Your wedding is a very special day in your life and while you’re making your wedding plans let’s not forget about wedding flowers and planning the wedding reception. For most guests at a wedding, the bouquet and garter toss can be the best part—especially if some of the guests are single.
Normally, the bride tosses the bouquet and the groom throws the garter as a sign of good luck. According to folklore, the single guy who catches the garter and the single woman who catches the bouquet will be the next couple to hear wedding bells.
At some weddings, this couple could be the ones to start a slow dance. There are other entertaining ways to adhere to this time-honored event and these wedding tips will gladly be shared with you. So pick which one you like the best and give some good luck to a duo of your wedding guests.
Traditional Way
For the garter toss, you can stick with tradition and give the bride a decorated chair to sit on; or she can sit on the best man’s lap while the groom goes after the garter underneath her dress.
If your groom is the daring type, he can get the garter with his teeth. But if you have a groom that’s more on the tame side, he can just simply grab it with his hands.
To make it more of a fun environment, put on a song like the “Mission Impossible” theme song while the groom retrieves the garter. When the groom gets the garter, a circle of single men should form and the groom needs to be blindfolded. Then he should be spun around a few times and then he throws the garter into the circle of waiting men.
For the bride, it’s customary for her to receive her bouquet before the wedding which she carries down the aisle with her. At the end of the reception, the bride can turn her back on the crowd of single women and then toss the bouquet or she can be blindfolded, spun around a few times and then throw the bouquet into the crowd of women.
The two people who caught the garter and bouquet could partake in a dance in celebration of their good luck.
Bouquet Toss for the Children
If your wedding guest list is going to include children, why not have a toss especially for them? Have a small bouquet made up or use a stuffed animal that is bridal-themed.
This lets the children participate in the activities but also keeps them safe from the pandemonium of the true bouquet toss.
You could have this mini-toss after the real garter and bouquet toss. But if the reception is to go on late into the night and children will be leaving early, then you might want to have this mini-toss earlier in the evening.
The Garter Dance Off
Rather than having the groom begin his endeavor of taking off the garter, let him win the privilege to search under her bridal dress. Before the removal of the garter, the groom will have to dance to receive the approval of his bride—in front of everybody!
The DJ should play some kind of fun songs; perhaps “I’m Too Sexy” would be a good choice. The groom then proceeds to dance and show off all his “moves” in hopes of impressing his bride.
When the song and dancing is over, the bride gives a thumbs up or a thumbs down. A thumbs up means the groom can go ahead and remove the garter; a thumbs down means he has to rethink his dance moves and try again.
Once attaining the seal of approval, the groom goes on a quest for the garter and then tosses it to the single men that are patiently waiting.
Bouquet and Garter Toss Games
Why not mess with tradition a bit by changing the rules to the garter and bouquet tosses? Switch the recipients around—in other words, have the women get the garter and the guys catch the bouquet!
An additional idea is to encourage everybody to participate by tethering prizes to the garter and bouquet; prizes could consist of wedding souvenirs, a kiss from the groom or bride and cash prizes.
Let’s make it a bit challenging for the groom to retrieve that garter, shall we? Blindfold the groom and then line up the bride’s maids and the bride and let the groom search for his bride. When the groom finds his bride, then he can remove the garter!
These great ideas will put on a new, enjoyable spin to spotlight the garter and bouquet toss. No matter whether your wedding is out in the country or small town of Montana or a big city like Calgary, one of these activities are sure to bring more than a few laughs to your wedding reception.
Please contact us if you need help planning your special day—we’ll be happy to assist you!