Creating Wedding Buttonholes: A Simple Guide

Wedding buttonholes are surprisingly easy to make. You'll need a decent pair of scissors, wire cutters, wire, florist's tape, and some ribbon, as well as the flowers and foliage of your choice. It's a good idea to practice making your buttonholes before the big day. First, remove any leaves or thorns from the stems and clean them. Then, push wire into the back of the flower head, wrap the wire around, and cut it a little further down the stem. Next, choose your other flowers and trim them to the desired length. Position the flowers together and wrap tape around the stems. Finally, tie everything together with a decorative ribbon.

Choosing flowers and foliage

When choosing flowers and foliage for a simple wedding buttonhole, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, it is important to select flowers that are in season and readily available. This will ensure that you can source enough flowers for all the buttonholes and that they are fresh and vibrant for the wedding day.

Another factor to consider is the colour scheme of the wedding. You may want to choose flowers that complement the wedding colours, including the bridesmaids' dresses and groomsmen's attire. This will help to create a cohesive and stylish look for the wedding party. Consider classic white or ivory flowers for a traditional wedding, or add a pop of colour with vibrant blooms for a more modern or whimsical affair.

The size and variety of the flowers are also important considerations. Smaller flowers with sturdy stems, such as lily of the valley, scented pinks (dianthus), cornflowers, and nigella, work well for buttonholes. You can also add interest and texture with evergreen foliage, ornamental grasses, and seedheads. If you want to include larger flowers, such as roses or peonies, consider using fewer blooms per buttonhole to avoid overwhelming the lapel.

Finally, don't be afraid to get creative and incorporate unique elements. For example, you could add succulents, berries, or even ribbon and raffia to your buttonholes for a more personalised touch. Remember to choose flowers that reflect the style and theme of the wedding, whether it's rustic, elegant, or something in between.

Preparing the flowers

Firstly, select your flowers. Most flowers can be made into buttonholes, but some popular choices include lily of the valley, scented pinks (dianthus), cornflowers, and nigella. Gerberas are also a great option, but they will need to be strengthened to bend the flower head forward. You can also add some evergreen foliage, ornamental grasses, or seedheads for extra texture and interest.

Once you have chosen your flowers, you will need to prepare them by removing any leaves or thorns from the stems and cleaning them to remove any dirt. If you are using gerberas, you will need to gently push wire into the back of the flower head, wrap it around, and then down the stem to strengthen it. Cut the wire a little way down the stem, and then you can carefully bend the flower head forward.

Next, choose any additional flowers and/or foliage and trim them down to the desired length. You may want to mix and match different types of flowers and foliage to create a unique and personalised look. Position the flowers together and group them in a way that looks pleasing to you.

To keep your flowers perky throughout the day, you will need to wire them. Thread wire through the flower's calyx, make a loop, and pull the wire back to secure the head. You can also leave the cut stems in water overnight before grouping them together to help them stay fresh.

Finally, gather your flowers and foliage together and bind them with stem tape. You can leave the stems bare or cover them with tape, depending on your preference. Florist's tape can help prevent the flowers from drying out too quickly.

Trimming stems

Trimming the stems is an important step in creating a wedding buttonhole. Firstly, remove any leaves or thorns from the stems. You want a clean stem, so take the time to remove any dirt. The next step is to trim the stems to the desired length. This will depend on the type of flowers and foliage you are using. For example, if you are using a gerbera, you will need to strengthen the stem with wire so that you can bend the flower head forward. Push the wire gently into the back of the gerbera head, wrap it around, and then down the stem. Cut the wire a little further down the stem to ensure it is sturdy, and then slowly and carefully bend the flower head forward.

The length of the stems will depend on the look you are going for and the type of flowers you are using. For example, a large flower head on a long stem may droop, so you will need to trim the stem quite short and wire the head to prevent it from drooping. If you are using a mix of flowers and foliage, trim them to different lengths to create a varied and interesting buttonhole.

For flowers with large calyxes, such as carnations or roses, you will want to leave enough stem length to secure the flower to the lapel. The buttonhole on the jacket will help support the flower, so you don't need to worry about the weight of the flower head causing it to droop. However, if you are using a jacket without a buttonhole, you may need to trim the stems shorter to prevent the buttonhole from looking too bulky.

Once you have trimmed the stems to the desired length, you are ready to bind the flowers and foliage together with tape. This will help hold everything in place and give your buttonhole a neat appearance.

Taping flowers together

To make simple wedding buttonholes, you'll need to gather flowers and foliage of your choice, a decent pair of scissors, wire cutters, wire, florist's tape (preferably waterproof), and some decorative ribbon.

Before taping flowers together, it's important to prepare the flowers. Start by removing any leaves or thorns from the stems and cleaning them to eliminate any dirt. For flowers like gerberas that need reinforcement, gently push the wire into the back of the flower head, wrap it around, and then down the stem. Cut the wire a little further down the stem to ensure it's sturdy.

Now, you can begin taping the flowers together. Select your desired flowers and trim their stems to the required length. Position the flowers next to each other, ready for taping. Wrap the florist's tape around the stems, binding them together securely. The tape will stick to itself, so don't be concerned if it doesn't feel sticky.

Finally, tie the entire arrangement together with a decorative ribbon of your choice. This adds a stylish touch to your buttonhole.

Adding decorative ribbon

Once you have your ribbon, you can decide how much you want to use. A small amount of ribbon can be used to tie the stems together, creating a neat finish. You can also use a longer length of ribbon to create a bow, which will add a decorative touch to your buttonhole. If you are creating a bouquet-style buttonhole, you can use the ribbon to wrap around the stems, covering any florist's tape you may have used.

The type of ribbon you choose is also important. A simple, thin satin ribbon can add a touch of elegance, while a wider, patterned ribbon can make a statement. You can also use a textured ribbon, such as grosgrain, to add interest. The colour of the ribbon is also a key consideration. You may want to choose a colour that matches your wedding colour scheme or the colour of the flowers in the buttonhole.

Finally, when adding the ribbon, be sure to leave enough length to tie it securely. You may also want to add a small amount of hot glue to the knot to ensure it stays in place.

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