Ever wonder wear some of the wedding traditions evolved from? During the 14th century in France, it was believed that the bride’s dress was to bring good luck and fortune to the guests. After the couple wed, witnesses would tear pieces of the bride’s dress as it was thought to bring good luck. To avoid such ruckus behavior, the groom began assisting his wife and would make a ceremonial throwing of the garter.

Things have come a long way and the throwing of the garter is much more refined. Today, there are mixed feelings on the tradition of throwing the garter/tossing the bouquet. It is not a required part of the wedding and many couples opt to exclude it from their reception. One thing that does remain true is that most brides will wear a wedding garter for her groom whether or not they perform this ritual. At the very least, it can be a small treasure to be discovered by the groom on the wedding night.

A garter is a great way to add that 'something blue' to your day. Garters come in many colors and styles. From fashionable feathers to shimmering crystals and personalized with initials and dates, finding a garter can be easy.

The Garter Toss

Step 1: Bridal Bouquet Toss

All the single ladies will join the bride on the dance floor where she’ll put her back to the girls and toss the bouquet. The girl that catches the bouquet is thought to be the next to marry. Tip: toss a smaller version of your wedding bouquet. This keeps your actual bouquet in your possession and available to preserve, if you wish.

Step 2: Throwing the Garter

The bride will sit in the center of the dance floor with her charming groom at her feet. Depending on the groom, things can get heated up rather quickly or things can remain tasteful. The groom will remove the garter however he chooses from the bride’s right leg. After retrieving, the bride leaves the dance floor while all the single men join the groom on the dance floor. The groom then flings the garter. The man that catches the garter is thought to be the next to marry. Tip: opt for two garters: one tossing garter and one keepsake garter. Both are worn during the reception on the right leg, but during the event, the groom removes just the tossing garter. The other is kept on for after the wedding.

Step 3: Put Garter On (optional)

Some brides choose to leave this step out as the thought of placing their garter on another woman is offensive! The single lady that caught the bouquet and the single male that caught the garter are then brought up to the dance floor. The single man will then place the garter on the single lady.

Step 4: Dance

The single couple will share a dance.