Wedding accessories
- History of the wedding garter
- Why do you need a leg garter for a bride?
- On which leg does the bride wear a wedding garter?
- How to make a garter for a bride for a wedding with your own hands?
- What does it mean to catch a garter at a wedding?
- How to choose a wedding garter?
While watching romantic comedies, many have probably noticed that at a Western wedding, the groom throws a garter at the wedding, which he removes from the leg of his beloved girl. Where did this tradition come from and what does it mean? Our tradition of throwing the bride's accessory arose quite recently, but Russian couples are increasingly trying to follow it.
History of the wedding garter
The elegant garter for a wedding has an ancient history . The word “garter” came into Russian from France, where the accessory had an exclusively practical function. It served to support pantaloons, and not only women, but also men used this comfortable item of clothing.
Photo of a wedding garter on the leg
But wedding traditions associated with the garter arose in England, and historians have differing opinions on this matter:
- According to the first legend, the custom of throwing a garter at a wedding was introduced by the English monarch, who later even created the Order of the Garter . At one of the balls, his lady love dropped an intimate item of clothing, and the king picked it up, wanting to please the girl. Initially, the king was going to return the accessory, but he saw the grins of those around him. He decided to publicly declare that the garter of the woman he loved was bound to bring him good luck, and he tied it on his own leg.
- Another tradition has a less romantic context . In some counties of Great Britain there was a custom according to which guests themselves tried to tear the garter from the bride’s leg right at the altar. Many were not happy with this state of affairs, and the girls began to throw the accessory into the crowd.
In the modern world, an interesting tradition originated in the 90s of the last century in the USA. Focusing on the West, Russian newlyweds also began to use a garter.
Purpose of the accessory
Since ancient times, women used garters exclusively in everyday life to support stockings on their legs. They were worn just above the knees and hidden from prying eyes under long dresses and skirts. Gradually, the purpose of this item changed, and now a garter is, first of all, a stylish accessory for a bride’s wedding look. It is worn only on the day of marriage to fulfill an unusual tradition - throwing this attribute into a crowd of unmarried men.
The history of the tradition of throwing a garter goes back to the distant Middle Ages. In European countries there was a belief: if you touch a successful person, or better yet, get a piece of his clothing, you can get lucky. The bride was considered a lucky person, so everyone tried to take possession of a piece of her outfit.
To save their dress, the girls had to throw some items of clothing to the guests, including, among other things, a garter on the bride’s leg.
Interesting! In Russia, this ritual appeared relatively recently, but has already become a favorite of many newlyweds and is actively carried out at most wedding ceremonies.
The essence of the custom is as follows: at the end of the festive feast, when the bride has already parted with her bouquet, the groom removes the garter from her leg with both hands, while single men are called to the center of the hall.
When everyone has gathered, the groom turns his back to the unmarried young men and throws his beloved’s attribute over his shoulder. The guests' task is to catch the lucky accessory before others. It is believed that the man who received the attribute will soon get married.
In different countries, the garter ritual is performed and interpreted slightly differently. For example, in France, people are convinced that a guest who takes possession of an accessory is lucky and will be surrounded by the most beautiful girls throughout the holiday.
In the countries of America, according to custom, a lucky young man with an accessory must put it on the girl who caught the bouquet, and then invite him to dance.
Why do you need a leg garter for a bride?
Throwing the Bride's Garter by the Groom
There are several reasons that force brides to wear a garter under their dress to the wedding. A garter is needed for the following purposes :
- The first and most common is following the Western tradition . The garter tossing by the bride or groom is a highlight of the wedding ceremony.
- The accessory can also be used to create a complete image of a beautiful bride. Knowing that the outfit is thought out to the smallest detail, the girl will feel feminine and confident.
- A bridal headband is a very sexy item of clothing. Many girls wear an elegant ribbon to give a pleasant surprise to their loved one on their wedding night.
- Often an accessory turns into a family treasure, passed on by inheritance. While a wedding dress is quite difficult to preserve and may go out of fashion, a garter always looks stylish and sexy. After many years, a regular headband will be called an heirloom.
Bride's Wedding Garter
When thinking about creating a wedding look, include a feminine garter in your outfit.
You can keep its presence a secret and surprise your significant other, but if you are brave enough, implement the ancient tradition according to which the groom removes the garter holding his stockings and throws it to his friends.
What is a bride's garter used for?
From time immemorial, guests tried to take away part of the couple's attire from the wedding in order to lure good luck into their home. Did the celebrants rejoice at the ruined robes? Doubtful! An alternative solution was a detail that the girls were not sorry to part with. This is how the wedding tradition with a garter was born, which brides put on their legs over tights. In the midst of the fun, the newly-made husband must take off the seductive accessory, throwing it into the crowd of unmarried comrades. According to legend, the next time guests will walk at the wedding of the lucky person who managed to catch the headband.
On which leg does the bride wear a wedding garter?
In order for the garter to fulfill the function that old traditions attribute to it, it is necessary to correctly place the accessory on the leg . There are no strict rules on this matter, but it is believed that the garter should be placed on the young person’s right leg just above the knee.
Many people wonder how many garters a bride should have at her wedding. In some regions of North America, it is customary to wear the tape on both legs at once, and each option has a specific meaning :
- The garter, located on the right leg, is usually intended for single guests of the holiday.
- The second piece of jewelry, located on the left, is considered a more intimate item and is removed at the end of the evening. Taking off her garter, the girl says goodbye to innocence and a free life. This type of garter is also called a “honey garter” because it marks the beginning of the honeymoon.
How many garters should there be at a wedding?
If the bride wants to use only one garter to perform the custom, she should choose the right side. This way the accessory will be charged with the necessary love energy and will bring good luck to its future owner , who will soon start a family.
How to carry and throw
Every wedding tradition has its own rules, and the use of a garter for the bride is no exception. What is the accessory for?
- An elegant ribbon complements the image of the young bride.
- A wedding garter is a symbol of a girl's innocence and purity.
- It is needed to maintain a tradition in which not only the newlyweds, but also invited guests participate.
- Many brides purchase 2 ribbons, one of which remains in the family as a memory, and in some cases is even inherited by children on their wedding day. The groom throws the second accessory to his friends.
It makes no difference which leg the bride wears the garter on. It all depends on the preferences or habits of the newlyweds. According to tradition, the accessory is put on the right leg, moving upward from the knee by 7-10 cm. Thus, the groom will not have to lift up the bride’s dress high when removing the accessory during the wedding ritual, and a low-mounted ribbon will be more suitable for photographs.
At the end of the holiday, after the ceremonial removal of the wedding cake, the groom removes the garter from his young wife, tossing the accessory into the crowd of friends. To do this, the man takes the girl in his arms and brings her to a chair in the center of the banquet hall. The woman stands on the seat, and the husband carefully dives under the dress, trying to remove the bride’s garter with his hands, after which he throws the ribbon to his friends. The man who catches the accessory is traditionally expected to plan his own wedding. American grooms usually remove the tape using their teeth.
Many girls are embarrassed to publicly remove the intimate part of their wedding wardrobe, so they get rid of it themselves, and only then give it to the groom. The question of why a garter is needed at a wedding, or how to use it, should be answered by the newlyweds themselves, based on their preferences for the celebration. Shy brides do not have to take off their ribbon when visiting guests; a boutonniere is a perfect accessory for a traditional throw.
How to make a garter for a bride for a wedding with your own hands?
Many young couples strive to create a wedding with their own hands, making accessories, decorations and decorations themselves. The garter was no exception, the production of which was devoted to many master classes.
Watch the video on how to make a garter for the bride with your own hands:
Garters are made not only from openwork lace and shining lace, but are even crocheted.
We offer several simple options for creating a wedding accessory that you can make yourself.
In order to sew a lace garter, you need to stock up on the following :
- wide strip of lace 1 meter long;
- thin satin ribbon for decoration (you can choose any color);
- sewing machine, thread, needle;
- glue gun;
- several goose feathers;
- scissors.
The lace must be elastic so that the resulting decoration fits tightly on the leg. Having measured the required strip of fabric, the excess lace is cut off and the edges of the piece are sewn together.
Photo of a handmade garter for a bride for a wedding
It is better to attach all decorations for the future accessory using a glue gun. Rhinestones and beads are usually used, but goose feathers look delicate and airy. A narrow satin ribbon will be needed to make an elegant bow out of it, which is also glued to the workpiece. You can choose absolutely any color, but it is recommended to use a soft blue or blue tint.
A satin garter also looks very stylish. The technology for making a silk accessory is not too different from creating a lace ribbon.
To give elasticity, a strip of satin fabric is decorated with a wide openwork ribbon along its entire length. Decorate satin garters with small flowers made from the same material
a sexy crocheted garter on their leg . However, by choosing high-quality threads and an interesting pattern, you can create a real work of art.
What does it mean to catch a garter at a wedding?
If the bride's bouquet is always caught by unmarried girls who want to quickly meet their soulmate, then the garter is the prerogative of the guys. What happens if a young man catches this accessory and what to do with the garter:
- According to the most common belief, the owner of a woman's garter will soon invite friends to his own wedding.
- The French believe that a man catches a garter at a wedding in order to become a happy man for whom Fortune always smiles.
An interesting custom is played out in the USA: there a young man who has caught the bride’s gift must dance with the girl who received the wedding bouquet
Removing the garter can happen in different ways. In the simplest version, the groom simply removes the garter with both hands while his betrothed is sitting on a chair, and then throws the accessory to his friends. However, some couples make the throwing process more fun, and the groom removes the tape with his teeth, diving under the skirt of his beloved girl with his head. This method is quite problematic - the elastic band of the product can cause pain to the bride, so it is better to do it with the hands of the newly-made spouse.
Signs associated with the bride's garter
Removing the garter according to the rules
Usually all the single guests gather around the bride, sitting (or even standing) on a chair. The groom lifts his skirt slightly and removes his garter. The groom should not aimlessly try to feel the garter under the bride's numerous petticoats; if you couldn’t find her right away, just ask the bride to help you. This will save everyone the awkwardness of waiting. Once you find the treasured accessory, carefully straighten it, loosening the tension, and slowly remove the garter with your hands (or even your teeth). If your bride decides to wear two garters at once, do not get confused: the lower one must be removed. But perhaps the bride is too modest, then she can remove the garter herself and hand it directly to you.
Got enough? Now is the time to throw this accessory to your unmarried friends!
To the one who catches it, this modest piece of the bride’s clothing promises happiness and a quick marriage, and in America, the lucky one, according to tradition, will have to dance with the girl who caught the bride’s wedding bouquet or, according to another version, puts a garter on the girl’s leg to the music. Also, instead of a garter, if this tradition does not suit you for some reason, the groom can throw one flower from the bride’s bouquet or a boutonniere.
