Dubsdread Catering Event Specialist Peighton Ballant Shares The History of Wedding Day Traditions Still Popular Today: Tossing of the Bouquet and Garter.

The tossing of the bouquet and garter are two traditions that have solidified themselves in today’s wedding culture. They have survived the test of time and add a fun twist to any wedding reception. Though the two traditions are considered fun and carefree parts of today’s events, the history behind them is quite shocking.

Tossing the Bouquet – The tossing of the bouquet originated in ancient England. After the wedding ceremony occurred, guests in attendance would try and rip off pieces of the bride’s dress or bridal bouquet as these were thought to bestow good luck and fortune to those who got one. Due to the harassing, sometimes brutal nature, of this mob mentality, brides began the tradition of tossing their bouquets in one direction in order to leave in the other direction and therefore escape rowdy attendees and leave the wedding in peace. Throughout time, this tradition has morphed into the carefree bouquet toss we now celebrate. Today the bouquet is still thought to represent good luck and fortune and the idea of “passing” that from the bride to an unwed woman has also become part of the tradition. Though sometimes old meets new when single ladies of today act as rowdy as attendees of the past in trying to catch the luck of the bouquet for themselves!

Tossing the Garter - Tossing the garter is said to either have originated in ancient France or England. The history of tossing the garter also is steeped in the tradition of dealing with the aforementioned rowdy wedding guests. After the wedding ceremony occurred, guests would escort the bride and the groom to their chambers to steal the bride's stockings. This was done either as proof of consummation or to throw the stockings at the heads of the bride and groom. It was believed by guests that if they hit the bride or groom in the head with the bride’s stockings, they would receive good luck and fertility. To prevent this, the groom began throwing the bride’s stockings out the door before the guests could enter, ensuring a more peaceful experience for the newlyweds. Over time, this practice evolved into today’s garter toss.

Both traditions have come a long way from where they originated and are a lot more light-hearted and fun in current times. As with all wedding traditions, neither of these are required on your special day, and if you do decide to incorporate them, there are many different ways you can tailor them to your taste, liking, and guests to make your wedding day special.

When it’s time to plan your wedding and reception, our experienced team at Dubsdread Catering works with you every step of the process and will share our experience and ideas for making every part of your event special to you and your partner.

Peighton Ballant is an Event Specialist with the Dubsdread Catering Team and is currently working on her Event Management degree at UCF. Peighton enjoys working with prospective couples to discover what they are most interested in bringing to their special day, and how to make those ideas come to life. Contact her today at [email protected]. 

Photos courtesy of Amy Slogar Photography and August & Katherine Photography.