A Slice of Life
The Wedding Planner - Why do brides wear a garter?─── 13:10 Tue, 12 Aug 2014
When it comes to weddings and traditions many people just do them and don’t ask why. Just think of some of the traditions that are still with us today like the bridesmaids all wearing the same dresses, the bride wearing a veil and the throwing of the garter. Julianne Smith is an online designer of stylish wedding garters and shares the history of wedding garters on her site.
The wedding garter is said to be one of the oldest wedding traditions, dating back to the Dark Ages. After the wedding festivities, guests would accompany the bride and groom up to their bedroom to ensure that they arrived safely and to wish them well. Back then it was considered good luck for a guest to take home a little piece of the brides dress.
Over time, this ritual evolved into a wild wedding night romp where guests would tackle the bride, ripping her clothes off hoping for a piece of her dress. In the chaos, the garter, which at that time was used to hold up a woman’s stockings, would get tossed and it was
considered good luck for whoever caught it. Whoever caught the garter was the next to be married.
considered good luck for whoever caught it. Whoever caught the garter was the next to be married.
I can only imagine that as a way to class up weddings a little bit and get the audience out of the newlywed’s bedroom, the wedding garter toss was eventually incorporated into the reception to help keep guests at bay and pass on the good fortune. Over the years, the garter itself has evolved in form and function. Garters were worn by men and women to hold up their socks. As the hemlines got shorter, women began wearing garter belts around their wastes so their stockings would stay up discretely.
Since the invention of elastic and pantyhose in the 1960s, ladies (and men) don’t really need to use garters or garter belts to help them hold up their socks anymore. But still, wearing a wedding garter and the garter toss ritual at receptions has remained a part of many modern weddings around the world. Remember that wearing a garter on your wedding day is like wearing a little piece of history!
(Source: Thegartergirl.com - Julianne Smith)
Remember, if you need help planning your big day, just send me an email yolanda@ofm.co.za or if you have an idea you want to share with brides in the region - I'd love to hear from you!
