• Think outside the flower when choosing wedding boutonnieres.boutonniere image by ninice64 from Fotolia.com
  
  Traditionally, wedding boutonnieres for the groom and his entourage are a single flower or some small flower combination that complements the rest of the wedding flowers. Untraditionally, only your imagine limits the options for boutonnieres for your groom and groomsmen---they can be anything but a flower creation. If flowers aren't your guy's thing, think of some different ways you create boutonnieres from alternative materials. All you may need is access to some local natural resources or some common craft supplies to create a unique set of boutonnieres.
  
  

Natural Season Icons

• Depending on the season or location of your wedding, you can easily substitute the natural look of flower boutonnieres with another representation of nature. You can use mini acorns, a stick or small bundle of wheat, seashells and leaves to create an alternative boutonniere that fits the theme, location or season of your wedding.
  
  

Pins

• Choose tie pins that coordinate with your wedding theme, or have tie pins monogrammed for the groom and each of his groomsmen. While the guys can wear the pins on their ties, they can just as easily adorn the slit of a tuxedo that is the reserved space for the boutonniere instead. You can also promote a cause that you, your groom or bridal party are especially passionate about by wearing a pin or button that stands for the cause.
  
  

Cause Ribbons

• Replace flower boutonnieres with a cause ribbon for your wedding---from the yellow ribbon supporting military service men and women, the pink ribbon for breast cancer and the red ribbon that supports the AIDS/HIV cause. If you're passionate about a cause, cause ribbons are a great way to express your feelings during your wedding ceremony. Using cause ribbons in place of boutonnieres can also cut down on your wedding costs because it's quite easy to make a cause ribbon with a spool of ribbon, some scissors and a straight pin. You can even mention the cause ribbons in your wedding program to ensure guests understand the meaning of your groom and groomsmen wearing them. For more information on the meaning of each cause ribbon color, see the resources section.