Traditionally, boutonniers and corsages are given to the immediate family, groomsmen and ushers. Sometimes they also are  requested for the officiant and for those who perform a special task, i.e a reader, candle lighter, guest book person…

Boutonniers are usually made with one traditional or unusual flower, highlighted with texture, such as herbs, berries or small seedpods; or they can be made up with texture only. Often, the flower coordinates with the flowers of the bridal bouquet.

Corsages are larger and are made with several flowers. They usually consist  of 3 or 4  flowers, or are made with  great detail , using a selection of small blooms and texture. Pin-on corsages are most popular, but some ladies prefer a wrist corsage or  a corsage pinned on their small purse. Sometimes the mothers of the bride and groom prefer a small nosegay: this is a small hand-tied bouquet, wrapped with ribbon or carried in a small silver holder.

Only flowers that do well out of water for many hours are suited for corsages and boutonniers. Roses, calla lilies, freesia, lily of the valley, orchids, blossoms of stock, nerines and delphinium, many herbs, berries and seedpods are all good choices.

This nosegay, tucked in a lovely silver holder, is made up with herbs, grasses, seedpods, berries, scabiosa and cymbidium orchids

Lavender, dill, small succulents, berries, seedpods, pineapple blossoms and scabiosa buds were used for this delicate and detailed wrist corsage

Fiddleheads ferns with cyclamen  leaves

Dogwood, cyclamen, rosemary wrapped in lichen

A calla, highlighted with dill, hydrangea and hypericum berries

Rosemary, hypericum berries, hydrangea blossoms and a nigella seedpod

The corsages and boutonniers are put in individual cellophane bags and each one is labeled

Roses, lisianthus, lavender and eucalyptus berries

After the ceremony, he silver holder for this nosegay was placed in a little stand on the table