Flowers are at the heart of any wedding day, including wedding corsages. As well as deciding on a selection of stunningwedding flower arrangements to adorn your wedding venue, the bride will carry a beautiful bouquet, and maybe wear a floral crown, while the groom and his groomsmen will have boutonnières fastened to their lapels, also called wedding corsages. The bride’s equivalent wearable wedding flower is her corsage, which adds a touch of extra decoration to her dress. At Blooming Haus, we know how much thought goes intochoosing the perfect wedding flowers, and the corsage is no different. But what exactly is it, and what is the best way for you and your guests to wear one?
What are wedding corsages?
A corsage is a small bundle of flowers traditionally worn by the bridal party. The word comes from the French term “bouquet de corsage”, which is a group of flowers for a woman’s bodice. They can be pinned to a dress or tied around the wrist, and are usually larger than men’s boutonnières.
Corsages are often worn by the mothers and grandmothers of the bride and groom, as well as sisters, bridesmaids and flower girls. However, there’s no strict rule about who wedding corsages apply to — some couples even ask all of their female guests to wear one.
How to wear a corsage
Traditionally, a corsage is attached with a pearl-headed pin to a dress, below the woman’s right shoulder. It might not be a good idea to pin a corsage to a dress depending on the material. For instance, soft, delicate fabrics like silk or lace will be weighed down by heavy flowers, and you also run the risk of piercing the material and marking it permanently. However, corsages can also be attached to a dress using magnets, reducing the chance of any damage being done. Alternatively, corsages can be worn around your wrist, usually on the non-dominant arm. Or for a more unique display, small flower rings and flower anklets also look very striking.
How to choose a corsage
Some of the most popular corsage flowers are orchids, carnations and roses, due to their sturdiness, but the most important thing is to ensure that the colours of your corsage complement those of your outfit, as well as the fabric. For a modern wrist corsage, choose a larger, elegant flower like a gardenia, orchid, or garden rose with a wide ribbon base to tie around your wrist, while smaller blooms look impressive for a dress corsage. You can use one flower, or combine several species for a more elaborate design.
Corsage dos and don’ts
Do:
...match the corsage flowers to the rest of your wedding flower arrangements, if possible.
...order corsages from two weeks to a month in advance to ensure that your florist will have time to source and arrange your chosen flowers.
Don’t:
...choose flowers which are too large, as they will start to droop or twist.
...throw corsages away after the big day — instead, why notpreserve themwith the rest of your wedding flowers for a unique keepsake from your wedding.
...forget to match corsages to the boutonnieres of the men in your wedding party. This can be discussed with your florist when choosing flowers.
For more wedding inspiration, visit our Pinterest page.
