As a wedding DJ and MC Melbourne, we often witness a part of the wedding celebration that most people love and is steeped in tradition, the bouquet and garter toss. Hundreds of times, we have seen the singling out of single men and women unattached, which isn't always comfortable for anyone.
The garter toss is a seriously medieval tradition, although more civilised than it used to be. This practice isn't always a comfortable situation for the bride and may even feel like a less modern and more tacky tradition that you want to skip. Together with the bouquet toss, we have explored some alternatives for your wedding day that, as a wedding DJ's we have seen some tried ideas that are just as fun and take traditions to a whole new level.
Gift the Bouquet
If you don't want to skip the ceremonial part of the bouquet altogether but don't like to single all the single ladies out, gift it to someone who has particularly been helpful during the planning process - a grandmother, a friend, or perhaps your matron of honour.
Keep the Toss, Skip Removing the Garter
If you or your husband want to keep the garter part but you don't want to go through the whole process in front of everyone, skip the removal part but keep the toss. Have an unworn garter on hand that is for the toss online. Your husband can pass it as a footy, launch it, whatever he likes, while you get to keep your dignity.
Coed Bouquet Toss
If you have decided to ditch the garter but are still going to throw the bouquet, invite all the men and women who are single to be part of the toss. You can either toss alone or include the groom you could throw together.
Share Flowers with Special People
If you want to make flowers a part of the ceremony, you could either take some buds out of your bouquet or have others on hand to give out to special people in your lives. This can be done during the time the other traditions would have usually taken place.
Skip it!
Why not skip both these traditional entirely? Most often, the guests won't even notice. So guests can enjoy looking at your bouquet, you could place it on the cake table to display it. The garter, just because you skip the removal, it doesn't mean you can't still wear one, and it's removal takes place in private.
While the garter and bouquet toss is steeped in tradition, and most people still like to have a version of it, there is nothing to say that you can't leave it out. Because after all it's your wedding and you should be able to do what makes you both happy. As we have discovered, there are many ways to put a modern spin on it to suit your preferences which as wedding DJ and mc we have seen be quite successful.