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Brides today are rewriting the rules, and the wedding garter toss is one wedding tradition that’s getting a major rethink. More and more brides are choosing not to toss their garter at all. And guess what? That doesn’t make your wedding any less fun, meaningful, or memorable. In fact, it might make it even more personal.
If you’re not into the idea of throwing something that feels special, you’re not alone. In this post, I’m talking about why skipping the garter toss is totally OK, how brides are keeping their wedding garters as keepsakes instead, and how to choose one that feels worthy of saving.
The wedding garter toss is optional. Always has been.
There’s a lot of pressure in wedding planning to follow tradition. Maybe you’ve heard that if you wear a bridal garter, you have to toss it at the reception. But let’s pause for a second and remember something important:
This is your wedding. You get to do what feels right for you.
There’s no rule that says you have to toss anything. If the garter toss doesn’t align with your personality, your comfort level, or the kind of wedding celebration you want to have, you can skip it completely. You can still wear a garter. You can still have that special moment. You just don’t have to throw it.
Above: Custom wedding garter hand embroidered with bride's name
The wedding garter is one of the oldest bridal traditions. It dates all the way back to medieval times and has been part of wedding history for centuries. Over the years, the meaning behind it has changed, but the garter itself has always remained a symbol of love, luck, and celebration.
Now let’s clear something up. The garter and the garter toss are not the same thing.
The garter toss or removal is where the groom takes off the bride’s garter in front of guests and throws it into the crowd. This garter toss or garter throw ritual is what often ends up on lists of outdated wedding traditions, or best wedding traditions to skip. And trust me, I get it. That part doesn’t fit every couple or every wedding vibe. It can feel uncomfortable, unnecessary, or just not your style.
But that doesn’t mean you have to skip the garter itself.
I’ve been in the wedding industry for over 20 years, and I make wedding garters exclusively. This is all I do. And I can tell you, brides are still wearing garters.
What’s happening is this: brides are keeping the pretty and sentimental part of the garter and skipping the pressure to do the garter toss. They’re choosing a garter they love and saving it as a meaningful heirloom.
Brides are finding ways to include it in a quiet moment with their mom or partner. Some wear it under their wedding dress and never mention it at all. Others choose two garters: one to keep and one to toss. But more often than not, they are skipping the removal and keeping the beauty.
So let’s make the distinction. The tradition of the garter itself is alive and well. It’s the toss that brides are leaving behind.
And that’s a powerful choice. One that makes your garter feel even more personal and worth saving.
What I see most often today is brides wearing a garter because it’s beautiful, or because it feels meaningful, or because it makes them feel like a bride. But when it comes time for the toss, they’re making a different choice.
When it comes to wedding garters in general: They’re keeping it. Saving it. Tucking it into their keepsake box. Maybe even planning to pass it on one day.
Because when you choose a wedding garter with intention, whether it’s custom made garter from family materials or ready-to-ship from my online pre-designed garter collection, it becomes a piece of your story. And something that personal is too pretty to toss.
Wearing a wedding garter and not tossing it doesn’t mean you’re skipping out. It means you’re choosing a version of the tradition that actually fits your style and your values.
Some brides wear their bridal garter under their wedding dress just for themselves. Others plan a quiet moment with their mom, their sister, or their best friend while they slip it on. Some include a second tossing garter if they want the fun of the garter toss tradition without giving or throwing away their cherished wedding heirloom.
There’s no wrong way to do it. There’s only your way.
Every bridal garter from my shop arrives in a keepsake box, ready to be treasured. You’ll also find a soft heirloom bag inside to keep your garter protected, whether you’re storing it in a drawer or saving it to pass down someday.
If you want to wear something that feels like you and that you’ll actually want to keep after the wedding, that’s where the magic happens. That’s what makes it heirloom-worthy. Not because of a tradition. But because it means something to you.
Above: Custom wedding garter with lace and flower from bride's mother's wedding dress
These are some of the most frequent questions I hear from brides who are rethinking what the garter tradition looks like in today’s weddings.
Can I still wear a garter if I don’t want to toss it?
Yes. The garter toss is completely optional. Many brides wear a wedding garter simply because it’s meaningful or because they want a keepsake to remember their wedding day.
What if I like the idea of a garter toss but don’t want to give mine away?
You can wear two garters. One to keep and one to toss. Many brides choose a keepsake garter for themselves and a simpler tossing garter just for the tradition. You can shop sets or mix and match styles from the shop.
Will anyone notice if I don’t do the garter toss?
No one will miss what you don’t announce. Most of the time, your guests won’t even know it was an option. Your wedding is about celebrating your love, not checking off a list of traditions.
What makes a wedding garter worth saving?
It’s not about the price or the style. It’s about the feeling. If you choose a bridal garter with love and intention, and it makes you feel something when you put it on, that’s what makes it worth keeping.
You don’t need permission to skip a tradition that doesn’t feel like you. And you definitely don’t need to toss something you love just because someone told you it’s what brides are “supposed to do.”
Wear the garter. Feel amazing in it. Save it.
Whether it’s custom made from your grandmother’s veil or something you fell in love with from the online wedding garter shop, your bridal garter is yours. And that makes it special enough to keep forever.
If you’re looking for a wedding garter that feels beautiful, meaningful, and totally you, I’ve got you covered. Shop the ready-to-ship bridal garter collection or get in touch about creating a custom garter design from your family materials.
You don’t have to toss the pretty. You get to keep it.
