Photo: Courtesy of Journelle
If the only time you want your man reaching up your thigh is in your bedroom — or at least behind closed doors! — you're not alone. And yet, that pesky little traditional of the garter toss remains, where grooms are asked to dive into your dress in search of a thigh-high treat they'll fling toward a pack of single men and your family members.
If you've talked with your fiancé and he's set on sticking to this tradition, there are a few things you can do to make it less awkward and (gasp!) maybe even fun.
Consider modernizing the toss with a new twist.
"I had a bride and groom who really wanted to incorporate the tradition but the bride did not want her dad seeing the groom 'get' the garter," recalls Shelly Stone, owner of Signature Events. So the groom tucked his bride's garter into his pocket, then took his bride for a twirl around the dance floor. "They did a [coordinated] dance, and when she spun him around, he threw it," Stone says. "Fun, easy and not embarrassing."
See More: 6 Wedding Traditions You Shouldn't Feel Bad About Skipping
Limit the pool of men poised to catch the garter to single guys.
There's no shame in privately asking your recently divorced uncle to sit this one out. "When you think about it, the bouquet is usually caught by a young girl and the garter is caught by an older man," Stone reasons. "Do you really want this pair dancing together?"
And if you're dead set against this one, it's okay.
In fact, we promise you won't regret deciding to sit this tradition out. "All of my weddings that didn't incorporate the garter and bouquet tosses didn't miss out on anything," Stone says. "They actually had more people dancing because the music just kept playing. There were no uncomfortable moments and once the night really started it didn't end."
What do you think of the garter toss? Is this one tradition brides should consider tossing to the wayside? Let us know @Brides!