Every detail is important in a bride's image: from the wedding dress and shoes to the veil and garter. The latter, by the way, performs not only an aesthetic role, but also takes part in a beautiful action that helps determine which of the groom’s friends will marry next.
The garter often appears in the wedding frame, both during the shooting of the newlyweds and the bride's morning, and at the banquet itself. Therefore, if you want everything in your wedding look to be perfect down to the smallest detail, the Svadebka.ws portal advises you to pay sufficient attention to the choice of this important accessory.
Bridal garter: what is it and why is it needed?
The concept of “garter” comes from the French word “jarret”, which means the popliteal cavity, i.e. The garter was previously an elastic strip of fabric that held women's pantaloons in place. It was first used at weddings in the USA, and in the 90s of the last century such a sexual accessory appeared at Russian weddings.
Why was a garter worn on the bride’s leg needed at all? The history of the wedding garter is quite interesting and funny: it was believed that those guests who could take away some item from the wedding, preferably if it was part of the newlyweds’ clothing, would be happy. Therefore, all the guests tried to tear at least some piece from the bride’s dress. The brides felt sorry for their outfit, so they came up with garters, which they sewed from leftover fabric and threw to the guests. And the dress remained intact, and the guests were happy! Now, fortunately, there are no such barbaric traditions, and the groom carefully removes the garter from the bride’s leg and throws it to the unmarried guys at the end of the celebration. According to the sign, the one who catches this accessory will soon get married and be happy in his marriage.
As you know, one of these wedding signs for newlyweds is associated with the dress and accessories, including the garter: the bride should not see herself in full wedding attire before the ceremony. When trying on, you should not wear any of the elements, and it could just be a garter.
Additional Tips
We found out why a bride needs a garter on her leg. And whether or not to apply a particular tradition to your own wedding is a personal matter for each couple who decides to get married.
If the bride and groom decide to forgo the garter toss ritual, so be it.
You shouldn't follow fashion if it doesn't give you pleasure.
When removing the accessory from his beloved’s leg, the groom needs to concentrate so that the bride has no reason to be embarrassed because of the excessively raised skirt. If a girl puts on two garters at once, without informing her betrothed, then the lower one needs to be removed, since the upper one is considered honey. If the young man still can’t find the accessory because of the numerous petticoats, then he should just ask the bride to help with this.
So, why does a bride need a garter on her leg? It is both a romantic and piquant accessory, which is why many girls strive to use it in their look. In addition to providing an attractive appearance, this detail will also diversify the celebration and give positive emotions to all guests, and bachelors in particular.
Irina Vasilyeva
Wedding fairy
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Which leg should a bride wear a garter on?
A wedding garter is usually placed on the right leg slightly above the knee. But this is not a strict rule, so only you can decide based on your personal preferences and your comfort which leg you should choose for this accessory.
Usually the bride buys one garter for her wedding. However, sometimes you can find this accessory in the form of a set, for example, in America. Their first garter is called the “lucky” one; it is the one that the groom throws to his friends. The second - “honey” - remains as a keepsake for the bride and groom, who takes it off his chosen one during the first wedding night. It is attached above the “happy” one. Such interesting sets can be bought in Russia.
Advice: ask the photographer during your morning preparations to take a couple of beautiful shots of you putting on the garter. You will get tender and sexy photos!
When and how to remove the garter?
In addition to its aesthetic function, the bride's garter also plays an important role at the end of the celebration. What is it for? To find out which guy will get married next. After the bride throws the bouquet to her unmarried friends, she sits on a chair in the center of the hall, the groom kneels in front of her, carefully finds the garter, slightly lifting the hem of the dress, and slowly removes it with his hands so that the photographer has time to take a couple of successful photos.
If the groom hesitates, the bride can help him. And when the garter is in the hands of the groom, you can throw it to your unmarried friends. The one who catches her will soon lead his chosen one down the aisle. After this, the guy who caught the garter and the girl who caught the bouquet perform a dance (if, of course, they came to the wedding alone). It is believed that they can make a great couple.
Want to make the garter tossing experience more fun and spicy? Play out this humorous scene: let the groom take off not your garter, but your huge panties, which he quietly pulls out of his pocket and shows to all the guests. An alternative option is that instead of a garter, the groom discreetly throws a thong to his friends. The deception will be revealed only when the guy catches the deception. Surprise and laughter are guaranteed!
Tip: Don't like the garter toss idea? Replace this intimate accessory with the groom's boutonniere!
Video master classes on making garters
Thanks to master classes and step-by-step instructions, you can make your own bridal garter at home. When creating this wedding wardrobe item, you will be able to show your imagination and skill. Use the instructions provided as a basis for making the garter, and then decorate the finished product as you wish.
Would you like to learn more about the technique of sewing a bride’s accessory? It's not that difficult, especially if you watch the video below. The videos tell in detail about the creation of different types of garters
And besides, it is very important that in them an experienced needlewoman will share with you secrets on how to make original types of garters, and also give practical advice on decorating the finished product
Choosing a garter: a couple of tips
When choosing a wedding garter, consider the following points:
- The color of the garter can either match the dress or contrast with it, emphasizing the wedding palette or simply your individuality. The same applies to its material: it can be made from the same fabric as the dress, or from another, for example, under a satin dress you can buy a bride’s garter made of lace, which will be combined with gloves or elements of wedding shoes.
- The decor of the garter should not only be spectacular and beautiful, but also safe for your dress, so as not to tighten or, even worse, tear the hem of the wedding dress.
- Consider the cut of your wedding dress. After all, all brides know that they should select underwear to match the style of their wedding dress. The garter is no exception! You can choose any option for a princess or A-line dress, but in the case of a tight-fitting dress, it is better to give preference to a smooth accessory that will not stand out through the material of the outfit.
- The garter should fit perfectly on the leg, not fall, but also not pinch it, causing discomfort. Try wearing it at home for a couple of hours and make sure it is the right width for you. A little trick: the bride can put on a garter not in the morning, but just before the ceremony.
How to sew a garter for the bride with your own hands - master class
Of course, you can simply buy the garter you like at a bridal salon. But much more pleasure and emotions will be brought by a garter sewn by the bride herself in the process of preparing for the wedding. Doing this if you have basic skills in handling a needle is not so difficult, but a master class with detailed photos will help you cope with this task:
- First you need to prepare the materials and tools that will be needed in the process: white elastic band, lace of a suitable width, glue, scissors, measuring tape, various decorations.
- Having decided on the place where the garter will be located, you need to measure the volume of your leg. The measuring tape should be applied tightly enough, but not pulled.
- Cut a piece of elastic so that its length is 1-2 cm less than the resulting leg volume.
- Cut off the lace, taking into account that for a fluffy garter its length should be 2 times the length of the elastic, and for a not very fluffy one it is enough to take 1.5 times the length of the elastic.
- After this, you need to sew the ends of the elastic and lace together.
- Then you should sew the elastic to the lace headband, placing it along the center line. In this case, the elastic must be stretched so that its length is equal to the length of the lace, and secured in this position. To do this, you can put the entire structure on a book of a suitable size or call a friend for help.
- The resulting base of the garter can only be decorated to your taste, showing imagination and creativity.
To wear this accessory comfortably, you need to pay attention to the rigidity of the lace. Sometimes it contains threads that cause discomfort, prick and irritate the skin, and this, for obvious reasons, is undesirable. Handicraft girls can go the other way and make a garter that no one else will have.
The point is that this accessory can be crocheted from cotton, silk, linen, viscose or other thin beautiful threads.
Here you will see how to make a beautiful garter for the bride yourself:
When choosing the color of a future garter, you can take into account traditions that say that this part should be white or blue. However, first of all, the bride herself should like this thing, so you can move away from tradition and choose a color that suits the overall color scheme of the wedding or that the girl simply really likes. As a rule, such a thing is worn once in a lifetime, and you should not deprive yourself of pleasure by choosing something that someone else likes and not yourself. Which garter option did you choose for your wedding? Did you feel comfortable with her? Share your experience with us in the comments.
Design options
Previously, the bride's garter was a lace ribbon sewn with her own hands. Now there are a huge number of options for this accessory. Most often, it is sewn from lace, silk or satin, decorated with a variety of decorative details: brooch, cameo, rhinestones, stones, feathers, buttons, embroidery, 3D appliqués, etc.
You can embroider or put rhinestones on the garter with the initials of the newlyweds or the wedding monogram, making it personalized.
The bride's garter can be either narrow or wide. It’s up to you to decide which accessory to buy for your wedding! Just keep in mind that a narrow garter will look better on a miniature leg, and vice versa.
A garter can both reflect the personality of the bride and emphasize the style of the celebration, for example, for a nautical wedding, the garter can be sewn from blue fabric and complemented with a brooch in the form of an anchor or a steering wheel; for a celebration in the style of Marie Antoinette, it can be decorated with a cameo and feathers; for a vintage wedding, it can be sewn made of fabric with a floral print and decorated with pearls.
