Why does the bride toss her bouquet?
No bride has ever been seen walking up to the altar without her bouquet! Unlike other accessories, it carries a deeply symbolic value: at the end of the ceremony, the bride will toss it to her female guests.
A custom with deep roots that often changes form while keeping the same ritual value. So let's shed some light on the origins and meanings of the bouquet toss.
Photo ©My Happy Wedding
Let's see how the bouquet toss began and how it's done today
Bridal bouquet toss tradition
Some say there is no exact date for when brides began tossing the bouquet; others call it an old European custom, while other sources cite a French folk custom and others still a Turkish popular belief.
But where does the tradition of the bridal bouquet toss come from? A little history…
A European tradition
In the 14th century, the bride would give a piece of her dress to the guests as a token of good luck. The wedding dress was, and still is, considered one of a woman's most precious garments, and little by little this custom was replaced, at first, by the garter toss.
14th-century France
In the same period in France, the custom arose of throwing pieces of the bride's garter instead of pieces of her precious dress. The symbolic value was the same: a good-luck wish for the lucky woman who managed to catch it.
17th-century Turkey
At that time it was popularly believed that the orange blossoms in the bouquet symbolised a "marriage proposal" and were therefore a good-luck wish for an unmarried woman. This is how the bouquet toss was born.
Its symbolic value today
The bouquet toss is a highly symbolic moment of the wedding reception, as the girl who catches it will receive a marriage proposal within the year. Lately, this moment has been replaced by handing the bouquet to the bride's sister or best friend, with the wish that she may live an equally happy love. According to legend, to bring good luck the bouquet must pass through three pairs of hands: the groom's, the bride's and those of the girl who receives it. So if you're superstitious, avoid keeping it, and if you really can't do without it, give a few flowers to your bridesmaids or to the other girls hoping to find a husband.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the bride toss the bouquet?
It's an ancient tradition with strong symbolic value: according to custom, whoever catches the bouquet will be the next to marry.
When does the bouquet toss take place?
Usually during the reception, often after the cake cutting, when all the female guests are gathered together.
How do you photograph the bouquet toss?
Let the photographer know before the toss and do a countdown: that way the bride, the bouquet in mid-air and the guests all end up in the same shot.
