Get Ready For Wedding Season10 May 2017A Guide to Buttonholes and Corsages As summer approaches, ‘wedding season’ is upon us. If you’re attending a wedding this summer, it’s lovely to wear flowers to compliment your outfit. We get asked a lot by wedding guests about button holes and corsages, so here’s our quick guide to what they are and how they can be worn. Buttonholes and corsages can be created with fresh or silk flowers. Buttonholes For the wedding party… More often than not, the groom, best man, fathers of the bride and groom and the ushers will wear a buttonhole. It’s also a nice touch to have one for the grandfathers and brothers too. The colour of your buttonholes can be chosen to either contrast or complement the colour of the bridal flowers and/or the groom's outfit, or in Scotland more often than not the colour of their kilt. For wedding guests… For example if wearing a lilac tie or cravat, it’s lovely to have a purple or lilac flower. For many men wearing kilts, a thistle is the way to go, often with the wedding party wearing a slightly more extravagant version. One way to make it really different is to add different foliage like herbs – lavender and rosemary will be an usual and lovely scented addition. The mens buttonhole should be worn on the outside of the buttonhole of the left lapel, and not in it. Secured with a pearl-headed pin from the back of the lapel, ensures that the pin will be invisible from the front. Alternatively, if you have a decorative pin and want to show it off, you could pin the buttonhole from the front. Corsages Wedding corsages are created from a single or small group of flowers and are worn by the female members of the wedding party. They are similar to the male buttonholes but usually slightly bigger. For the wedding party… The mothers of the bride and groom normally wear corsages, and it’s also lovely to include the grandmothers as well. Check what they are going to wear so that appropriate flowers can be chosen for the corsage. Singapore orchids, stephanotis, spray roses and calla lilies all make beautiful corsages, and can be co-ordinated with the bridal party flowers. If you want a uniform look to your wedding, co-ordinate your corsages with the men’s buttonholes. Corsages will usually come complete with a pearl-headed pin that is pushed through from the back of the garment, through the corsage, and back through the garment. Corsage magnets are also available for delicate fabrics where a pin may damage it. A small magnet is incorporated at the back of the corsage design and a thin metallic disc is placed on the back of the garment that secures it in place. For wedding guests… Wrist corsages can also look very stylish. These should be created from sturdy, circular focal flowers such as orchids or roses and finished with a wide ribbon to tie around the wrist or a diamante or pearl bracelet. Handbag corsages are becoming more popular because guests want to protect their clothes. These are created in a similar way to a normal corsage and are best attached to a rigid part of the handbag, either the handle or the main part of the bag itself. If you’re going to a wedding this year, come and speak to our florists about your outfit and how you would like to wear your buttonhole / corsage. With a huge range of flowers available, our experienced team can create the perfect addition to compliment your outfit.