Wedding Flower Etiquette – Who Should Get A Corsage Or Boutonniere?

Last Updated on September 16, 2022

Wondering who should get a corsage or boutonniere on your wedding day? Here are the etiquette guidelines you should follow.

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Following Proper Wedding Flower Etiquette: Here’s Who Should Get A Corsage Or Boutonniere

When it comes to wedding flower etiquette, there are no hard and fast rules regarding who should get a corsage or boutonniere. It’s your wedding, so you make the rules.

But there are a few guidelines you should follow. But before I get to those, I should clarify something.

Corsage or Boutonniere: What’s the Difference?

The main difference is that traditionally, corsages are worn by women. It’s a small bouquet pinned to the bodice of a dress near the left shoulder.

Traditional pin-on corsages are less popular today, as wrist corsages and other floral jewelry have succeeded them.

A boutonniere, or “buttonhole”, is worn by a man. It’s a single flower or small bloom cluster pinned to the left lapel of a jacket or suit coat.

Today, both terms are commonly used to describe flowers worn by both genders.

Why Wedding Flower Etiquette Is Important

You’ve undoubtedly gotten help from family and friends throughout your life, especially leading up to your wedding.

But when it comes to the big day, how do you thank them?

One of the best ways is to present them with a corsage or boutonniere. Making the people who have helped you feel special on your wedding day is a small gesture they will remember long afterward.

Learn the wedding flower etiquette rules you should observe relating to boutonnieres and corsages in this short video.


GlobalRose Wedding Flowers

Thanks for watching! I hope that helped clear up any confusion you had regarding who should get corsages and boutonnieres, especially for those not part of the wedding party.

It’s a common question that gets brought up when working with couples, especially those trying to balance delicate family situations.

It’s never easy but is a subject that needs addressing early in the planning process.

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wedding flower etiquette
Greg Johnson
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