Non wedding party buttonholes - thoughts?

I've never heard of it being traditional - the parents sometimes wear buttonholes to mark them out, but I've never heard of the whole family wearing them!

I wouldn't get too stressed about it, because it's just going to wind you up without achieving anything. There is nothing you can do to prevent them turning up with buttonholes, so having expressed your preference, I'd just move on. If the excess buttonholes really bug you once you see your wedding photos, then just get them photoshopped out in your favourite group photo.

We had a guy turn up to our wedding in full morning suit, when even our best man was only in an ordinary suit. (And the only reason morning suit guy got an invite in the first place was because he was the boyfriend of a close friend who didn't know anyone else at the wedding). Was it appropriate? No. Would we have preferred him to wear something else? Yes. But at the end of the day, his inappropriate behaviour was his problem, not ours.

It may be a tradition in your family but it is not a tradition, or at least it is more correct to say I have never come across it in over 1000 weddings.

I agree with what has been said and there is not much you can do to stop them wearing them and it will only cause you extra stress.

Not sure if this helps but li would say that some of the family wont get the memo, others will but won't bother, others will but will just get any random flower and not your colour.

Not many photographers will have the nessary skill to remove them afterwards and may well charge you more. Actually there may not be many photos that have the wider family and your chosen ones with your button holes.

My Mum has requested a few 'extra' buttonholes for family members who may want them. MIL said it would be nice, but also said people can often get their own if they want one - they've done it when they've attended other weddings. We, too, wanted our bridal party to stand out, so the Fathers and Best man have our statement flower, some greenery and gyp. Groom is having a 'flower pocket' instead of a buttonhole, so it will be a bit more stand-out. The rest of the groomsmen are having simple gyp buttonholes (they'll be wearing matching suits and ties so that should help to identify them), and then the 'extras' will just be gyp. (This also made it a lot cheaper...as gyp buttonholes were about £3 as opposed to £5 for the statement flower buttonholes). Maybe if you have a filler flower, or know a complimentary filler flower that would work, this could be an option for you too? Then it kind of ties in with your theme, and you have control over it, but shouldn't be as expensive or elaborate.

But I certainly don't think it's necessary! Particularly as it's an extra cost!