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Throwing Your Bouquet

A long time ago (the 14th century) in a galaxy far, far away (okay, France), the wedding ceremony would end with the female guests rushing toward the bride, hoping to tear off a piece of her dress; this was a sign they would be the next to marry. After awhile, brides starting throwing their garter, so as to avoid any unnecessary collisions (and probably to save their dress). Soon, the tradition turned into the bride throwing her bouquet, a custom that remains today. (Garters, of course, are often still tossed, though usually by the groom to the men at the party.)

Flying flowers.
Although tossing the bouquet is still a symbol of exchanging your marriage luck with an unmarried girl, it’s also a lot of fun, and a great way to wrap up the reception. The bouquet toss is generally performed almost immediately before the couple leaves. If you have a DJ, he will usually play a pre-selected song, and tell the girls to line up. While tradition dictates that the bouquet is tossed over the shoulder, some brides give the bouquet to a special friend ahead of time.

There is no rule that says you must include a bouquet toss, and some brides forego the tradition altogether. Many brides have “duplicate” bouquets; a fake one, for the toss, and the real one, which they keep for themselves. That is a very common practice, and is not considered tacky.

If you want to try something a little different, you can toss jewelry; just avoid the hard stuff. Some brides toss candy, or a special favor just for the occasion. These choices are common for women who don’t want to make two different bouquets. You can toss money rolled up, confetti, or pretty much anything else your heart desires. The only “rule” regarding a bouquet toss is that, while the girl may get the bouquet, you keep the guy.

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