Accessories that decorate guests and newlyweds play an important role at a wedding celebration. Small flower arrangements decorating clothes and hairstyles create a festive mood and complement the festive look. A boutonniere made of fresh flowers for the groom and his friends is a stylish and elegant addition to the suit.
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What is a boutonniere
A boutonniere is a miniature arrangement made up of fresh or artificial flowers. This word translated from French means “flower in the buttonhole.” At European wedding events, the groom's suit was decorated with a small flower, which was inserted into the buttonhole of the jacket lapel. Now not only men, but also girls can wear boutonnieres, decorating their wrists or hairstyles with them.
Since the wedding should be decorated in the same style and color scheme, there are some requirements for accessories:
- Wedding compositions must match the overall color scheme of the event. The shades of the flowers should be in harmony with each other and the bride’s bouquet.
- If the wedding is themed and the bride's bouquet is made in a certain style (for example, wildflowers), boutonnieres should support these trends.
- The decoration should be in harmony with the groom's suit.
- The accessory usually consists of 1-3 flowers, which can be complemented with various decor. A larger number of plants will overload the composition.
Basic rules for attaching an accessory
Historically, wedding boutonnieres were usually attached to the left lapel of the jacket. But if the tail is not draped, then it is better to fasten it with a pin near the pocket on the chest to hide the unaesthetic part.
Attention! According to customs, the floral accessory is attached after the bride's ransom. The groom presents his future wife with a bouquet, and she, as a sign of reciprocal love, attaches a flower to him from the side of her heart.
By the way, friends of the newlyweds can also add such decoration to their wedding outfit. You can make wedding boutonnieres with your own hands from satin ribbons, it will turn out unusual and original.
Just remember that married men attach them to the right, and bachelors - to the left. Bridesmaids often attach the accessory to their wrist, like an original bracelet.
How to choose flowers
If you decide to create a boutonniere from living plants, keep in mind that they may not be durable and will fade very quickly. Before starting production, consult a florist about which plants retain their freshness and appearance for a long time. This is an important moment at a wedding, as wilted flowers in the decor look ugly and spoil the entire festive image.
Flowers that have a beautiful appearance and are long-lasting include: carnations, freesias, alstroemerias, chrysanthemums, etc. A common option are classic roses, which look good in any composition, and similar ranunculus. Plants of an unusual type include succulents, which are distinguished by their unpretentiousness and increased durability. They are commonly used in rustic weddings and also to decorate winter events.
To create boutonnieres, you need to use small buds so that they look harmonious on the lapel of the jacket and do not take up too much space. If the accessory consists of one flower, it can be medium in size. Dried flowers, green twigs and leaves are suitable for decorating the composition.
When choosing plants, keep in mind that their aroma should not be too strong, otherwise people with a sensitive sense of smell may experience discomfort. It is also better that the buds do not have pollen. If it falls off, it can ruin the groom's wedding attire.
A solution for the brave
If the newlyweds have chosen a stylized wedding, then, as a rule, both the bride’s dress and the groom’s suit differ from traditional outfits. Accordingly, all accessories should also be unusual. Making a boutonniere with your own hands should take into account the style of the celebration, the groom’s taste preferences, and his hobbies:
- made from feathers, ribbons or buttons will complement the look of the groom at a boho-style wedding;
- made of small shells, decorated with an anchor and pearls, will express your love for the sea and will become a bright accent at a marine-themed wedding;
- with animal figures, he will talk about the touching love for nature and the groom’s care for our little brothers;
- in the form of sweets or an accessory decorated with sweets will become a symbol of the sweet and happy life of the spouses;
- with a small guitar, camera or car, they will eloquently talk about the newlywed’s hobby;
- an accessory for athletes in the form of a soccer ball or boxing gloves will demonstrate the character and willpower of the newlywed;
- with images of characters from your favorite films or comics, it will tell you about the preferences of the groom and will look original during the photo shoot.
How to do
These wedding decorations can be ordered at a florist salon. However, any girl, if she wishes, can make them herself for the groom and friends. Making your own boutonniere is quite simple.
When creating a boutonniere, a floral sponge is not used. To preserve the freshness of flowers, taping tape is used to wrap the stems.
Only freshly cut plants are used to make the accessory. Before you start working, put them in water for a couple of hours so that they are saturated with moisture. To create you will need the following materials:
- Flowers of your choice.
- Greenery and other plants for decoration.
- Floral wire.
- Taping tape.
- Decorative elements (beads, rhinestones, feathers, etc.).
- Pin for fastening, glue.
For flowers, cut the buds diagonally to the desired length. Pass the floral wire through the stem below the bud and stretch it so that at least 10 centimeters remain. If the composition has leaves, pass the wire along the sides of the central vein.
Next, carefully wrap the taping tape around the stems and wire. Try not to leave any missing spots or twists. The tape should fit tightly and without breaks to the stems so that they retain freshness longer.
In this way, wrap all existing elements. Then start assembling the composition, using the central part of the boutonniere as a basis. Place additional details and greenery around the central flower. Usually the main plant is made a little higher than the others.
Wrap the entire bouquet with tape and cut off the excess ends of the wire and ribbon. Attach a clothing pin to the back of the ornament. Disguise it so that it does not peek out from under the plants.
If the composition requires it, you can decorate it additionally with decorative elements. This could be a bead or rhinestone attached to a leaf, a bow, a small cameo, etc. Make sure that there is little decor, 1-2 details are enough.
Made from satin ribbons - beautiful and original
Recently, various decorations made from satin ribbons have become very popular. This trend has also not bypassed wedding fashion. Needlewomen will be able to make a boutonniere with their own hands from satin ribbons. Flowers can be created in several ways:
- from a simple satin ribbon of medium thickness;
- from individual petals, which are cut out according to a satin ribbon pattern;
- made of satin ribbon using the kanzashi technique.
The bride can please her chosen one and present him with an accessory made with her own hands. To create it you need to take: thread, a needle, satin ribbons of different colors 2.5 cm wide, scissors, a lighter or candle, a pin, a button and a ruler.
The ribbons are cut into pieces 8.5 cm long (6 pieces), 11 cm long (7 pieces), 6 cm long (5 pieces) and sealed with fire at the edges. A segment of 11 cm is bent in the middle at a right angle. The edge, which is directed to the right, is bent back, comparing with the base. This is the first petal. Several stitches are passed through its base and lowered to the end of the thread. The same is done with other pieces of ribbon of 8.5 and 6 cm, collecting the petals on a thread and creating flowers.
The result is three flowers of different diameters, which are connected to each other by overlapping and threading a thread through the center. Then a button is sewn on top in the middle of the smallest bud, and a small pin is attached to the wrong side of the decoration.
Tips for writing
Wedding boutonnieres for the groom and his friends should be made just before the start of the celebration, several hours in advance, so that the plants do not wither ahead of time. In order for the composition to turn out beautiful and harmonious, practice creating it a few days before the wedding. You need to make several options in order to then choose the best one.
Use unusual plants for decoration. For example, a curved green twig, an original leaf, dried flowers. Unopened buds look very beautiful next to the same flowers that have already blossomed. Decorations for weddings in Provence and rustic styles can be supplemented with spikelets and field herbs.
If the flowers are unpretentious and remain fresh for a long time, you can make a boutonniere with open stems. It looks very beautiful and romantic. In this case, you need to secure the stems at the base with tape so that they do not fall apart, and then decorate them with a beautiful ribbon or lace.
A self-made boutonniere is an excellent decoration for men at a wedding. When creating a composition, follow the stylists' recommendations.
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Practical and stylish
The advantages of an accessory made from artificial flowers are obvious: the boutonniere retains its original appearance and does not wrinkle; it is convenient to fix it on a jacket. A flower arrangement can be used for a celebration in the winter season or in sultry heat, since in both cases the use of fresh flowers is not possible.
In addition, a boutonniere made of artificial flowers, decorated with various decorative elements, will help create an original, memorable image. The bride can make such an accessory for her chosen one. To create a flower arrangement you will need: beautiful fabric, wire, glue, scissors, ribbon for tying the bouquet.
A square piece of fabric is cut out and folded in half. Then again and again until you get a triangle. The technique itself is reminiscent of folding when cutting out paper snowflakes. The corners of the triangle are trimmed and rounded. After unfolding the material, you can see that the result is a flower. Then, from the wrong side in the center, the fabric is pinched and a wire is wound onto it.
Next, a leaf for the flower is made from a piece of green fabric. Glue is applied to the material from the wrong side, wire is applied and the fabric is folded in half. After the glue has dried, the excess material around the wire is cut off. Finally, the elements are fastened together, and decorative tape is used to disguise the wire. Congratulations! Now you know how to make boutonnieres for a wedding with your own hands.
What is needed to create an accessory with your own hands?
For the creative process you should stock up on the following materials:
- Fresh flowers.
- Plants with small inflorescences, or just greenery for decorating the composition.
- Decorative pin for attaching a boutonniere to a jacket lapel.
- Scissors.
- Floral tape.
- Special wire for making flower arrangements.
- Satin ribbon (no more than 20 cm).
- Tape.
- Cotton pad (according to the number of flowers in the boutonniere).
- Special solution for Vitant or Chrysal flowers.
KNOWLEDGE BASE: Winter look of the groom: warm style trends
Summary
As you can see, there are many options, there is room for imagination and creativity to run wild. Choose any, because the most important thing is harmony: combination with the bride’s bouquet will symbolize love and the union of two hearts.
By the way, a DIY paper boutonniere is an excellent option for those who want to preserve the memory of a special event for many years. Which option to choose in the end is up to you to decide.
Anastasia Belozerova
Wedding planner
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Boutonnieres made of fresh flowers
If you decide to choose fresh flowers to make witness boutonnieres, pay attention to the following compositions:
- Monobouquet of roses. A large bud is placed in the center and framed by small heads of miniature roses of a similar tone.
- Orchids with greenery and ribbons. These boutonnieres are especially good on the hands of the bridesmaids.
- Cascade of roses and freesias. It is advisable to use roses with elongated buds, and also supplement the resulting mix with greenery.
- Callas with satin ribbons. This boutonniere looks elegant in combination with any suit, which makes it universal.
Please note that you should only give preference to flowers that do not have pollen, otherwise it may stain your outfit. You should also avoid inflorescences with a strong aroma: the rich smell of a flower located close enough to the face can cause allergies.
