A Bounty of Boutonniere Ideas

How much consideration should you give boutonnieres for a special occasion? After all, bouquets, corsages, and other flowers tend to get most of the attention. Recently, however, grooms, groomsmen, and prom dates attract notice with wonderfully inventive and beautiful boutonnieres. Of course, guys want thoughtful boutonniere ideas that match their style.

The customary wedding boutonniere is a single flower, traditionally one found in the bride’s bouquet, worn on the left lapel below the tie knot, but above the breast pocket. Today, creative designers craft boutonnieres that the groom appreciates as much as any bride does her flowers. Julio Freitas of The Flower Hat notes, “Besides a bridal bouquet, boutonnieres are my favorite thing to do. I feel like they have a story to tell, and look forward to making them every time.”

While single blossoms or buds reflecting a partner’s flowers or clothing colors still hold their own, bouts now include berries, seed pods, succulents, ferns, and fall leaves. And the occasional artifact (think shotgun shell) also bumps up their character.

Find your boutonniere’s story and gather boutonniere ideas with more than two-dozen from the pages of FLOWER magazine and some of our favorite Instagrammers.

Boutonniere Ideas for Weddings and Proms

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Scabiosa pod boutonniere made with berzelia berries and wrapped in jute twine. Floral design by Frannie Aura of New Leaf Design. Photo by Alpine Wedding Photography

Abbie Boyd at Blumen Floral Co. created these wildflower-inspired boutonnieres with mock orange blossoms and buds, dried pennycress, dried queen Anne’s lace, and white astilbe flowers. Photo by Abbie Boyd, @blumenfloral

Fun boutonnieres made with peach spray roses, pink spray roses, ferns, and berries wrapped in jute twine. Floral design and photo by Sand Dollars Floral Hawaii. Follow on Instagram @sanddollarsfloral 

A pair of fragrant rose and rosemary boutonnieres from Salt Farm Flowers. "A request for yellow in these wedding boutonnieres resulted in a mix of lavender, lisianthus, celosia, and a center pod of echinacea (we plucked the petals of the flower and used the center). Added some burlap string and it was ready to go!" Photo courtesy of Mary Turner @saltfarmflowers

For this golden-hued pocket square boutonniere, Ergo in St. Paul, Minnesota, placed ranunculus, dubium, and pennycress on a background of preserved ruscus and a yellow carnation. Photo courtesy of Amanda Nippoldt Photography @amandanippoldtphoto. Learn more about pocket square boutonnieres, a.k.a. floral pocket squares.

White sweet pea boutonnieres with hypericum berries, eucalyptus, silver brunia berries, and snap dragons. Floral design by Shay Brown Events. Photo by Cassidy Carson

Sea holly, astrantias, blueberries, and greenery combine in this boutonniere.  Floral design by Sweet Pea Gardens. Photo by Corbin Gurkin

A single orange ranunculus boutonniere provides a great pop of color (and matches the groom's tie). Floral design by Tara Guérard. Photo by Liz Banfield

This boutonniere pairs a single scabiosa pod with a ‘Majolica’ spray rose, bound with butter-yellow silk ribbon.  Floral design by Mindy Rice. Photo by Aaron Delesie

Fragrant, herb boutonniere made with lavender, blueberries, and sage, tied together with hand-dyed silk ribbon. Floral design by Kae Yelchaninov and Alesya Savenok of Kae + Ales. Photo by Erich McVey

Anemone boutonniere with blue viburnum berries to match the color of the Salish Sea for a Seattle wedding. Floral design and photo by Erin Shackleford of Camas Designs. Follow on Instagram @camasdesigns

Wintery boutonnieres combine silver brunia berries, white ranunculus, and silvery green dusty miller. Floral design by Liz Griffith of Cori Cook Floral Design. Photo by Preston Utley

These bouts reflect an English wedding's "natural" theme, inspired by Cornish hedgerows and coastal footpaths. Floral design and photo by Vanessa Collins of The Flower Mill Cornwall. Follow on Instagram @theflowermillcornwall

A groom’s boutonniere incorporates Pieris japonica, wheat, and fritillaria, all wrapped with a piece of Moroccan eyelet. Floral design by Mindy Rice. Photo by Liz Banfield

A white ranunculus boutonniere with berries, and buds. Floral design by Kelly Lenard of Intertwine. Photo by Cassidy Carson

This shotgun shell boutonniere combines a single, creamy lisianthus bud with blue eryngium, gunni eucalyptus, podicarpus, and agonis for a wildflower look. Floral design and photo by Karen Luke of Karen J. Florals.  Follow on Instagram @karenjflorals

This fruit and berry boutonniere, a pocket-sized version of the bride’s bouquet, includes andromeda, cherries, privet berries, and millet.  Floral design by Rachel Osguthorpe. Photo by D’arcy Benincosa

Olive branch boutonnieres combine white ranunculus blossoms with olive leaves and olive buds wrapped in black satin ribbon. Floral design by Charleston Stems. Photo by Virgil Bunao

A green and white boutonniere made with craspedia, wax flower, rosemary, fern, and asparagus fern. Floral design and photo by Poveste cu Flori. Follow on Instagram @povesteciflori 

Autumn maple leaf boutonnieres with scabiosa pods and berries met the bride’s wish that they be “masculine, funky, and natural.” Floral design by Samuel Franklin. Photo by Clark Brewer 

This elegant floral pocket square by Callie Evans of Still Magnolia Floral Design combines bay leaf, dusty miller, and a white Majolica spray rose with blue thistle and seeded eucalyptus pods. Photo courtesy of Still Magnolia Floral Design. Learn all about pocket square boutonnieres.

A simple white orchid boutonniere worn for a beach wedding. Floral design by Charlotte and Ben Simmons of Little Island Design. Photo by Jenelle Kappe

Bold, pink ranunculus boutonniere made with green hypericum berries and black satin ribbon. Floral design by Verbena Floral Design. Photo by Jen Dillender 

Purple lavender boutonnieres with brunia berries and green ivy leaves wrapped in jute twine. Floral design by Ashley Bateman, owner of Nola flora. Photo by Corbin Gurkin

A spray rose, sea holly, and wax flower boutonniere tied with polka dot ribbon. Floral design and photo by Bethany Sigrest of OAK. Follow on Instagram @oakexperience

A simple, masculine boutonniere of ranunculus, snowberries, ferns, and acorns tied with green satin ribbon. Floral design by Amy Merrick. Photo by Scott Clark.
Amy Merrick shows how to make a wreath using some of nature’s little surprises.

Astrantia and sage boutonnieres with blackberries, Scabiosa pods, and echinops (plus a succulent for the groom). The ribbon for the groom’s boutonniere is a taupe grosgrain topped with a simple loop and a bordeaux button.  Groomsmen's boutonnieres are wrapped in jute ribbon. Photo and floral design by Julio Freitas, The Flower Hat, Bozeman. Follow on Instagram @theflowerhat

This succulent boutonniere is surrounded by green hypericum berries, seeded eucalyptus wrapped in jute twine. Photo by Flower's Jessica Cohen.
Learn to make this with step-by-step video instructions at How To Make A Boutonniere.

A single white tulip boutonniere wrapped in blue and white fabric to match the bridal bouquet. Floral design by Tara Guérard. Photo by Liz Banfield
See Meet Tara Guérard for a Q&A and more of her designs.