A wedding garter is considered among the essential accessories in weddings for many centuries. Even though the modern wedding is really not complete without a leg garter, its usage and meaning have changed as time passes. For those who know someone that is planning a wedding, this is the bridal accessory that must not be overlooked. Some even believe that a bride must not walk down the aisle without this particular leg accessory.
There are many traditions and practices associated to the wearing of the bridal garter. With the number of tales related to its usage, it is no surprise why it stays one of the most long-lasting traditions that is used in weddings.
A few centuries back, there exists a perception that possessing a piece of the wedding dress would likely bring the owner some good fortune. Because of this, a lot of brides would end up having ripped or damaged bridal gowns before the special day was over. To get rid of the superstitious guests, the bride put on a bridal garter that would be thrown to the guests.
It is during more recent times when it started to be part of the wedding reception, and let the groom take off the garter from the leg of the bride mainly for good luck. Deciding which of the couple will toss the wedding garter may vary. Sometimes, the bride would throw it in the direction of the crowd of eligible bachelors. There are scenarios where it is better for the groom to do the tossing of the garter.
No matter where the tradition came from, the idea continues that the bachelor who catches the wedding garter would probably be the next lucky guy to get married. Comparable to this tradition is the bouquet throwing. Instead of throwing it among a group of men, the bridal bouquet is thrown in the direction of a group of women.
Through the years, several styles are already made for the garters. These accessories were designed to incorporate a number of colors. Generally, brides opt to wear a white leg garter. However, sometimes, the bride would add a bit of blue on the white accessory to keep to the tradition of putting on something blue to the wedding.
Some brides will decide to wear two white garters to their wedding; one is being thrown during the tradition. The other remaining bridal garter is supposed to be a keepsake, to pass on to the daughter in the event that her wedding takes place.