Garter of the bride: why is it needed, what leg is put on and who throws it?

Surely many people like to watch romantic movies and many noticed that in Western paintings at the end of the wedding ceremony, the newly-made husband takes off the garter from her lover’s foot and throws it into the crowd. This custom has appeared in our country relatively recently, but many Russian newlyweds are already trying to fully follow it.

The history of wedding female garter is rooted deep in the past. The word itself came to us from France, however, there this attribute performed a rather practical function - it supported trousers, and this attribute was used not only by the fairer sex, but also by men.

The tradition of using this accessory at weddings appeared in England, historians have no consensus on how exactly such a peculiar custom came about.

According to one legend, many centuries ago, one of the English monarchs at the ball noticed that a garter had fallen from his companion and picked it up to give. He just wanted to be gallant, but when he saw the mocking smirks of the guests, he immediately declared that the garter of his beloved woman brings good luck and put it on his leg.

The second legend is not so romantic, but more real. According to the chronicles, in some counties of Great Britain there was a wild custom - the guests tried to tear off the garter from the feet of the young bride directly near the altar. Neither girls nor their spouses liked this tradition, therefore, years later, it was replaced by another custom - to throw a pendant into the crowd of guests.

There are several reasons why brides drop their garter.

• The most common is to follow existing traditions, a tribute to fashion. Throwing the bride’s bouquet and garter is the bright culmination of the solemn event, a cheerful act by which the young people, as it were, pass the baton to their lonely friends.
• In addition, the garter is used to embody the whole image of a tender young bride. Knowing that the newlywed's outfit is thought out literally to the smallest detail, the young one feels more feminine, sexy and self-confident.

Often, a garter becomes a real family value that is passed down from generation to generation. It's no secret that a wedding dress is quite difficult to keep for decades, and over time it can simply go out of fashion, but a garter will always be relevant and eventually has every chance to turn into a family heirloom.

By the way, with a wedding garter, there are several pretty interesting signs.

• The higher the garter, the more inaccessible the bride will be for all members of the stronger sex, with the exception of her husband.
• If the young spouse loses the garter - this promises an early infidelity to her lover.
• There is one more sign that contradicts the very essence of this custom. Tradition says that if a garter located above the knee fell into the hands of an outsider, then he will own the woman soon.

In order for the garter to fulfill all those tasks that ancient customs prescribed for it, you should correctly tie this accessory on your leg. There are no specific requirements on this issue, but traditionally this romantic attribute is tied on the right leg just above the knee; if you tie it in the middle of the thigh, then the romantic tradition easily turns into vulgarity and the image of the bride no longer looks so gentle and mysterious.

Many wear two garters; this tradition takes its roots from North America., where, according to customs, each garter has its own meaning: the one that is tied to the right leg is intended for gold guests at a wedding event, and the one on the left is considered a more intimate attribute that the young woman takes off at the very beginning of the wedding night. Thus, she symbolically says goodbye to a free life and her innocence, passing herself into the hands of her beloved man.

The main custom associated with the garter is its removal and subsequent throwing to single men present at the wedding. This is an interesting and fun tradition, but it is first necessary to think about the comfort of the young wife.

Traditionally, the newly made husband removes the garter with his teeth, but not all brides like this custom - many consider it vulgar, and some are scared that the husband will bite or simply tear the stockings. This is not a reason to abandon the existing tradition, because there are a large number of alternative options.

• A man removes the bandage from his woman’s legs only with his hands so that the hem of the dress does not bulge high.
• You can remove the garter in advance, away from prying eyes, and then pass it on to the groom.
• A girl can remove this accessory on her own and then give it to her partner.
• The young herself slightly lowers the garter, for example, just below the knee, and already from there the man takes it out by any available means.

The proposed options are good not only for shy brides, they often take place at weddings where believers or representatives of the older generation are present, who may not like such liberties.

The custom of throwing a garter in a crowd of guests was born back in the 15th century in England. In those days, guests believed that a piece of the girl’s wedding dress brings good luck, so they tried to tear off a bunch of dresses or veils by hook or by crook. In order to protect the wedding attire from such barbarism, an idea was born in return to throw part of the clothes to guests. It was believed that anyone who catches her will be successful in all endeavors during the year.

A little later, the interpretation slightly changed: according to signs, the one who catches such a garter, will be the first of the guests to tie the knot. There is another sign that goes back to the 15th century - the one who catches a garter and gives it to a girl will definitely get reciprocity from her.

A fashionable and romantic accessory today is presented in a rather diverse version.

The color scheme can also be very different, but traditionally the garters are performed in blue - it symbolizes the innocence of a young wife. However, when choosing such an outfit element, you should first of all be guided by the style and color scheme of the young dress and underwear and, of course, take into account her own preferences.

Garters can be wide: they are usually made of lace or satin ribbon. Such an accessory will look great both as a "honey" and as a happy detail. In order to prevent such a suspension from slipping, an elastic band is usually attached to it from the back side. This is a great solution for lovers of massive jewelry and large accessories, the garter looks great with any style of underwear and is harmonious on brides of all shapes and sizes.

Thin garters, as a rule, are a satin ribbon decorated with decorative elements. Such a detail will be optimal for a short dress with a train, it is also worn with a magnificent outfit trimmed with bright elements.

Accessories are often decorated, for this they use rhinestones, beads, natural or artificial flowers, as well as feathers. Decorated garters look quite stylish and attractive, however, as never before, a measure is important here: a wedding attribute overloaded with additional elements will simply lose its sophistication and piquancy.

The cost of garters varies from 100 rubles, and the upper limit is not limited by anything - it all depends on the material used, decor and, of course, the brand. However, for those who want to save money, you can offer to make such an attribute of the holiday with your own hands, it is easy to find a large number of workshops on the Internet that will help create a unique, original and exclusive handmade jewelry that fully meets the style and character of the young.

See how to make a garter for the bride with your own hands in the next video.