How to Make a Silk Flower Boutonniere

Apr 26th 2023

man in black tuxedo wearing pale pink rose boutonniere

Originally published 6/14/2022

Planning a wedding is complicated. There is so much to arrange! But in the midst of your wedding plans, one detail can be made simpler: The boutonniere.

Boutonnieres for grooms or celebrants, parents and wedding attendants are easy to make using silk flowers. An attractive silk flower boutonniere often costs less than fresh – and it won’t wilt and turn brown before the dancing starts.

For this step-by-step guide you will need:

A variety of silk flowers of your choice
Floral tape
Ribbon (match with color/theme)
Cutters

Step 1: Choose the flowers you want to use for your boutonniere. We suggest a white silk rose or rose bud with green foliage; a smaller flower in the wedding’s color theme, like this purple waxflower, and a small spray of baby’s breath.

Use your cutters to trim the stems to about two to four inches in length.

Depending on your taste, your boutonniere can be minimalist, like figure 1, or a little more lush, like figure 2.

make your own wedding boutonniere

Step 2: Gather flowers one by one, arranging the piece to your liking. It often looks best to have tall, thin flowers towards the back, a large flower in the center (such as a rose or lily), and smaller pieces in front. Try to add the leaves last, so they hug the arrangement from the outside, mimicking a natural bouquet.

diy make your own wedding boutonniere

Step 3: Pinch all of the stems together tightly. Wrap the gathered stems together with floral tape, starting at the base of the flowers and working your way down to the ends. You can either leave the ends exposed or cover the entire length of the stem with the tape.

Step 4: Embellish with ribbon. From the bottom of the boutonniere, wrap your ribbon in overlapping spirals upwards toward the base of the flowers. Cut the ribbon, leaving a few inches of extra length. Take the loose end and tuck it under the top ribbon loop, beneath the base of your flowers.

Finish the loose ribbon end by cutting it at an angle or dovetail. If you prefer, you can add a small bow made of the same ribbon.

For a more polished look and to help secure the ribbon, bend about ¼ to ½-inch of the tip of your boutonniere up and behind your wrapped stems.

It’s that easy! You’ve just made your very own custom silk flower boutonniere!

With just a little know-how and a few simple materials, you can make boutonnieres for your wedding party well ahead of schedule, leaving plenty of time to attend to other last-minute wedding details.

For additional florals, shop our selection of silk flowers and bouquets.