500 Wedding Ideas - Is there an alternative to the traditional removal of the brides garter belt?

Is there an alternative to the traditional removal of the brides garter belt?

My husband to be isn't comfortable with the whole removal of the garter belt scene. Is there an alternative? If we don't do the removal of the garter belt, should the bouquet toss be eliminated too? We are both on the conservative side and it is a second marriage for both of us. I don't really want to do the garter belt thing either. Thanks!

Public Comments

Its your wedding and you and hubby have the right to not do the garter thing if you don't want to. You can still do the flower toss, or not, exactly as you wish.
Just eliminate both of them entirely. Thats what we did. Its not the kind of spectacle I wanted at my wedding. Believe me, your guests are not going to miss it!
What are you talking about? A garter belt is underwear... Thumbs down for being truthful? Thanks, 'aspasia' for going into detail (I was married in 1959 and wore my garter below my knee) .. thumbs up.
Umm ... not sure where you got your information, but it's not the entire garter BELT, hon ... it's just ONE small garter, on your leg. Traditionally, it's worn high up on the thigh to keep stockings up, but you don't have to do that if you don't want to. Why not put it lower on your leg, like by your knee. That's not so bad, is it? It's not like he's going to lift your skirts high and drag the thing down your leg with his teeth (which I witnessed once, and is quite the extreme). A good alternative is to wear it lower on your leg so that he barely has to life your hem to remove it. I'm sure you can handle that. As for it fitting the smaller part of your leg, just get the smallest one you can, and use a few stitches and some velcro. It can't take more than a dozen stitches in all. :D Be brave and be daring. Congrats !!
I think Myth's idea is a great alternative. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with elimination the whole thing, if that's what the two of you want. We wil be eliminating both the garter removal and the bouquet toss. I will not pay $50 - $100 for a beautiful bouquet and then destroy it! Seems silly :) I plan to use the petals from my bouquet on our wedding night. Remember not to get too hung up on tradition, especially if you don't agree with it. Be mindful of your guests of course, but don't include any activity that is going to make you uncomfortable, especially since neither of the people getting married want to do it. Garter or not, enjoy your wedding day!
If you and your husband to be are uncomfortable with it just don't do it. We are not doing the bouquet or the garter toss.
You can skip it, or throw something else for the guys. A niece of mine threw a pretty hankie with chocolate kisses wrapped inside it.
um since its you twos second go around i wouldn't think anything if you didn't do either. but if he isn't doing it then i wouldn't do it out of support. and the fact that if you do it they are going to expect him to do it.
First, it is not a "garter belt", but a "garter" that is tossed. Both are used to hold up stockings, but a garter belt is a far more substantial piece of underwear. I'll see if I can find you a picture. Second, it isn't really a tradition. In the 1950's, people got the idea that the groom and unmarried men needed something equivalent to the bride's bouquet toss, and this rather obscure custom was re-introduced. You can certainly un-introduce it again and have just the bouquet toss. Third, girls in the 1950's were pretty innocent and certainly didn't have their new husbands publicly groping under their skirts. In those days, the bride and groom were not the hosts of the wedding, and -- not having lived together before the wedding -- were eager to get away alone. As soon as the cake was cut and served they went into private rooms and changed from their wedding clothes. When they came back briefly into the reception in their travelling clothes, the bride simply handed the groom one of her garters. Then, she tossed her bouquet, he tossed the garter (without a lot of hooplah or announcements, by the way) and the two of them left on their honeymoon directly from the wedding. So, you could also do it that way, with no groping at all.
He doesn't remove a garter belt. He removes a small garter that is simply around the bride's leg. It's a piece of elastic that slips on the bride's leg. The bride can get one of her attendants to pull it lower before it's to be removed. That will make it easier for the groom to pull it off. OR you can skip it altogether. Nobody says it has to be done. It's your choice. Many people skip both the bouquet throw and the garter. Do what makes you feel comfortable.
You don't have to do either. It is your wedding, your choice. We didn't do either at our wedding and nobody said a word about it. You don't have to follow all the traditions and you don't have to feel obligated to do anything. Like I said, it is your wedding not your guests wedding.