7. Throwing The Garter And Bouquet
At most weddings today, women will jostle each other for the chance to catch the bouquet, and the groom will sometimes sensuously remove the garter from the bride’s leg before throwing it into a crowd of men. The superstition dictates that whoever catches these items will be the next people to get married. But why the bouquet, and why on earth do we throw a garter?
This practice began back in the good ol’ days when witnesses were required to be present during the consummation in order to make it a legitimate marriage. Witnesses (usually of the male persuasion) would often take pieces of the bride’s clothes and show them to the wedding guests to prove that the marriage had been consummated. Garments such as the garter were especially telling. Supposedly, brides began to freely give away their garters to prevent any unnecessary invasions of privacy. Bouquets, while not nearly as racy as garters, were still seen as part of the bride’s outfit and therefore acceptable as proof of consummation. Unmarried women believed that if they touched the bride’s clothes, they would soon be blessed with a marriage of their own. Gradually the tradition evolved and became gendered so that only women chased after the bouquet while the garter became intended for men.
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