SHP Weddings | How to Pin a Boutonniere with Whistlestop Florist

Recently, we invited one of our favorite local florists Kim, the owner of Whistlestop Florist, to the studio to settle a pesky wedding day question – how does one pin a boutonniere correctly? We’ve encountered this question so many times while photographing weddings; we’ve literally lost count! I’ve even found myself in situations where I’ve put my camera down to help a fella out, which is not ideal. I should be photographing this as it happens but more than once my need to be helpful won! Sarah and I decided we needed to do something about this and immediately went into project mode as part of our quest to make this blog as informative for wedding day things and stuff as possible! We are super excited to present the answer, but first, while we had Kim in the studio, we had to pick her talented brain a little with a few questions.

How long have you been doing wedding florals? 40 years!

What’s your favorite flower? That’s tough! My favorite flower is something that’s fresh and perfect and fully in bloom. If it’s primo, I love it. But I’m partial to orchids.

What wrist does the corsage go on? There’s no right answer to this; it’s whatever the client is comfortable with.

What side does the boutonniere go on? Traditionally, it goes on the left, but nowadays anything goes if it looks good. For instance, if there’s a pocket square in the suit jacket, the boutonniere may look better on the opposite side.

Who typically buys the corsages/boutonnieres for the wedding? Back in the day, typically the bride’s family bought the boutonnieres, and the groom’s family bought corsages. But again, nowadays anything goes.

How should one care for florals before and after the event? Before the event, keep them someplace cool, and in the box, they were delivered in. Keep the florals out of the heat and direct sun. Afterward, keep them in an attic or a dark, dry place. Let them dry naturally. But remember, not all flowers dry perfectly.

When should a couple book their wedding florist? If flowers are important to you and a specific florist is on your mind, don’t wait until six months before the wedding. Nine months to a year from the wedding is required. Once wedding and dress colors are decided, you should start thinking about your decor and thus, your florals.

Kim styled three unique boutonnieres for this project and graciously demonstrated how to properly pin 2 of them on in different groomsmen attire situations. She didn’t need to help with the 3rd bout’ because she crafted it with a pretty clever magnet fastener. She states it can be a great upgrade/alternative to the traditional straight pin, especially for children – no need to worry about the littles getting stuck with pins while they rock some lovely florals! Check out these beauties:wedding boutonnieres, whistlestop florist, cny wedding photography, cny wedding florists

1. A green button pompon with seeded eucalyptus, a touch of wax flower, adorable fuchsia buttons and wire; 2. Yellow ranunculus with pink rice flowers and sheer pink & silver ribbon. 3. A white rose with dusty miller and a sheer black ribbon.

Michael John Heagerty joined us at the studio to be our dapper live model. Locals would recognize MJH if we actually photographed his face (perhaps you would know that beard anywhere though)! He’s a Syracuse diehard, devoted to promoting local artists and homegrown establishments, as well as taking an active role in promoting our city’s cultural growth. Most recently, he announced that his InfinitePop project (a roaming pop-up shop filled with local artists and crafters wares, of which Sarah and I have enjoyed visiting and supporting many times) would be planting roots in a long-term space aptly named Wildflowers Armory (currently looking for vendors!). He showed up to the studio with an enthusiastic array of wardrobe changes!

Now that you’re all caught up on the behind the scenes of our collaboration, we’re proud to present to you, the proper steps on How to Properly Pin a Boutonniere.

1. Pick precisely where to place the boutonniere.

2. To the left of the preferred placement, make a slip stitch with the needle. The image below demonstrates what Kim means by a “slip stitch.” With the pin, gather a 1/4 of an inch of the garment and push the pin through.
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3. Place the boutonniere next to the head of the pin and make sure it is facing the correct way.how to pin a boutonniere, wedding boutonnieres, whistlestop florist, cny wedding photography, cny wedding florists4. Push the pin through the base of the boutonniere.

5. Tuck the point of the needle back into the fabric. Bend the pin if necessary if there’s extra length to prevent the wearer from getting stuck…

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…and, voila!!

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Kim’s secret is the slip stitch. It is key to keeping the bout’ in place!! We learned about the slip stitch for the first time during this demonstration – after all this time trying to be helpful – we were doing it all wrong anyway! Also, always be sure to keep the pin facing up. This ensures the wearer won’t get stuck with the pin when bending over.

For those groomsmen ditching the suit jackets to rock suspenders only, pinning is done quite differently and a little easier. From the back of the suspender, come at the bout’ from the top with the pin going down into the suspender, then the boutonniere, and back through the suspender. Bend the pin upward so that there’s no chance the wearer can get stuck with the pin needle.how to pin a boutonniere, wedding boutonnieres, whistlestop florist, cny wedding photography, cny wedding florists, groomsmen in suspenders, how to pin a boutonniere to suspenders

Remember that clever magnet feature I mentioned? I think that one is pretty self-explanatory… These images also illustrate perfect boutonniere placement for groomsmen choosing to bypass the suit jacket and don a vest.how to pin a boutonniere, wedding boutonnieres, whistlestop florist, cny wedding photography, cny wedding florists, magnetic boutonnierehow to pin a boutonniere, wedding boutonnieres, whistlestop florist, cny wedding photography, cny wedding florists, magnetic boutonnierehow to pin a boutonniere, wedding boutonnieres, whistlestop florist, cny wedding photography, cny wedding florists, magnetic boutonniere

Thank you so much to Kim at Whistlestop and Michael John Heagerty for taking the time to help us make this Wedding Day How-To project come to life!

April 10, 2018

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