How to guides A Short History of Buttonholes

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Buttonholes

Buttonholes have traditionally been part of the wedding flowers since flowers were first used as decoration and although some brides today decide against having them, most buy them to complement the bridal bouquet and the wedding corsages.

The Origin of Wedding Buttonholes

As with all other wedding flowers, buttonholes originated with the ancient Greeks. The males in the wedding party wore a small bunch of fragrant flowers, often mixed with herbs, attached to their clothing close to their heart  to ward off evil spirits. This was especially significant for the groom as it was believed that spirits could turn his heart against his new bride.

Strangely, it wasn't until the medieval times that the buttonhole came to England and other countries. During this period, knights of the realm would wear their lady's colours upon their chest to signify their everlasting love and even when they were without their armour they would still wear the colours on their left lapel. Today it is still traditional for the male members of the wedding party to wear their buttonholes on the left lapel and not actually through the button hole.

Types of Buttonhole

Many people think that buttonholes and boutonnieres are the same thing however they are slightly different. Buttonholes are generally a single bloom such as a rose or carnation, which is wrapped in some sort of greenery, normally ivy. Today, many brides are turning to more exotic flowers however and it is not uncommon for buttonholes to be made from lilies, poppies and even orchids. Generally speaking men prefer to wear small flowers with simple designs however to make the buttonholes unique the bride can always add small embellishments such as pearls, beads and even diamantes.

Boutonnieres are similar to buttonholes however they are commonly made from a bunch of small flowers, something like a miniature version of a posy, or they have multiple larger flowers. A common choice today is to have a central flower such as a white or red rose and smaller secondary flowers arranged around it that contrast with the main bloom.  

Whether the bride decides on buttonholes or boutonnieres it is important that they are secured firmly to the lapel so that the pin doesn't show and there are a number of ways to do this which a good flower designer will be able to explain. It is also important that the bride decides early whether she wants to use fresh flowers or the increasingly popular silk alternatives. Using silk flowers means that she has a much wider choice of options and that even if she is having a winter wedding she can still have her perfect buttonholes and bouquets.

Things to Consider When Choosing Buttonholes

Buttonholes can add the finishing touches to the male's wedding attire however it is important that the chosen flowers complement the morning suits but also coordinate with the rest of the wedding flowers and in particular the bride's bouquet. It is considered to be especially romantic if the groom's buttonhole is made with a flower from the bridal bouquet and this way it is easy for the bride to match her flowers with those of the groom, so binding them together even before the ceremony.

The groom's buttonhole has to be slightly different from the rest of the buttonholes that are traditionally worn by the best man, the father of the bride and the father of the groom and the ushers if present. One option is for the groom to have a double buttonhole which combines two flowers together while the rest of the wedding party have a single flower of the same type. Alternatively the groom can have an embellished flower or can have extra greenery to make his buttonhole more substantial. It is important for the buttonholes to be a manageable size as they don't want to overpower the morning suit or outdo the bride's bouquet. Small flowers are preferable for this reason and it is now common to add accent flowers or ribbons to add size but not weight.

Another potential problem that needs to be considered is whether the buttonhole flowers will coordinate or contrast with the colour of the wedding outfits and the overall colour scheme of the wedding. The male members of the wedding party often wear black morning suits and if this is the case then it is quite simple to either coordinate or contrast the colours of the flowers, so for example a white rose or orchid would coordinate but a red rose or carnation would contrast but still look perfect. It will often be the bride's decision as to the colour of the buttonholes and if silk flowers are used then she will have a much larger variety to choose from.

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect buttonholes can be a difficult choice however a good floral designer can help with suggestions and tips for individual weddings. Both buttonholes and boutonnieres are available in a wide range of colours and styles and the flowers that are now available range from the traditional roses and carnations to the more exotic Lilac Lisi, Calla Lilies and orchids. Whatever design is chosen, it should complement the design of the bridal bouquet and indeed the rest of the wedding flowers while also adding the finishing touch to the outfit worn by the groom and the other male members of the wedding party.
 
Sadly it is becoming much more common for the bride and groom to leave out many of the traditional parts of a wedding however the bridal bouquet, the buttonholes and the mother's corsages are still a firm fixture in most weddings. The range of buttonholes available today, because of the advent of silk flowers, means that more men are happy to wear them and they often add a stylish and elegant look to the male's wedding outfit.

 

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