The tradition of crying bitterly and throwing the garter at a wedding came to Russia recently, but has gained great popularity. Nowadays, not a single such celebration is complete without the groom removing this accessory; he throws it over his shoulder - the bachelor who caught the garter will be the next to enter the registry office with his chosen one.
Many brides think through their image to the smallest detail, so they pay attention even to those elements that will not be visible to others. A garter is one of them; it is a beautiful addition to an image that makes it elegant and seductive for its chosen one.
There are no rules in this regard; some people buy ready-made products in a wedding salon, while others make them with their own hands. Moreover, it is not difficult to cope with the work if you have the necessary materials at hand. Some people keep the accessory as a family heirloom.
What it is
A wedding garter is an elegant accessory that the bride puts on her leg slightly above the knee. In the past, she carried a functional load - supporting a woman's stockings. Having lost its original purpose, this accessory remained in the bride’s wedding wardrobe as a tribute to tradition.
A garter is an elastic fabric strip, usually white, decorated with lace, embroidery, bows or rhinestones. You can choose it from satin, silk or satin, any color, with or without patterns.
What is the modern bridal garter today?
Previously, a garter was a necessary attribute of an outfit , the task of which was to keep the stocking on the leg. Now, with the development of industry, there is no longer a need to use garters, and therefore they serve an exclusively decorative role.
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The garter can be either wide or narrower. It is made of lace or other delicate and openwork material, and is decorated with ribbons, rhinestones, bows, and other available feathers. Of course, the most exquisite garter options are made from handmade lace.
The options for decorating a snow-white garter with tiny buds of artificial roses in a soft pink color look very cute. A scarlet garter, to which contrasting white or even black ribbons are attached, also looks amazing.
The garter is usually white or beige, matching the style of the bride's wedding dress , but sometimes garters of a contrasting color (for example, bright scarlet) are used. This elegant and elegant accessory will highlight the bride’s taste and add piquancy to the ceremony of removing the bandage with a unique pattern.
Why do you need a garter?
Here are some reasons why brides follow the custom
:
- Surprise . This detail of the wedding dress is hidden by the dress, so this is a great opportunity for the bride to surprise her partner.
- Image . It makes brides feel sexy. A beautiful dress and shoes, perfect hairstyle and makeup, a stylish accessory complements and completes the bride’s look.
- Memory . You can keep it as a reminder of your wonderful day and create a family tradition by passing it on to your daughter on her wedding day.
- Customs . The tradition of throwing a garter has turned into a fun wedding activity in which all guests take part with pleasure.
Is it possible not to throw anything at all?
Of course you can! This is your wedding, so you can do anything that fits perfectly into the format and style of the holiday and will definitely please your guests.
Cool options instead of throwing a garter:
- SMS. Let your friends simultaneously type an SMS with any content, for example, “I want to get married.” And at the same time they will send messages to the groom. The one whose SMS arrives first wins.
- A game. The groom stands in the center of the circle of unmarried guys. He is blindfolded. The guys start moving in a circle. At some point the groom says stop. Whoever ends up in front of him will be the next family man.
As you can see, if you don't feel like throwing the garter, you can come up with an alternative that will surprise your guests. You can play with this tradition from a completely different, modern side, then it will fit perfectly into the modern wedding scenario with competitions. Or you can support the custom and throw a beautiful garter, but without removing it from the bride’s leg in front of everyone, advises the portal www.svadbagolik.ru. Choose the option that suits you!
How to wear to a wedding
This detail of a wedding dress is worn 7-15 cm above the knee, and here’s why:
- This is the thinnest part of the leg, so there will be no uncomfortable friction against the other leg when walking.
- This way blood circulation is not impaired.
- If you plan to throw the accessory to guests, the groom will not have to look for it under your skirt for long.
- This way you won't need to lift the hem of your dress too high to take beautiful photos. Do you want to do well with them? Then it’s worth learning how to pose for a wedding photo shoot! We wrote about this in our other article.
A garter tied with ribbons is far from the best solution. To prevent it from slipping, the tape must be pulled tightly, and this is not good for blood circulation.
Traditionally, garters are worn on the right leg, but there are no superstitions here, rely on your own preferences.
As for the number of accessories, in North America the newlywed wears two garters at a distance of an outstretched palm. The bottom one is “happy”, the groom will leave it to single men, and the top one is “honey”, it remains as a souvenir for the newlyweds.
If you want to get a complete look, then, in addition to a garter, you may need a belt for your wedding dress. In this article you can read about what it should be made of, what sizes it can have, how to choose it according to your body type and how to tie it beautifully.
A garter is very convenient for a short wedding dress. Who it suits, how to choose it, how much the outfit costs - you can read about this in a separate article on the site.
Here we talk about what you need to prepare for the wedding. You will learn what things are needed for the bride price, wedding banquet, who is responsible for the event and much more.
Do you want a bright, unforgettable celebration? Choose on-site registration! You can read about what it is, why it is needed, how best to arrange a celebration - with the help of an agency or on your own - in another article on the site. You will also find out how much it will cost and what you will need for this.
Choosing a garter: a couple of tips
When choosing a wedding garter, consider the following points:
- The color of the garter can either match the dress or contrast with it, emphasizing the wedding palette or simply your individuality. The same applies to its material: it can be made from the same fabric as the dress, or from another, for example, under a satin dress you can buy a bride’s garter made of lace, which will be combined with gloves or elements of wedding shoes.
- The decor of the garter should not only be spectacular and beautiful, but also safe for your dress, so as not to tighten or, even worse, tear the hem of the wedding dress.
- Consider the cut of your wedding dress. After all, all brides know that they should select underwear to match the style of their wedding dress. The garter is no exception! You can choose any option for a princess or A-line dress, but in the case of a tight-fitting dress, it is better to give preference to a smooth accessory that will not stand out through the material of the outfit.
- The garter should fit perfectly on the leg, not fall, but also not pinch it, causing discomfort. Try wearing it at home for a couple of hours and make sure it is the right width for you. A little trick: the bride can put on a garter not in the morning, but just before the ceremony.
How to take off the bride's feet
The garter removal ceremony takes place after the bride has thrown her bouquet to her unmarried bridesmaids. The groom slightly lifts the hem of the dress and with his hands (some do this with their teeth!) carefully removes the openwork braid from the bride’s leg.
It is better for the newlyweds to agree in advance on which leg the bride wears the garter in order to avoid an awkward moment when the groom spends too long looking for it.
Choose the musical accompaniment to your taste - a lyrical or rhythmic composition. The following compositions are suitable: Joe Cocker – I put a spell on you, Christina Perri – A Thousand Years, Roy Orbison Oh – Pretty Woman.
After removal, the groom randomly throws the accessory to his unmarried companions. According to legend, the lucky person who catches this detail of the wedding dress will get married in the near future.
Here is a video of the process of removing and throwing the garter into the hall:
https://youtu.be/VOC4IKDywyk
Useful video: master class
The bride places her foot on the chair, after which the groom lifts the skirt a little with his hands and removes the garter. As a result, the girl is not embarrassed, and the guests are happy. One of the options for removing a garter from a bride is shown in the video, with the bride’s bouquet being thrown first.
A bride's wedding dress is something touching and, as many believe, brings good luck. The garter toss is carried out according to different scenarios, but you should not deviate too much from the classic version. If you do everything romantically and tastefully, the guests and the newlyweds themselves will like it.
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Signs about throwing
The tradition of garter tossing originated in England or France in the 14th century. The guests tried to tear a piece of fabric from the bride's dress and veil, as it was believed that having a piece of the bride's wedding dress was lucky. To protect the dress from being torn apart, the girls began to throw a garter to the invitees in return. It was a valuable trophy that promised good luck throughout the year.
According to signs, the one who catches the “lucky” garter will be the next to marry.
Another superstition of those times was that if a bachelor gave a garter to the girl he liked, he was guaranteed to receive it in return. Today, none of the guests encroaches on the bride’s dress, but the tradition has been preserved.
The role of wedding traditions
Despite the fact that every couple strives to make their wedding unique, and many actually succeed, the “framework” of such a celebration always remains unchanged due to established traditions. The bride and groom can completely follow the classic wedding scenario or choose only a few customs for their holiday. This will not make the wedding trivial, but, on the contrary, will help future newlyweds come up with creative ideas on a ready-made basis.
Some traditions date back to the world BC, others are a little younger, but still passed through the centuries. Compliance with such customs allows newlyweds to join the culture of their people and all humanity in general. The realization that the same actions were performed by the bride and groom hundreds and even thousands of years ago is inspiring and excites the imagination.
Interesting! Find out how many garters a bride should wear and who should buy the accessories.
What is the significance of a caught wedding garter?
For many people, a garter caught at a wedding is nothing more than part of the entertainment program, which can provide the lucky recipient with a piquant souvenir of victory. However, this entertainment has a sacred meaning .
It is not for nothing that single men or those who have not yet moved to the official level of family relationships begin to catch some of their underwear. The luckiest of them who caught the accessory will very soon find his soulmate, and the one who is already in a love relationship will be the next to get married.
Some interpret everything a little differently. It is believed that a young man who is lucky enough to catch the bride's garter at a wedding will not necessarily become the next one to get married, but will gain great popularity among representatives of the opposite sex , at least for this festive evening.
It is worth noting that representatives of the stronger sex are not too willing to try to catch the bride’s underwear, unlike girls who, in a literal sense, compete for a bouquet.
When is the garter removed and who does it?
Traditionally, the headband is thrown before the bride's bouquet is thrown. But at our weddings, most often this happens at the end of the banquet, after cutting the cake and shortly before the departure of the happy newlyweds. As a rule, special musical accompaniment is selected for this moment of the wedding. In the West, this moment of the wedding party is no less important than the first dance of the newlyweds.
The husband removes the “honey” or “sweet” garter from his young wife when he is left alone on his wedding night.
Fortune Teller
The bride's wedding garter, located on top, can be either white or red. The first speaks of pureness and purity, the second - of ardent love. The red shade is often chosen by brides with a bright temperament. Tamara Solntseva
There are also traditions for the color of the bride's garter for different countries. Thus, in France it is customary to wear blue, symbolizing the purity of the Virgin Mary. In Spain, the color blue is the color of choice. In England they chose pink and red. In Russia it is traditionally white. The situation in Sweden is interesting: there it is permissible to throw not a garter, but the bride’s panties.
