Wedding Garters
When discussing wedding traditions, people might mention garters as if we know what they are talking about, which isn’t always the case. The tradition of the garter is a little more than just something sexy under your skirt to hold your stockings up.
Garters come in many different styles for what is essentially a pretty elastic band that holds your stockings up. You could have anything from a simple lace band to satin, bunched or smooth, plain or decorated, and any colour you could ask for. Your options are limited only by the size of your budget.
In Medieval England, it was considered lucky for guests to have a scrap of the wedding dress. Guests would follow the newly-married couple to their bed chamber, ripping the brides clothes as they go as a form of encouragement. Not very dignified. Luckily, the tradition of throwing garters and bouquets stemmed from this to stop this from happening.
Nowadays, guests don’t follow the couple to their bed chamber on their wedding night. Instead, the groom removes the garter during the reception with his teeth and throws it into the crowd. Similar to the bride’s bouquet, whichever unmarried man catches it is supposedly next to be married.
However, not every bride wants to flash their legs to their grandparents, so you have other ways of honouring the tradition without exposing yourself. You may skip wearing the garter but have it to hand so you can pass it to your partner for throwing without the need to lift your skirts. This is an excellent idea if your garter is also your ‘something old’ and borrowed from a relative or close friend.
Another idea is to keep it as a modern heirloom to give your daughter for her wedding day, especially if you have opted for an ornate one.
It is a good idea to get your garter as soon as possible so you can try it on during your dress fittings. You don’t want your garter to ruin your outline and wearing it high on your leg if you have a mermaid or other fitted style dress will mean it shows through.
Just above your knee is the narrowest part of your upper leg and the most comfortable to wear. It should also mean that it is in the flared portion of your skirt if you have a mermaid dress.
Why not take a look at the other wedding blogs on our website for more inspiration!
