Traditions on Thursday - the GARTER!!!
Do you know the significance of wearing a garter under a wedding dress?
I’ve often found myself deeply pondering where this custom came from. Garters come in pretty delicate white and lace, every color under the rainbow and they even feature icons of sports teams, colleges, and sometimes, fancy crystals. You can usually find a very pretty one for about $5.99 or, you can spend a small fortune. Your choice. The cheapest one I found while researching this entry was $1.99. The most expensive I saw? $54.99.
According to Wedding Flowers and More the garter traditions hastens back to an old English tradition where friends of groom would rip off their socks (Pheew!) and throw them at the groom. The first one to hit the groom on the nose was the next to be married. Before wedding gowns were such valuable items, people would rip off a piece of the gown and toss that at the groom.
Thank GOD the sock tradition is no more! I’ll take a garter toss any day over stinky socks. Good thing too, ‘cause my wedding is in May, in Florida.
The tossing of the garter, and the subsequent catching of the garter is thought to be good luck.
I will be wearing a garter, I already have it. I actually bought it WAY before I was engaged, because it was perfect for Marc. But! Since it is so “perfect for Marc� … we won’t be tossing it.
It is also tradition for the bride to toss her bouquet to all the single women. Legend tells that the lucky gal to catch it will be the next to marry. After some quick calculations it seems that our guest list doesn’t include more than two single gals, and maybe one single guy. So, it doesn’t make much sense for us to do the tossing.
Themed Garters: The Wizard of Oz, featuring Toto (little weird, but you know, if it’s your thang!):
Fancy, pricey garter, with Swarovski crystal:
If your husband-to-be is a sports fanatic … (I can’t think of anyone like that!):
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