As common in American culture, men wear boutonnieres at formal occasions, such as proms, weddings, and banquets. Purchasing boutonnieres from a florist can be rather expensive especially compared with the difficulty of creating one. Not only does creating your own boutonniere save money, but you can also vary the materials and material arrangements of your boutonniere(s) to best match your desired style.

Equipment & Materials:
A. Wire cutters
B. Scissors
C. Green floral tape
D. 24 gauge green floral wire
E. Pearl pin
F. Greenery (leatherleaf, salal, or fern, etc)
G. Focal flower (mum, rose, or daisy, etc)
H. Filler flower (wax flower, baby’s breath, or berries, etc)
I. Ruler (optional)

[NOTE: refer to diagram above, if needed, to see corresponding letters and materials throughout process]

Safety:
Use caution when handling the wire cutters and scissors to avoid injury. Also, be careful to not poke your finger with the pearl pin when attaching the boutonniere to clothing.

Step 1:

Cut focal flower (G.) so that you have about an inch of stem.

Step 2:

Cut the filler flower (H.) so you have about an inch of stem.

Step 3:

Cut just one leaf section off the main stem of greenery (F.). Then cut the greenery so you have about an inch of stem. This piece will be used as the backing, or framework of the boutonniere.

Step 4:

Wire the focal flower (G.)
a. if using daisy/mum- cut a 6” piece of wire (cut at slant to create sharp point), pierce wire through the base of the daisy, pushing up through the stem carefully. The wire should come up through the center of the flower. Gently create a small hook at the top of wire and then carefully and slowly pull down until hook somewhat disappears in the center of the daisy.

b. if using carnation/rose- cut a 5-6” piece of wire (cut at slant to create sharp point), pierce wire through the base, or calyx, of the flower gently as to not break the head of the flower. Bend wire down on both sides.

Step 5:

Unroll about 6-7” of tape. Stretch floral tape (C.) slightly to activate tacky quality.

Step 6:

Adhere floral tape to the base of focal flower (G.) stem to cover wire. Twist the tape downward towards your body until the wire is completely wrapped, rolling it between your thumb and index/middle fingers. Pinch off excess tape at the end.

Step 7:

Cut a 5-6” piece of wire (D.); bend wire in half (should look like a hairpin); hook the wire to the lowest “branch” on the greenery. Tape greenery using the same technique as with the focal flower (remember to stretch slightly until sticky).

Step 8:

Place focal flower (G.) in front of greenery (F.). Greenery should “frame” flower.

Step 9:

Place filler flower (H.) to the side of flower.

Step 10:

Cut and stretch tape (as done previously). Start at the base of the bundle of stems (wrap a couple of times at base) and then continue down, tightly wrapping stems with floral tape until stems and wire are completely wrapped.

Step 11:

Cut any remaining wire or tape at the end. You will want the finished product to have about a 2” stem.

Step 12:

Use pearl pin to attach to lapel. A simple way to pin the boutonniere is to poke the pin through the back of the lapel, pierce through the flower stem, and then tuck the pin back into the fabric. This will make it so that the ball end and pointy end of the pin and tucked behind lapel, but not touching the body of the person. Make sure the flower fixture is securely set in place. Readjust if needed.

Now that you have learned the basics of the boutonniere, feel free to experiment. Use your creativity to try different variations that fit your style and needs. The possibilities are endless.