Bridal Garter

The Wacky History of the Traditional Wedding Garter

Did you know that ....

.....hundreds of years ago, people would literally race to the wedding bed in order to grab a piece of bridal underwear as it was considered to be good luck?

.....in this tradition of taking a piece of the bride's gown or any wedding lingerie, such as bridal corsets and bridal bras, guests would become so rowdy that the bride would often get injured in the process.

.....because this crazy custom did not very well please either the groom or the bride, the tradition of throwing the bridal garter came to be. That way, no one got hurt!

Yes girls, that little bridal garter could actually save your life on your own wedding night from your own guests!

The tradition of throwing this little piece of bridal lingerie that is known to date back to the 14th century, is simply a modification of the tradition of guests trying to snatch away the garter from the bride while the bride and groom are sharing their 'special moment' after the wedding celebration.---YIKES!

Why, you say?

Well, they did it for 2 reasons: first as good luck and second as proof that the couple had consummated their marriage.

(Yes, strangely enough, they absolutely needed a witness for that last part!)

Lucky for us, after hundreds of years and possibly thousands of trampled brides, the modern tradition of the groom removing the bridal garter and throwing it to the single men came to be.

Now, what should we consider in choosing the perfect bridal garter? Let us count the ways.

The size.
Just like our wedding gown and bridal underwear, first and foremost to consider is the size or fitting.

Most stores provide a one-size-fits-all line, but you could also have a personalized one made for yourself to make sure that it is just perfect for your big day.

We wouldn't want it too tight as to block the circulation from your leg nor do we want it too loose that it'll fall off before your groom could have the chance to take it off of you.

The color, design and price.
Apart from your bridal corset, bridal bra and other bridal lingerie the wedding garter is most often chosen by the bride as a keepsake of her wedding day.

This is why it's a good idea to have two- one as a keepsake and the other to be thrown to the single men at the end of the wedding celebration.

Most brides opt to personalize the keepsake garter into their chosen color and design (which is often times blue which goes with the 'something blue' tradition).

This of course, is more expensive than the one being tossed to the men. We wouldn't want something expensive being thrown away, would we?

To Garter or Not to Garter.
Although it has been a tradition, there are some couples who have opted not to have a bridal garter at all, and guess what? That's just fine.

It's your wedding after all, and you shouldn't be forced into a tradition that you're not comfortable with.

Check out these fantastic deals on brand new garters here at Ebay!

Next- Read all about Inexpensive Wedding Gowns and where to find them!

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