One of the fun things you’ll see at modern weddings is the removal of the bride’s garter by the groom, who then tosses it to a waiting group of bachelors.
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Barring anything funny, like a protective African dad dragging the groom away from under the bride’s dress, removing the garter is usually one of the most interesting parts of wedding reception.
This wedding ritual actually goes back to ancient times in the western world where it was believed that getting any part of a bride’s dress was like getting a good luck charm.
Such was the belief in this superstition that wedding guests began to literally attack brides to rip off a share their wedding dresses.
Overtime as civilization progressed, the barbaric act of ripping off bride’s dresses stopped but people still believed in the power of a wedding dress to fetch them good luck.
So brides began to wear a specific piece of clothing to be given out as the lucky piece: the garter.
Instead of it being grabbed, the groom would take it off the bride’s thighs and toss it at all the unmarried bachelors in the crowd, just as the bride gets to throw the bouquet at the ladies.
The man who caught the garter will then place the garter on the woman who caught the bouquet.
Till date, it is still done and it’s believed that any guy who catches the garter [or lady who catches the bouquet] is next in line to marry.
Of course, no one particularly believes that catching a garter automatically nominates them to get married the next Saturday, but it is done nonetheless as one of the fun things to spice up a wedding.
Since the garter is often worn on the bride’s thighs, having the groom reach for it under the bride’s dress always leaves guests entertained and howling with laughter.
