One Wedding tradition that you’re likely familiar with is the Garter toss, that moment when a piece of lingerie worn by the bride is thrown into a crowd of eligible bachelors as they fight to be the one who catches it.
Some couples aren’t into the practice, while others think it’s a blast. It’s your choice as to whether you wear a wedding garter or participate in the Garter Toss on your special day.
But before you make up your mind, here’s everything you need to know about this custom’s history and origins so you can decide if it is something you want to incorporate into your wedding.
What Is A Wedding Garter?
A wedding garter is a piece of lingerie worn under a bridal gown. Historically, garters were used to hold stockings up, but nowadays, it’s more common for brides to wear them on their wedding day.
The tradition is that during the reception, the bride’s partner will use their teeth or hands to remove the garter from underneath her dress and toss it into the crowd.
Modern wedding garters are usually made with lace, tulle, or satin and are adorned with embellishments like rhinestones, beads, or bows. They come in all different colors, but most brides opt for white or blue.
They are held in place by elastic and worn as a band around the thigh. There isn’t a specific leg you need to wear your garter on. You also don’t need to wear it all day long. A lot of brides choose to wear it as an accessory for photo shoots before the ceremony, during the reception for the garter toss, or as part of the wedding night lingerie.
A wedding garter can cost anywhere between $15 to $125, depending on the brand, the type of materials, and the complexity of the design. The average price is $20 to $35.
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What Is The Wedding Garter Tradition?
The garter toss tradition dates back to the Dark Ages. During this time, guests would often follow newlyweds to their marital bed to try to witness the consummation of the marriage.
To appease the crowd, the bride and groom would throw the bouquet and garters so people could have a piece of the bride’s outfit, which was thought to bring good luck.
Today, the garter toss ritual is meant to be a fun, cheeky activity among the couples and their guests. The person who ends up with the garter is said to be the next in line to get married.
Alternatives To The Garter Toss
The most common reasons that couples skip out on the garter toss is because they’re uncomfortable with the history behind it, it’s just not their style, or it’s embarrassing to do in front of family.
Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives to the garter toss, and you can always put your own personal spin on it. Some brides may feel awkward about the idea of their partner fishing around for the garter underneath their dress while relatives look on.
If this is you, you can toss the garter without the whole undressing ritual. Leave your chosen garter on and have an extra garter handy that you can tuck away into your pocket and pull out when it’s time. This way, you can also keep the real garter as a token of remembrance or pass it down to future generations. If you would like to do away with the garter altogether, toss another prize like a gift card.
In the end, it’s up to the couple of honor to choose to include the garter toss tradition or not. The most important thing is to have fun and celebrate with your sweetheart in whatever ways you want!
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