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Not sure how to choose the right wedding garter? Start with your wedding dress and personal bridal style, then think about whether you want your garter to be your something blue, include personalization or family heirloom materials, or simply be a beautiful keepsake from your wedding day.
I've been designing and hand-making wedding garters here at The Garter Girl for brides since 2004, and one thing I've learned after thousands of garters is that there really isn't one "right" wedding garter. The right bridal garter is the one that feels like you.
And if you're wondering how to know whether a wedding garter is right for you in the first place, you're not alone. That's a question I get from brides all the time. You can start with my guide to wearing a wedding garter to decide if this is a wedding tradition you actually want.
If you already know you'd like to wear a garter but aren't sure which one to choose, here's the advice I give my brides.
Shop now for a custom family heirloom wedding garter
Don't miss out - download the free Wedding Dress Shopping Voting Signs for an easy way to make dress shopping fun for everyone!
Your wedding dress is one of the easiest places to start when choosing your wedding garter.
Look at the details you already love about your dress. Is it covered in romantic lace? Sleek and modern? Embellished with pearls or sparkle? Soft and simple?
Your wedding garter doesn't have to match your wedding dress exactly, but you can choose details that complement your bridal look. A delicate lace wedding garter can be beautiful with a lace wedding dress, while a simple silk or satin garter might feel more natural with a modern wedding gown.
But here's something I tell brides all the time: don't get too caught up in perfectly matching your wedding dress.
Your garter is hidden underneath your gown. Unlike your bridal veil, shoes, jewelry, or other visible bridal accessories, this is one place where you have the freedom to choose something simply because you love it.
Sometimes the wedding garter a bride falls in love with has absolutely nothing to do with her dress, and that's perfectly fine.
Your wedding garter is one of those rare wedding accessories that doesn't have to coordinate with anything anyone else will see.
So have some fun with it.
Maybe you're drawn to something romantic and feminine, like my 'Wife of the Party' style. Maybe you love a clean, modern bridal style, like my 'Something Dusty Blue' style. Maybe you want pearls, sparkle, flowers, bows, lace, or something completely simple.
After working with brides for more than two decades, I've found that the garters brides love most aren't necessarily the ones that perfectly coordinate with every other wedding detail. They're the ones that have some kind of connection to the woman wearing them.
Instead of asking what a wedding garter is "supposed" to look like, ask yourself:
Which one feels the most like me?
That's usually a much better place to start instead of trying to perfectly match all of your wedding fashion pieces together.
Shop now for a custom family heirloom wedding garter
Don't miss out - download the free Wedding Dress Shopping Voting Signs for an easy way to make dress shopping fun for everyone!
Absolutely, and a something blue garter is one of the most common requests I get from brides.
A lot of brides love the tradition of wearing something blue but don't necessarily want visible blue in their wedding dress, shoes, jewelry, or other bridal accessories.
That's exactly why a wedding garter works so well.
Because it's hidden underneath your wedding dress, your something blue can be as subtle or as obvious as you want. You could choose a blue wedding garter, add a tiny blue detail, or personalize your garter with blue embroidery.
I've added everything from the tiniest hint of blue to designs where blue is the star.
There isn't a right way to do your something blue. It's your tradition, so make it personal to you.
This is where, for me, wedding garters become about much more than simply wearing another bridal accessory.
You can personalize your wedding garter with your initials, new monogram, wedding date, a special saying, or another meaningful detail.
But some of the most meaningful garters I've made over the years have incorporated materials that already have a family story.
I've worked with pieces of mothers' and grandmothers' wedding dresses, veils, handkerchiefs, lace, and other sentimental family materials to create custom wedding garters for a new generation.
And you don't need an entire wedding dress to do it. Brides are often surprised by how little material I actually need.
I love these projects because we're not simply making a garter. We're taking something meaningful from your family's past and turning it into something you can carry with you on your own wedding day.
If you have family material you're thinking about using, take a look through my custom wedding garter gallery to see what I've created for other brides.
This is another question brides ask me a lot, and my answer is actually pretty simple.
If you fall in love with a wedding garter that's already designed, don't make this more complicated than it needs to be.
You have enough wedding decisions to make!
Browse The Garter Girl wedding garter collection, find the one you love, choose your size and any personalization options, and check this off your list.
Custom makes more sense when there's a reason you want custom.
Maybe you have material from your mother's wedding dress. Maybe you have a very specific idea. Maybe you want certain colors, embellishments, initials, or meaningful details incorporated into the design.
When brides ask me whether they "need" a custom garter, I usually tell them to think about what they want from it.
If you simply love one of my existing designs, that's your answer.
If there's a story you want your garter to tell, that's when custom can become really special.
Shop now for a custom family heirloom wedding garter
Don't miss out - download the free Wedding Dress Shopping Voting Signs for an easy way to make dress shopping fun for everyone!
If you're planning to do a wedding garter toss, I usually recommend considering two garters: one wedding garter to keep and a second garter to toss.
That way, the special garter you chose or personalized doesn't disappear into a crowd at your wedding reception.
But here's another misconception I hear from brides all the time:
You absolutely do not have to do a garter toss just because you're wearing a wedding garter.
They are two completely separate decisions.
Plenty of the brides I make garters for have no intention of doing a garter toss. They wear their garter because it's their something blue, because it incorporates a family heirloom, because they want a bridal keepsake, or simply because they love the tradition.
Wear the garter. Skip the toss. Do both. Do neither.
It's your wedding.
Don't overlook this part, because even the most beautiful wedding garter isn't going to make you happy if you're uncomfortable wearing it.
Your wedding garter should feel secure enough to stay in place without squeezing or digging into your leg.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is choosing your garter size based on your normal clothing size. Where you plan to wear your garter on your thigh matters, so take an actual measurement and use my wedding garter sizing guide before ordering.
And if you're unsure, ask me.
I'd much rather help you choose the correct size before your wedding than have you spend your wedding day worrying about whether your garter is going to stay put.
Shop now for this something blue wedding garter set
Don't miss out - download the free Wedding Dress Shopping Voting Signs for an easy way to make dress shopping fun for everyone!
This might be the most important advice I can give you after more than 20 years of making wedding garters:
Don't overthink this.
I've worked with enough brides to know how quickly wedding planning can turn every tiny decision into something that suddenly feels enormous.
Your wedding garter doesn't need to be another one.
There isn't a wedding garter rulebook.
It can match your wedding dress or not. It can be white, ivory, blue, colorful, personalized, sentimental, simple, elaborate, custom, or pre-designed.
It doesn't have to be something anyone else sees.
It doesn't mean you have to do a garter toss.
And it certainly doesn't need to look like anyone else's wedding garter.
Choose the one that makes you smile and that you want to save as a keepsake.
Because after all these years of making them, that's what I see over and over again: the right wedding garter isn't necessarily the one that follows all the "rules." It's the one that means something to the bride wearing it.
If you've found yours, you can shop The Garter Girl wedding garter collection.
And if you're still not sure, get in touch with me. Tell me about your wedding dress, your style, or what you're trying to decide between. I'm always happy to help you choose.
No. A wedding garter is completely optional. Some brides wear one because they love the tradition, while others use their garter as their something blue, personalize it as a bridal keepsake, or incorporate family heirloom materials into a custom design. If wearing a wedding garter doesn't feel meaningful or fun to you, you don't have to wear one.
No. Your wedding garter can complement the lace, fabric, embellishments, or style of your wedding dress, but it doesn't need to match. Because your garter is generally hidden underneath your wedding gown, it's also a great opportunity to choose something completely personal.
No. Wearing a wedding garter and doing a garter toss are two separate wedding traditions. Many brides wear a wedding garter without ever doing a garter toss.
If you're planning a garter toss and want to keep your wedding garter after your wedding, consider purchasing a garter set with one keepsake garter and one toss garter. If you're skipping the garter toss, you generally only need one.
Yes. A wedding garter is a popular way to incorporate something blue because it allows you to keep the blue detail subtle underneath your wedding dress. You can choose a blue garter or add blue through embroidery, ribbon, lace, or another personalized detail.
For more, check out the something blue garter collection.
Choose a pre-designed wedding garter if you find a style you already love. Custom wedding garters are especially meaningful when you want a specific design, personalization, or want to incorporate material from a mother's or grandmother's wedding dress, veil, handkerchief, or another family heirloom.
Don't leave your wedding garter until the last minute, particularly if you want personalization or a custom design. Custom wedding garters made with heirloom materials require additional time for consultation, design, shipping materials, and hand-making.
A wedding garter should be secure enough to stay in place without digging into your leg. Measure the part of your thigh where you intend to wear your garter rather than relying on your normal clothing size. I generally recommend that you wear your garter just above your knee at the narrowest part of your leg here it won't rub against your other leg when you walk.
Shop now for this lace and pearl wedding garter set
Don't miss out - download the free Wedding Dress Shopping Voting Signs for an easy way to make dress shopping fun for everyone!
Choosing the right wedding garter really comes down to what feels right for you. It can complement your wedding dress, be your something blue, include a meaningful piece of family history, or simply be a beautiful wedding accessory that you love.
After more than 20 years of designing and hand-making wedding garters, I've learned that there isn't one style, color, fabric, or tradition that's right for every bride. Some brides come to me wanting an elaborate custom heirloom made from their mother's wedding dress, while others fall in love with a simple pre-designed garter in the shop. Both are equally special when they're the right choice for the bride wearing them.
So don't worry too much about what your wedding garter is supposed to look like or what you're supposed to do with it. Choose something that makes you happy, feels comfortable, and adds a little something special to your wedding day.
Ready to find yours? Shop The Garter Girl wedding garter collection to see all of my pre-designed wedding garters, or request a custom wedding garter if you have a special idea or family heirloom you'd like me to transform into something made just for you.
And if you're still not sure which wedding garter is right for you, reach out and ask me. I'm always happy to help a bride figure it out.
