The History Of The Bridal Garter

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The wedding garter is a bridal accessory that is steeped in tradition, but many modern brides and grooms are still unsure of its exact history and what the purpose of this little item is exactly. Although many are still unsure of its exact tradition, the majority of couples tying the knot in Australia still retain the tradition of wearing the garter and the groom then removing the garter at the reception.

The origin story and true history of the wedding garter date back to 14th century France and this is where the garter toss that we now know comes from. In those days, it was a tradition that the bride and groom prove their consummation after the wedding night. Close friends and relatives would remain in the room during the wedding night and then receive the garter as proof of the consummation.

In later centuries, this tradition was abolished although some cultures still kept a tradition of ripping apart the wedding dress while it was still being worn by the bride as keeping anything worn by the bride was considered to be a good luck token. Fortunately, nowadays our traditions are nowhere near as invasive and ...
... the garter toss is believed to have stemmed from these traditions to preserve modesty for the bride.

Nowadays, in most modern weddings, the garter toss ceremony is included in the reception and it is fun and lighthearted and shouldn’t be considered embarrassing for the bride. In preparation, the bride will wear a garter just a few inches above her knee and then get up on a stool or chair after she has tossed her bouquet.

The groom then has to remove the garter in front of friends and family using either his hands or his teeth, and, once removed, the garter is then tossed into the groomsmen or unmarried men in the wedding party. The groomsman or guest that catches the garter is considered to be the lucky one and it is the tradition to believe that they will be the next to get married. This tradition is echoed in the tossing of the bride’s bouquet, where the bride will toss her bouquet to her bridesmaids and/or any unmarried female guests.

The woman who catches the bouquet then owns a piece of something worn by the bride, which is considered lucky, and it is believed that she will be next to be married. Although some couples stop the tradition here, some extend it further by having the woman who caught the bouquet dance the next dance with the man who caught the garter. This tradition is usually believed to spark a romance between the two parties. However, in modern weddings, this tradition is sometimes forgone or simply kept as an enjoyable end to the tossing of the bouquet and garter, and the two people dancing are seen as nothing more than just that – a dance.

The majority of bridal couples choose to keep the garter toss as part of the wedding, and most brides enjoy selecting a special garter to wear on their wedding day. For many brides, the garter is also the perfect way of including “something blue” on her wedding day, which is a nice way of keeping with two traditions using a single item.

The most traditional wedding garters are usually white and constructed from lace or a similar material incorporating a light blue ribbon in the middle, or a blue bow. As the garter is usually tossed to the groomsmen or unmarried men on the guest list, most brides choose to buy a garter set so that they may keep one of the garters on even if the other is removed and tossed into a waiting group of men.

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The Wedding Garter is all things a brilliant bride needs. Discover our collections of wedding accessories, bridal jewelry, luxury bridal lingerie, honeymoon lingerie, and of course custom handmade wedding garters. Our company is dedicated to sourcing only the most beautiful pieces from all over the world and creating original handmade designer wedding garters to add the finishing touches on your big day. Our online store is based on the Sunny Gold Coast in Australia, The Wedding Garter was founded upon the belief that just as every bride has her personality, style and identity, so should her wedding accessories. Given your wedding day, it is one of the most important days of your life, everything needs to be perfect! The Wedding Garter uses this philosophy when selecting our current season fashions and in creating our collections. For more information on The Wedding Garter, please visit https://www.theweddinggarter.com.au.