Weddings are a time for love, celebration and, quite often, tradition. Wouldn't it be a fun tradition to pay your wedding garter forward? Help out another bride with her something borrowed, maybe her something blue? I'm talking about creating your own modern wedding heirloom by turning your wedding garter into a tradition that you pass down to a friend or a family member.
In this next installment of my wedding garter 101 advice series where I answer any and all questions related to garters – yes, this exists! – I'm talking about unique ways to pass your wedding garter on. Your wedding garter is small, unique and definitely the perfect item from your wedding day to turn into a modern heirloom, for sure.
Photo Credit: Lindsey Mueller Photography
As the designer of bridal garters, I'm often asked by brides, friends of brides and more about what to do with the wedding garter after the wedding. So, here is just one idea to keep the beautiful garter tradition going – pass it on! Why not turn it inot a modern heirloom and create your own traditions!?
Start Your Own Tradition
You can start your own wedding tradition and pass your wedding garter onto a close friend or family member. And, maybe they can keep it going by passing it along as well, creating your very own wedding tradition with meaning and sentiment. Maybe each person who wears the garter can add something to it to make it unique to themselves and even more special to pass on. The ideas are endless!
I love this idea of adding to a friend or a family wedding garter. I've helped a few weddings over there years where it was a family wedding garter and each bride add a little bit something special to the garter, either a pin, an earring or a small charm, a sparkled, a bit of lace, a bow – just anything to make their little mark on the garter. I've helped a few friends with a similar heirloom garter that they all passed between sorority sister. The each hand embroidered their initials on the inside of the garter and then passed it onto the next bride in their sorority to become married. I love all of these traditions that make the garter a unique heirloom for each bride the garter passes through.
As the next bride to receive your garter, I'm sure she will appreciate being a part of your tradition and feel honored that you thought of her. And, it will be her something borrowed! (That's two traditions in one item!)
Care For The Garter
Before you pass the garter onto the next bride, be sure to properly clean and care for the garter after each wedding wear. The material used in a garter is delicate and the elastic will wear out over time. I've even help a few different brides and families with their family heirloom garter just by replacing the elastic. Elastic helps the garter stay up on the bride's leg, but it will only last for so long. Eventually, the elastic will have to be replaced and, of course, I love helping families pass the garter tradition on by replacing the elastic for their family garter.
For more, read this post that I did about how to care for your garter after your wedding. This wedding advice article includes tips on saving the garter and washing it before passing it on.
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So, that's it! What will you do with your garter after your wedding? Will you pass it on and create a new tradition and a modern heirloom from your wedding day?
More garter questions? Check out my garter 101 blog series and you can shop for a wedding garter in my collection on my website!