Episode 01: The Bouquet Toss!

Listen to Episode #01: The Bouquet Toss

What better topic to dissect and discuss in our first episode than the one that inspired our title? Let’s explore this wedding tradition and where it came from.

The Bouquet Toss Tradition

What is the bouquet toss at a wedding?

The bouquet toss is a wedding tradition where a bride throws her flowers over her shoulder into a group of single guests. The person who “catches the bouquet” is meant to receive good fortune and luck from the bride. The lucky person who catches the bouquet is assumed to be the next to walk down the aisle themselves, or in some cases to get engaged.

The bouquet toss typically happens later in the reception after dinner and toasts are complete. Often, the deejoy includes gathering the single guests on the dance floor. Depending on your group of single guests, things can get a little competitive when it comes to catching the bouquet.

The tradition typically lasts fewer than a few minutes, depending on how long the bride and guests want to drag it out. It’s become very common for the deejay to play “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé when the bouquet is thrown.

Where did the tradition of tossing the bridal bouquet come from?

The bouquet toss tradition we are familiar with today began in England in the 1800s. It was long considered good luck to merely touch a bride on her wedding day. All the hopeful single women and girls would gather around the bride to touch her. They did so in hope of the bride’s good fortune rubbing off on them, and they would soon be married. According to legend, some of these women got a little over-excited about getting a little extra luck. The women would sometimes grab onto the bride and rip her dress, taking pieces home with them as keepsakes. To distract overzealous hopefuls, the bride would often toss the bouquet and run away.

It’s hard to imagine single ladies being so savage about this today. But it’s important to remember that marriage was one of the only ways for a woman to elevate her status in life in that time period. So women *really* wanted to get that good wedding juju!

Essentially, the bouquet toss tradition was created to keep the single ladies from getting carried away with their attempts to garner good luck. By throwing the bouquet, the bride was able to share the luck with her guests without endangering herself or her dress!

What do you do if you don’t want to toss your bridal bouquet?

If you decide that you want to preserve your bouquet as a keepsake after the wedding, you may not want to toss it at your reception. Or you may decide you don’t want to take part at all if the tradition doesn’t vibe with you.

Bouquet Toss Alternatives

Use a toss bouquet. If you don’t want to throw your professionally arranged bouquet, you can definitely use a smaller, toned down version. Many florists will give you a “toss bouquet” in your floral package.

If you use faux flowers like the silk wedding bouquets you can rent from Something Borrowed Blooms, you can add a “toss bouquet” to your order for $8! That way, the lucky guest who catches it gets to take it home with her as a keepsake!

Give flowers to all your guests. If you like the idea of spreading luck to your guests, you don’t have to do so via a competitive bouquet grab. Consider leaving a little boutonniere sized arrangement at every place setting as a symbolic gesture of luck to every guest!

You could also opt to give small arrangements to all of the single ladies, or the special women in your life. Some brides choose to ceremoniously give their bridal bouquet to someone specific, like their maid of honor.

Skip the tradition. Don’t want to force your single friends to feel “singled out” on the dance floor at your wedding reception? You’re not alone. The good news is that throwing your bouquet is not a requirement, and you don’t have to feel obligated to take part in the tradition.

So if this concept seems a little savage, feel free to “toss it” – quite literally! You don’t need to take part in any tradition that doesn’t feel authentic to you.

BONUS

Give the bouquet to the longest married couple. Ask all married couples to join the dance floor. After one minute, celebrate the couples who’ve been married for less than a year and ask them to take a seat. Then, every minute after, increase the number by five years. The last couple standing (or dancing, in this case) will be the longest married couple and will receive the coveted bouquet!

Whether you choose an alternative or skip the act entirely– we encourage you to do whatever feels aligned for you! We believe every couple should have your day, your way. ?

Will you be throwing the bouquet at your wedding reception? Let’s discuss this subject in the community!

About The Bouquet Toss Podcast

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