Boutonniere is a french word meaning 'button hole' and is the name for a flower or small bouquet worn on the lapel of a man's jacket. Boutonniere have an interesting history, with some suggesting the practice started with flowers being worn by men going into battle. The boutonniere was very popular in Victorian times. Suits were made with a special opening and loop on the lapel so as to accommodate a flower, usually a carnation. More recently, the boutonniere has become something worn only on special occasions. The button hole on the lapel has almost disappeared from modern suits and the boutonniere has evolved into a single flower or small bouquet that is wired, taped and pinned to the left jacket lapel.
Natives are brilliant flowers for weddings, and in the case of boutonniere they really shine. If natives are well prepared, they can last really well removing worry about wilting which can be a problem for boutonnieres. With an increasing focus on locally and sustainably grown seasonal produce, native flowers are becoming much more popular as wedding flowers.
I've spent a lot of time on the internet, trawling through wedding blogs and sites and found there was a lack of inspiring native boutonniere collections, so I thought I'd make one! Some of these are my own work, and some are ideas that I've found on my "travels". I hope you find some inspiration here.
These buttonholes feature the intensely coloured Tasmanian Waratah. A November wedding was perfect as these natives are at their best in late spring. The bride themed her wedding colours around these beautiful Tassie blooms with ivory, red and grey. The grooms buttonhole stands out using a larger specimen and adding a red leucadendron. The foliage is Agonis Flexuosa and the white Berzelia or Button Bush adds the gorgeous ivory highlight to make these bouttoniere really special.
Dryandra are an Australian native from the protea family. They are wonderful long lasting flowers with leaves that have a lovely texture and growth habit. This early spring boutonniere utilises the Dryandra Formosa flower and highlights the zig zag foliage. The golden Dryandra is teamed with early season Berzelia or Button Bush, still fresh green before the white flowers emerge, and a glossy gum leaf.
This groom's boutonniere was from a January wedding with an Australian Native theme. A large gum nut foraged in spring and dried with the seeds removed is the main "flower". It is teamed with a Leucadendron Pisa, picked late so its central cone glows silvery green. Some Berzelia Button Bush adds creamy white. The background foliage is the lovely Nothofagus Cunninghamii or Myrtle - glossy green dainty leaves bely the sturdiness of this fabulous foliage. There is also a Leucadendron Christmas Cone giving a touch of red.
A summer boutonniere using an orange Grevillea flower and foliage, teamed with some cyprus foliage. The addition of dried summer grasses adds texture for a rustic, country wedding.
This larger style boutonniere uses the ever popular Safari Sunset Leucadendron and teams it with some lovely textured foliage. I love the colour of the leucadendron against the suit fabric. The green really makes it pop.
These gorgeous boutonniere are fun and light. They use Leucadendron Pisa, Flannel Flowers and Serruria or Blushing Bride, and team them with some light native foliage. The two attendants buttonholes are smaller and utilise one main flower. The grooms buttonhole is distinguished by being larger, and incorporating all of the blooms used. This is a great way of getting variety and making sure the most important boutonniere stands out.
I love this buttonhole using eucalyptus buds with feathers. I think they work really well with the fabric of the suit. The colour of the twine used to wrap the stems really makes the buttonhole work too.
These boutonniere are a great example of how "mismatched" can really work! They are all different, but the rustic, textured style ties them all together. As long as the groom stands out in the crowd, theres no reason why all the buttonholes need to be the same.
These late summer boutonniere are "mismatched" again. Working on a theme using pink and orange they use lots of different natives. They are tied together by the common use of twine and the foliage - zig zag Banksia foliage and cyprus. Some of the flowers used are Geraldton Wax, Grevillea, Kangaroo Paw, Boronia, Summer Grass, and dried Leucadendron Cones.
This is the grooms boutonniere from the same wedding as the picture above. It uses a selection of the other flowers but adds Brunia, tying it in with the brides bouquet. It is also bigger overall, making sure the groom is the star of the show!
Hopefully, you've found some inspiration for a native flower wedding here.
For more boutonniere ideas, see my
Swallows Nest Farm Pinterest board or the
Martha Stewart Weddings list of Boutonniere.
