Prom Etiquette for Boutonnieres
A high school prom is a once-in-a-lifetime event that you will remember for the rest of your life. Although it may seem like it's more about the girl, her dress and her plans, guys are allowed to have a good time as well. Most people know that the guy should arrive at the girl's door with a beautiful corsage in hand, but it's not as well-known that the guy should get a flower gift as well. Does this Spark an idea?
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Prom History
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Proms have become almost rites of passage into adulthood for high school students, but the original proms were held in colleges and attended by affluent students. These formal soirees were a natural continuation of the cotillions and debutante balls rich parents often planned for their children.
Prom Works says the first mention of a prom in documented writing was found by an Amherst College student in Massachusetts in 1894. He wrote about receiving an invitation to a prom at Smith College.
Boutonniere History
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Boutonnieres and corsages are long-standing traditions that started out with functional purposes. The Etiquette School of Ohio says that in the past, before perfumes and technological advances in plumbing that allow people to shower any time, people wore flowers at formal dances. These flowers were worn for their sweet fragrances out of respect for your dancing partner.
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Flower Choices
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Boutonnieres aren't flowers in full bloom as you often see with corsages. They are small buds that accent a tuxedo instead of bringing notice to itself. Kristi Vannatter in Pageantry Magazine says that the usual choices are roses and carnations. Daisies have often been used as well. The choice is up to the girl, who will most likely choose something that matches her dress or corsage.
Cost
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The boutonniere needs to be ordered at least a week in advance. Prom season can be quite busy for a florist because it coincides with the beginning of the wedding season.
The girl is expected to buy the boutonniere for her date and can expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $15, depending on the florist and the flower choice.
How to Wear
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The boutonniere is pinned on the left lapel of the tuxedo jacket with the stem pointing down. It is secured with two pins crossing one another under the stem. Be mindful of pin pricks.
The Etiquette School of Ohio instructs, "When pinning a corsage or boutonniere on, the pin goes into the fabric on the left side of the flower as you're facing it, back up through the fabric on the left side, over the stem of the flower at an angle, down through the fabric on the right side of the flower as you're facing it and back up through the fabric on the right side with the point of the pin hidden under the flower."
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit rosebud image by Liz Van Steenburgh from Fotolia.com
