The Garter Toss...

Today, the tradition of the wedding garter is tame in comparison to France of the 14th century. In North America, the bride wears two garters; one as a keepsake garter and the other for the throw away.  Both garters are worn on the right leg just above the knee.

The garter tradition originated back to the 14th century. In parts of Europe the guests of the bride and groom believed having a piece of the bride’s clothing was thought to bring good luck. They would actually destroy the brides dress by ripping off pieces of fabric. Obviously, this tradition did not sit well with the bride, so she began throwing various items to the guests – the garter being one of them. It became customary for the bride to toss the garter to the men. But this also caused a great problem for the bride….sometimes the men would get drunk, become impatient and try to remove the garter ahead of time. Therefore, the custom derived at having the groom remove and toss the garter to the men.  The groomsmen considered the sash to be a trophy. Whichever groomsman "captured" the garter would wear it in his hat for the remainder of the celebration.

Another interesting custom dated back to the ancient times where the wedding garter represented the virginal girdle. When the groom removed the garter from the bride, this represented the bride’s relinquishment of her virginity.

Wedding Planning is easier when you do it with us!

787.240.9843

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue..."

Have you ever wondered where this tradition started??  This tradition began on the Victorian Era.  There is an old saying that goes like this:    

Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

 

Each item in this saying is a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. 

 

"Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past.   

"Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead. 

"Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.

“ Something blue” As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to represent purity, faithfulness, love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true." 

And finally, "a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe" represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a Scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings.  Most brides don't follow this sixpence tradition, since there are some new customs to bring fortune to the newlyweds. 

Wedding Planning is easier when you do it with us!

787.240.9843