Ever wonder who get corsages and boutonnieres and why? We have all the answers here, along with our helpful checklist to help our members keep track of their floral needs, so they are organized when they meet with their florist or floral designer.
The following article is an example of the content we have in our online wedding planning membership site HappyWeddings.ca under the heading of Florist. To learn more and get useful wedding planning tools for FREE, click here!
Refer to the SmartBride Florist Overview checklist found at the beginning of this module. Here, we will help you define the rest of the flowers that you might want.
Let’s start with a few basics. Why do we even purchase corsages and boutonnieres? The purpose is so family members and other significant people can be identified by your wedding guests. In addition, if a friend or family member looked after decorating your reception site, or sang at your ceremony, or did a reading, or a special toast, you may want to thank and acknowledge their special place at your wedding through a corsage or boutonniere. The mothers and grandmothers of the bride and groom usually get corsages, and the fathers and grandfathers get boutonnieres. The siblings of the bride and groom usually get corsages and boutonnieres, as well as the special people who played a role in your wedding.
Often the parents and groom get a slightly more extravagant corsage or boutonniere than a sibling or other person, so ALWAYS have the florist put a tag with the individual’s name on the corsages and boutonnieres, so the right people get the right flowers. Depending upon the flowers that you choose (lilies have antlers that easily stain fabric, etc.) the people you are purchasing flowers for may prefer a lapel corsage, and others may prefer a wrist corsage. The corsage colour should coordinate with what they are wearing. The groom is traditionally responsible for this part of the wedding plans, and paying for them.
We have already covered the bouquet types that are available in the previous topic, and you have chosen those that you want to explore with your florist. There are some other flowers that you may be considering. If you are doing a bouquet toss, you might opt for a tossing bouquet instead of throwing your actual bouquet. Sometimes, the Maid(en) of Honour will have a slightly bigger bouquet, or have different flowers than the bridesmaids.
If you are having a garden wedding, or a theme that lends itself to lots of flowers, you might opt for flower hairpieces for the bridal party or flower girl. If you are having a flower girl, you will need either a flower basket for her, or a basket of petals that she will throw on the aisle runner before the bride as she walks down the aisle.
The final corsage choice you have is the bride’s going away corsage. This occurs only when you leave the reception and come back in your ‘going away’ outfit for a final farewell before leaving for your honeymoon.
Check off all the above flower types that you have identified that you feel you want.