How to Create Boutonnieres

Even today, it is hard to envision a man taking part in a formal occasion without a boutonniere. The hallmark of ushers at weddings, funerals and religious services, boutonnieres also distinguish the guest of honor at testimonial dinners and special birthdays. In Victorian England, the boutonniere--like a lady's nosegay bouquet--was a sign of property and leisure, usually taken from one's own garden and intended to buffer elite noses from the smells of city life. Now, more a symbol of honor, boutonnieres are easy to create, whether from florist flowers or one's own garden. Follow the steps below to honor the special man or men in your life and celebrations.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Flowers (preferably small or in bud stage)
• Small flat greenery (fern or other leaves)
• Floral wire
• Florist tape
• Wire cutters or scissors
• Small corsage pins

Guidelines for creating boutonnieres

1. Base your design on the occasion for which the boutonnieres are being created. Even though boutonnieres are small, they help set the tone of a special day and should coordinate with other decor or intentions. Traditionally, for example, boutonnieres for funeral pallbearers or ushers are small and white, made from carnations or roses. This is often the case for ushers at religious services. The logic behind this lies in the roles ushers and pallbearers play, which are secondary to the event itself.

2. Use the overall decor of a wedding to create boutonnieres. The groom and his men are certainly not secondary to the event, but their boutonnieres should coordinate with other colors and flowers used at the event. Buds of the same roses used in the bride's bouquet or even small versions of her orchids are excellent decisions. Thought can also be given to flowers of special significance to the wedding couple; buds of hyacinth or even wildflowers recalling the groom's first gift of flowers to the bride help to make a private shared statement at a public event.

3. Choose boutonniere flowers for a guest of honor to help him stand out. A retirement boutonniere could contain flowers in the colors of a union or professional organization. Someone honored for community contributions may prefer to wear the colors of his fraternal organization. College colors are another favorite. For a 100th birthday or other milestone, the sky's the limit--and the honoree may have his own opinion. (Men have favorite flowers, too.) Boutonnieres that celebrate these occasions can be larger and may become treasured keepsakes.

Making boutonnieres

1. Make certain flowers and greens are well hydrated before making boutonnieres. Cut stems to between 3 and 6 inches and put flowers up to their necks in water for 12 hours before working with them.

2. Prepare each flower by inserting a length of wire into the very bottom of the bud, just above where it joins the stem. Pull wire through so that both ends are even, and crisscross wires in spiral fashion the length of the stem. This will strengthen the flowers and make them easier for you to shape into the boutonniere.

3. Wrap each flower stem with floral tape, then wrap greens to flower stem with a second layer of tape.

4. Cut bundled stem and greenery to a length of two inches with wire-cutters. Fold stem back on itself to prevent wire(s) from snagging clothing. The resulting stem should be about one inch long. All you need is a pin, and you're done.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep greenery small and flat; while it adds to the visual appeal of the boutonniere, its original function was to prevent flower nectar or pollen from staining clothing. A little bit is just enough.