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Ribbons, Garters & Bouquets

Anything worn by the bride was considered good luck. The bride would literally “ribbon” the sleeves of her gown so she could rip them off and throw them into the crowd so to distract the crowd so she could escape.

Since anything worn by the bride was considered lucky, the bride would toss her garter into the crowd, again so she could escape.

In the 14^th century it was customary for the bride to toss the garter, but the men would get too drunk. They would get impatient and try to take off the garter ahead of time. It became less trouble for her— just to toss the bridal bouquet.

The bouquet was considered a sign of happiness.  Throwing the bouquet today is an offshoot of the garter toss.

Bridal Flowers

Carrying flowers by the bride has its roots in ancient times.  Strong smelling herbs and spices were thought to ward off and drive away evil spirits, bad luck and ill health. Garlic and chives were popular for the same reason.

During Roman times, this tradition was extended, with the bride and groom wearing floral garlands signifying new life and hope for fertility.

The bouquet symbolized a woman in bloom. During Victorian times, flowers took an additional significance, as lovers would send messages to each other using different flowers, with each flower having its own meaning.  These associations were soon adopted for the bride's bouquets and are still used today by many brides.

The groom is supposed to wear a flower that appears in the Bridal Bouquet in his buttonhole. This stems from the medieval tradition of a Knight wearing his lady's colors, as a declaration of his love.

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