Are Wrist Corsages Still A Thing? How to Revive This Trend for Your Wedding

Every wedding features several classic floral arrangements, like bouquets and boutonnieres for the people in your bridal party. But there’s one floral arrangement that will go to some of your most important wedding guests: The corsage.

Yes, corsages are still, very much, a thing — and not just for proms or formal dances. At a wedding, you’ll traditionally give corsages to special guests, like your mom and grandmother, as a token of appreciation.

The tradition of wrist corsages actually dates back to the 18th century, but there are still plenty of ways you can make this classical floral arrangement feel fresh and unique in the 21st century. Discover some of them below, and learn more about the history and symbolism behind corsages at weddings.

What is a corsage?

A corsage is a mini floral bouquet traditionally worn by a woman. They can be pinned to someone’s outfit or worn around the wrist, like a bracelet.

Corsage comes from the French term “bouquet de corsage” meaning “bouquet of the bodice.” French women used to wear corsages pinned to their dresses during formal occasions, like weddings and funerals. The practice was first introduced during the 1700s, but later gained popularity during the 20th century.

Source from: Britannica

What does a corsage symbolize?

At formal dances or proms, a woman’s date will typically gift her a corsage beforehand as a symbol of affection. Often, the corsage will coordinate with their date’s matching boutonniere.

In this way, the corsage symbolizes affection and attachment to another person. So, when you give a corsage to someone at your wedding, you’re giving them a symbol of your love. The corsage can also act as a symbol of participation for a guest who doesn’t have a role in your bridal party.

What color should a wedding corsage be?

The colors in a wedding corsage will typically reflect the overall color scheme of your other floral arrangements. That said, the color palette of your flower choices could also reflect the meaning that the corsage takes on. For example, pink flowers can represent happiness and joy.

Are wrist corsages still in style for weddings?

Absolutely! The tradition of gifting and wearing corsages still persists at weddings to this day. You’ll typically give them to important female guests that you’d like to extend a special honor to.

Who gets a corsage at a wedding?

At a wedding, you’ll typically give a corsage to your mom and grandmothers and your partner’s mom and grandmothers. But there’s no hard and fast rule about who does or doesn’t get a corsage. For example, you could also gift corsages to your bridesmaids and your maid of honor to match their bouquets. It all comes down to your individual discretion.

Other potential wedding guests who could also receive corsages at your wedding include:

• Sisters
• Aunts
• Cousins
  
• Close friends
  

Can you DIY a wedding corsage?

Of course! Corsages are one of the easiest wedding floral arrangements to DIY. You only need a few select blossoms, some greenery, and a few choice embellishments to create the main portion of your design. After that, all you need is something to attach it — like a pin for a shoulder corsage, or a ribbon or bracelet for a wrist corsage.

If you’re interested in upgrading your corsages from ordinary to extraordinary, try incorporating one of the following unique corsage ideas to give your designs an extra special flair. And if you’re wondering exactly how to make a corsage for a wedding, you can visit the tutorial section of our blog for: How to Make a Wrist Corsage

Unique Shoulder & Wrist Corsage Ideas for Weddings

Choose a variety of flowers

The flowers you choose will form the main body of your corsage. So, it’s important to choose the right selection of blossoms.

In this Pumpkin Orange & Black shoulder corsage, roses, gardenias, and peonies all work together to form a cohesive design. The unifying color palette helps the corsage feel harmonious, even with the wide variety of different flowers involved.

Don’t forget the greenery

While the flowers are the main focus of a corsage, the greenery you choose can also affect the overall aesthetic of your design. But who says your “greenery” needs to actually be green?

With these Rust & Sepia shoulder corsages, the miniature orange leaves coordinate with the overall neutral roses, while the pampas grass and astilbe chinensis add texture. The overall color palette remains neutral, creating a sophisticated finish that will complement dresses of any color.

Tie it off with a textured ribbon

Wrist corsages often use a ribbon to tie the floral arrangement onto the wearer’s wrist. And when making a DIY corsage, there’s plenty of opportunity to customize the ribbon elements to curate a totally different aesthetic.

In this Rust & Sepia wrist corsage, a creamy lace ribbon acts as the tie. Not only does it complement the overall color palette, but the lace detailing provides texture and an antique vibe. If you have any older pieces of lace lying around, this is the perfect time to break them out of the sewing basket and give them new life for your wedding day.

Use a bracelet base

Aside from ribbons, you could also use a bracelet to form the base of a wrist corsage. This is a fantastic way to repurpose older jewelry while fulfilling the “something old” tradition at your wedding. Fabric jewelry works the best, since it’s the easiest to attach your flowers, greenery, and other accessories to with hot glue. 

Provide a vintage accent

Speaking of other accessories, don’t forget the accent pieces!

In this Burgundy & Dusty Rose corsage, a small string of faux pearls creates a vintage accent, reminiscent of heirloom jewelry. Thanks to their neutral color palette, pearls would make a refined addition to corsages of any color scheme. Instead of adding them in string form, you could also hot glue a few of them near your focal point flowers to draw the eye near them.

Add berries for a sparkling touch

If you want to apply the principle of pearls to a more natural design, try using berries instead. This seasonal Christmas wedding corsage incorporates sparkling holly berries as accents. They provide a natural play on pearls while lending festive holiday cheer to the corsage’s overall design.

You don’t need plan a holiday wedding to take a cue from this unique wrist corsage idea, either. Just swap the holly berries for another seasonal offering — like succulent faux blueberries for a summer wedding.

Make it fruity

Beyond using berries, consider miniature fruit in your corsage designs. This Burgundy & Navy wrist corsage uses a small faux pomegranaite to add a unique botanical accent. The pomegranate leaves and stem provide texture, while the dark berries lend a gorgeous hint of sparkle that feels totally effortless. It’s a trendy modern wrist corsage that we’re just a little bit obsessed with.

Add a seasonal flair

If your wedding takes place during a holiday season, like Halloween or Christmas, try incorporating festive elements as design accents. This champagne wrist corsage uses miniature Christmas ornaments and small frosted pinecones to infuse the magic of the season into the design. It’s a subtle way to add a Holiday flourish to a corsage design without being too over-the-top.

What can you wear at a wedding instead of a corsage?

Is a corsage not your mom’s style? Don’t worry! There are plenty of alternative floral arrangements you could gift your special wedding guests instead, like one of the following ideas.

Floral Hair Band

For wedding guests who would prefer to wear flowers in a different way, consider gifting them a hair accessory, such as a floral headband. Not only is this still a fun way for guests to sport wearable flowers, but it also puts a fun twist on traditional wedding floral arrangements.

A Floral Hair Comb

Another unique twist on floral hair accessories, hair combs or pins provide an elegant flair for guests who’d prefer to wear updos. The flowers in the hair comb provide a subtle accent of color that’s sophisticated and refined. But it’s probably best to give these out before your wedding ceremony, so that your special guests can incorporate them into their look more naturally.

A Boutonniere

Traditionally, boutonnieres are worn by men while corsages are worn by women. But it’s the 21st century — the rules are flexible. A boutonniere would make a wonderful corsage alternative for female guests who feel more comfortable wearing a suit than a dress.

Corsages for Weddings: Conclusion

As you can see, corsages are still very much in vogue for weddings. Not only are they a time-honored tradition, but they also make fantastic gifts for the people you cherish the most.

If you need corsages for the special guests at your wedding, Ling’s Moment is here for you. We offer premade faux floral corsages in our designer color palettes, allowing you to effortlessly coordinate the corsages with the rest of your floral arrangements seamlessly. And if you’d prefer to put your unique spin on your wedding corsages, you can use our DIY flower boxes and kits to create one-of-a-kind floral arrangements for all your favorite ladies.

Plus, our flowers will never wilt or fade, so your mom and grandma can treasure their corsages forever, as a gift just from you on your wedding day.