Before you pass (or should I say “toss”) the bridal garter off as just another wedding tradition that you aren’t so sure about, read on for everything you need to know! From which leg to wear your garter on, to when to order a garter, to where this tradition came from in the first place, I am answering all of your wedding garter questions. Once you know all there is to know about a wedding garter, then you can decide to toss it or hold onto it as a modern heirloom to pass on through your family.
Wedding Garter Tradition
Dating back to the Dark Ages, the wedding garter is the oldest wedding tradition which guests would follow the just married couple up to the bedroom and help them prepare for married life. As guests would help the couple de-robe, it was said to be good luck to get a piece of the bride’s wedding dress, which is where the garter toss tradition originated from.
Who Buys The Garter?
Many of the who-pays-for-what guidelines are falling out of favor as more and more engaged couples are opting to do their wedding their way. There is no set rule for who typically buys a bride’s wedding garter. If you want to buy one for a friend for her bridal shower, it can be a really thoughtful gift. If you want to pick out your own bridal garter for your own wedding, that is perfectly acceptable too.
When To Order Your Garter
You can order your wedding garter as early as you want, or if you find one that you love, you can pick it up at a bridal salon closer to your wedding day. As with all things, if you want a custom garter design, you’ll need to check with the designer on their production timeframe. The biggest thing to remember is to try on your wedding garter before the morning of your wedding. Problems are much easier to solve in advance. This goes for all of your wedding day accessories. You don’t want to find out just before you walk down the aisle that something doesn’t fit or is uncomfortable!
Left or Right?
There is no particular leg that should wear your wedding garter. You can put your garter on whatever leg feels comfortable and natural to you! There is no good or bad luck involved with either leg.
Garter Placement
Place your bridal garter wherever you like, but just make sure to try your garter on before the morning of your wedding. I generally recommend that you wear your wedding garter just above your knee. This is usually the narrowest part of your leg and your garter won’t rub your other leg when you walk or dance. Also, if you are wearing a mermaid or tighter fitting wedding dress, around your knee is where your dress will flare out, making this is an ideal location for your garter.
To Toss or Not?
If you aren’t into the garter toss, don’t do it! If you, or your partner, would rather not toss your bridal garter at your reception, that is OK. Lots of brides get a wedding garter to save as a modern heirloom and are skipping the garter toss ceremony all together. That said, if you are into it and you want to do the garter toss, go for it and have lots of fun with it! If you want to do the garter toss ceremony, consider getting a second garter to throw so that you don’t lose your main garter to save.
That’s all you need to know about a wedding garter. What about you? Will you toss your wedding garter at the reception, get a garter to save as an heirloom, or toss the whole wedding garter tradition all together?
Julianne Smith is The Garter Girl, a stylish wedding garter company handmaking modern heirlooms for today’s brides. She is on a mission to modernize the oldest wedding tradition and provide women something sophisticated to wear on their big day. She is a reformed political junkie with a love of tradition, an eye for style, and a passion for beautiful things. You can find more at www.thegartergirl.com, on social @gartergirl, or at the park in our nation’s capital with her three little kids.
