bonus* we’ve also added links to where you can buy everything you need to make your own boutonnieres at home. So keep scrolling…

Fun Fact: Boutonnières were used to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. It was also used to keep bad scents away and keep the men smelling fresh.

While the Rose being ‘The universal symbol of love’ is the most formal and classic flower to use in a boutonnière, there are some other popular choices like Carnations, Daises, Orchids, Tulips etc. and if you’re going with faux flowers your options are endless. 

Steps to make your own boutonnières for your wedding

1. Gather your tools

You will need flowers, a few leaves or fillers, a pair of scissors, tape, ribbon or twine, safety pins. You can try this out with fresh or faux flowers.

2. Try different combinations

It’s always good to try different combinations to see what goes and what looks best put together. You can also try one or two different flower types, but make sure to add some leaves or fillers to the mix.

3. Secure your floral arrangement

Once you have settled on what goes, secure the arrangement with tape. Use green tape as it’s the best to secure your bundle tightly and it also makes it look very neat.

4. Style it

If you’re happy with your arrangement you can leave it as is or, you can go ahead and style it with a ribbon, lace or twine looks good too.

5. Add a safety pin

This is an additional but highly recommended step. Attach a safety pin to your floral arrangement so that it can be secured safely on the lapel of the suit jacket for the duration of the day.

6. Store it

Your pretty boutonnières are now ready and you’re all set. If you’re using faux flowers, you can store your boutonnières in a shoe box and save it for your wedding day. 

Everything you need for DIY Boutonnieres

Tiny Mulberry paper flowers, available in 14 shades.

Mini Foam Roses, available in 13 shades

Our personal favorite flowers are these super cute peach roses. They are excellent quality for a pack of 50 flowers.

Artificial pollen to add fillers to the bunch

Green Fillers for you Boutonnieres

Add some leaves to the bunch with these crafty green leaves on a wire.

Lastly, to seal the deal, you will need Green Floral tape

We really hope you give it a go and make your own personalized boutonnieres for your wedding day. If you tried it out, leave us a comment and let us know how it turned out. Don’t forget to share this with your friends and family! Check out some more Advice and Ideas Here.

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