Making buttonholes is surprisingly easy – but it is a good idea to have at least one practice before the big day! I wanted to include a gerbera in them because they’re my favourite flower, but couldn’t find a tutorial that used one. So I ended up doing what I usually do – I made it up! If you’re going to use gerbera I’d suggest that you buy more than you need, just in case you break them (I broke about three…). You’ll need a decent pair of scissors, wire cutters, wire, florist’s tape (the waterproof one) and some pretty ribbon, as well as the flowers and foliage that you’d like to use. Firstly, you need to remove any leaves or thorns from the stems and then clean the stem to remove any dirt. Gerberas don’t need this, but they do need a little strengthening on order to be able to bend the flower head forward. Push the wire into the back of the gerbera head – be gentle! Wrap the wire around the back and then down the stem. Cut the wire a little way down so that the stem is sturdy. Then bend the flower head forward very gently (this is how I broke a few, so do it slowly and carefully!). Next, choose your other flowers and/or foliage and trim them all down to the desired length (this will depend on what you have decided to use – I used gypsophila). Position the flowers together ready to tape. You might need a little help with the taping, as it’s hard to do on your own! Wrap the tape around the stems – don’t be put off by the tape, it will stick together even though it feels like it won’t! Tie the whole thing together with some decorative ribbon. These photos were taken when I made my first buttonhole, and after I had made it I decided it needed a little something to tie it all together. I wasn’t actually sure what that something would be, but the day before our wedding when we made them, my Mum suggested using some ferns from her garden. It really set the whole thing off and I was so pleased with how they looked. I’d definitely recommend having a go and making them!