Where did the Bouquet Toss Tradition Begin?
Have you ever wondered where the wedding tradition of the bride throwing her bouquet to the single ladies originated? I was curious and did a little research, and the answer is quite intriguing.
At many weddings, the bride tosses her bouquet to all the single ladies, and the one lucky enough to catch (or tackle others is some cases) the flowers, will be next in line for a wedding. Now, I have never caught the bouquet, and I coincidentally haven’t been married yet … hmmm??
The Pulse states that back in medieval times, being married was considered a huge blessing. People would touch the bride and her dress because they believed that it would bring them good fortune. However, soon things began to get really out of hand. To ensure their good luck, people would start ripping the dress off of the brides!
Thus, the tradition was adopted. Since the bouquet is considered a part of the bride’s outfit, they reasoned that catching the flowers would bring you blessings. While people scurried around for the bouquet, the bride and groom would escape to their bridal chamber to retreat from the mayhem. Thankfully, modern-day brides and grooms get to stay and enjoy the festivities and no longer must rush for safety.
Many weddings take the bouquet tradition one step further, at some weddings, after the bouquet is thrown and the garter is tossed by the groom, the man who caught the garter places the garter on the leg of the woman who caught the bouquet. I am not sure where that tradition began, but it does provide some cute, as well as embarrassing moments!
As for the tradition of where the garter toss began, once the bride and groom were safely in their bridal chamber, the groom would open the door and toss out the garter. This too was thought to bring great fortune since it was part of the bride’s outfit.
Secondary Bouquets
I’m a very sentimental person, and I would like to keep and preserve my bouquet. If you’re like me, consider tossing a secondary bouquet. Many brides have two bouquets, one for the bride to keep and a smaller, less expensive bouquet for the toss.
As a side note, if you choose not to have your bouquet professionally preserved, there are several ways you can do it yourself. The easiest is to let it air dry. Gather up the stems and tie them tightly together. Next, hang the whole bouquet upside down in a dry, temperate area, such as a hallway closet. Let all the blooms air dry. Check back on them in a couple of weeks, and you’ll find your bouquet has dried completely.
Alternative to Throwing the Bouquet
There are multiple alternatives to throwing the bouquet, one that interests me is an alternative from Bustles. If you have a smaller, more intimate wedding, instead of throwing a bouquet, you can have a flower ceremony. Call all of the women, not just the single ones, to the dance floor. Instead of tossing your bouquet, you can hand each lady an individual flower. To add a personalized touch, you can tell each lady what you love about them or your favorite story about them.
Another idea I found was setting up a bouquet station where guests can assemble their own personalized blooms. I haven’t seen this one done, but I think it is a cute alternative to the potentially dangerous bouquet toss.
You can also present your bouquet as a gift to the couple who has been married the longest. Have a special anniversary dance to celebrate all the married couples at your wedding. Have the band or DJ play a song, and eliminates couples depending on the amount of time they’ve been married. Then present the bouquet to the longest-married couple that remains.
Questions about Flowers?
If you have questions about flowers, click here to view some helpful tips that can help you in the flower selection process.