Boutonniere, corsage or bouquet?  Floral options for Prom include the first two traditional choices and the latest new trend – the bouquet. 

Although girls traditionally give their young men a boutonniere, and the gentlemen select that special corsage for their Prom dates,  now trending from southern cities like Atlanta for this 2012 prom season is the flora bouquet for girls instead of corsages.

Bouquets are the perfect alternative to wearing flowers on the wrist.  Not only are corsages bulky,  but they get in the way by catching on dresses, coats and scratching skin, before wilting by end of a long evening.   The bouquet is elegant, beautiful, and easy to save after the evening is over by putting the flowers in water and a vase to preserve a memorable evening, often throughout the following week.

Senior Rachel Eilers said, “A bouquet is definitely more romantic, because they are easier to carry and take care of.  I can also give the flowers to my mom after pictures, so she can go home and put them in water so they do not die, unlike the corsage.”

This trend started in Georgia, where many girls from the Atlanta area had bouquets in their pictures instead of corsages. The flowers looked gorgeous in the pictures, making the dress colors pop. Along with their beauty, the size of the bouquets allows them to be visible in all pictures.

The other big trend is choosing unique flower options instead of the normal rose. Many high schoolers have begun buying lilies, alstroemeria, eucalyptus, and orchids for the boutonnieres. These unique flowers add a colorful splash to the formal attire worn by the gentlemen at prom. Although the rose is a simple and elegant boutonniere flower, it does not add as much color and character to the attire as these newer floral alternatives.