The first thing to know is that boutonniere’s are for men, and corsages are for the ladies.

You should pin boutonniere’s on the groom, groomsmen, both fathers, grandfathers, and ushers, ring bearers, and anyone reading, singing, or participating in the ceremony who is not paid to do so.

Remember: boutonniere’s are not worn by those in full military uniform.

It is easiest to make just the groom’s boutonniere unique. Choose a blossom from the bridal bouquet so his boutonniere coordinates with her flowers. I think it is simplest to create all the others the same, though it is often necessary to make the ring-bearer’s smaller. By doing this, you can avoid much confusion at the church.

If you are on a tight budget, and would like to eliminate some of these, simply provide a boutonniere for the groom and perhaps the fathers.

Corsages are typically given to mothers, grandmothers, readers, singers, and people assisting in the organization of the wedding, as long as they are not being paid to do so.

Periodically, corsages are also given to siblings who are not in the wedding party or significant women in the bride’s life, such as godmothers or aunts.

Corsages come in four different styles. The first, the most common, is the pin on corsage. The issue with this particular style is that often fabrics are too sheer or delicate to support the corsage. Or worse yet, the pin can actually fray the fabric of the outfit. However, I have found that grandmothers love them still; perhaps this is because they are less likely to be wearing spaghetti straps, and it is more old fashioned.

The next option is the wrist corsage. These are sweet clusters of flowers pinned to a wristlet. The wristlet is nice because it does not get damaged by continuous hugging, and it will not damage fabrics. But I have found that most people find the band annoying. The third option is to use the wristlet or pin-on and anchor it to a purse.

My favorite option is the mini hand-held bouquet. I particularly like these for the mothers because it sets them apart from the rest of the female guests. I always imagine them on the mother’s nightstand at the end of the evening. The mini bouquet will be used while walking down the aisle and for portraits, but it can be set aside during the rest of the wedding.

Remember: it is often easiest to pick a neutral color for all of the corsages, so it does not matter what each honored guest is wearing.