These trendy bouquets last long after the ceremony ends

Beautiful floral bouquets are classic and never go out of style. But Karla Pardo wanted something she could keep long after the ceremony and reception had past. She saw a fun alternative at a wedding fair she attended, and decided she wanted a button bouquet instead of live flowers.

For her wedding, Karla Pardo asked relatives to send her buttons, which were used to make a bouquet instead of live flowers. Photo by Carlos Antonio Rios

And, Pardo wanted buttons from everyone in her family, so each “flower” would have a sentimental meaning. The call went out and the buttons started pouring in from all over. With family members on three continents, it would be an interesting undertaking.

After a quick search on YouTube for some suggestions on how to make a button bouquet, the process began.

Each “flower” consists of at least three buttons: small, medium and large. They are sandwiched atop each other and then wired together with 22-gauge floral wire, leaving about a foot extra for the “stem.”

First, fold a length of wire in half. The wire threads up the thread holes in the large button, then through the medium and finally the small; the wire then is reversed and rethreaded through all three. It is important to layer the buttons so they neatly fit upon each other.

Next, gather all the wire “stems” and funnel them through a plastic 9-inch bouquet holder, with lace or tulle fabric surrounding the cone for decoration.

Rearrange some of the flowers to get a good balance of color, size and shape.

Pardo’s family sent buttons from military service uniforms, her mother’s coat, grandmother’s sweaters, aunts’ blouses and even a pearl button from her mother-in-law’s wedding dress. Her sister, brother, cousins and distant relatives sent buttons as the word spread. A fabric flower, cut from the dress her maternal grandmother wore when she arrived in America for the first time, also was reclaimed and sewn into the lacy collar of the holder. She even had little button boutonnières made for her groom and both sets of parents.

“I just wanted something different and something I could keep forever,” Pardo said. “The bouquet still sits on my shelf as a reminder of our wedding day.”