Peak wedding season will be here again before we know it. And with it comes all those inevitable questions for cornwall wedding photographers such as: “Is your camera heavy?”, “Do you actually like weddings?” and, probably the most popular question of all, “Where does this go?”, as the Groom/Best Man/Aunt waves a buttonhole under our nose.
Well the short answer to the first two questions is “Yes!”. The third needs a little more attention.
So who exactly wears a buttonhole? Or boutonnières as they are sometimes referred to.
Tradition dictates that the male members of the wedding party wear buttonholes. In accordance with ancient Greek tradition this would originally have included fragrant herbs to ward off evil spirits, to prevent the groom falling out of love with his bride!
Occasionally the Groom is the only member of the wedding party wearing a buttonhole, but usually they are also given to the Best Man, the Fathers of the Bride and Groom, Page Boys and, if budget allows, the ushers. Very often they are given to Grandfathers and Brothers too, even if they don’t have an active role in the wedding party and simply to signify their importance within the family. The Groom’s buttonhole will usually be different from the rest with perhaps two blooms instead of one or (as advised by Debrett’s and who are we to argue) will match the Bride’s bouquet. If you’re a stickler for tradition you might want to bear in mind that the other buttonholes should reflect the bridesmaid’s flowers.
And the ladies? The Mothers of the Bride and Groom usually wear something a little more special. As with the Groom, they may wear a buttonhole or corsage which is more ornate and matches the bride’s bouquet. A corsage is a simply a floral decoration/buttonhole with multiple flowers that can be either pinned to a lapel or tied around their wrist with a ribbon. Other ladies such as Grandmothers and Sisters might wear a single buttonhole.
How to wear buttonholes.
The buttonhole should be placed over the hole in the lapel of the man’s jacket, which will most likely be stitched closed. Don’t be tempted to cut the threads and put it through the actual hole in the jacket as these are often purely decorative and the buttonhole won’t sit properly. It will need to be pinned in place from the back of the lapel – where the pin can’t be seen or, if using a decorative pearl-headed pin, from the front for decorative effect.
Buttonholes should be worn on the left hand side, with the flower head pointing up towards the shoulder.
Things aren’t quite so clear for the ladies. Traditionally ladies’ buttonholes are worn on the right. This is thought to date back to the days when ladies of leisure were dressed by their servants and this placement was for the servants’ ease. As good servants are so hard to find these days – so I’m told ???? – I suggest the choice is left to the individual and whichever will look best with that carefully chosen outfit.
Ladies buttonholes are also worn with the flower pointing upwards and towards the shoulder. A corsage should also be worn to the right, but with the stems pointing towards the shoulder. Unless of course it is being worn on the wrist.
Top Tip.
Use buttonhole magnets instead of pins, especially for ladies’ buttonholes. Sticking pins into delicate fabrics will damage them, but with magnets (one already fixed to the flowers) you can place the flower on the outside and hold it in place with the other magnet on the inside of the garment. We love this filigree buttonhole cone for the Mums!
Buttonholes for Weddings Abroad
Fresh flowers for destination weddings will need to be sourced overseas, usually by the wedding planner abroad. They will have local knowledge of the temperature and which blooms will be best to use. If your preferred blooms just won’t work or aren’t available, you could consider taking silk or faux flowers with you. Or even feather buttonholes. Just make sure they’re packed to survive the journey!
So there we have it. The Iconik Wedding Photography guide to buttonholes! Whichever style you choose, ask your wedding photographer to take plenty of pictures. A professional wedding photographer will automatically do this for you as it’s an important part of your day. Honestly we love the build up to a wedding ceremony and we don’t mind helping people at all. It’s very much a part of our service on the day. We’ve lost count of all the buttonholes we’ve adjusted, re-pinned and even re-assembled when Groomsmen have been a little too vigorous with the pins! It’s all part of being a wedding photographer in Cornwall ????
