Hi There,

A while back I published a blog post on who gets a corsage and have received many comments thanking me for that information.  So it just seems appropriate to now talk about who gets a boutonniere.

The groom should always get a boutonniere.  However, if the groom is wearing a military uniform, he will not wear a boutonniere.  Also, if the groom is wearing casual attire, such as a Hawaiian shirt, you probably don’t want to try and pin on a boutonniere to that shirt.  A regular shirt just doesn’t have the stability to hold a boutonniere properly and it typically twists and turns and hangs wrong.

The rest of the bridal party, groomsmen, ring bearer(s),  fathers and grandfathers should all wear boutonnieres.

If you are having ushers, they should also wear a boutonniere.

Depending upon your circumstances, how much money you have to spend, how important other people are to you, you may also want to give boutonnieres to special people/guests like brothers and uncles.  Some couples decide to give boutonnieres to ALL their guests.

The boutonniere is pinned on the left side.  It took a long time for me to remember that!  If members of your wedding party are wearing tuxedos, just look for the button hole in the lapel.  That is where you want to pin on the boutonniere. 

 I always pin my boutonnieres from behind.  So I hold the boutonniere where I want it to sit and then I take the pin and go behind the lapel and pin the boutonniere in place.

Hope this helps!