George Boyle
Wedding dresses hold immense sentimental value, and many people want to repurpose them into something they can use again. One way to do this is to make a garter out of the dress fabric. This is a great way to create a unique, custom garter for your wedding or that of a loved one. Making a garter from a wedding dress is a simple process that can be done by cutting the fabric into strips, sewing it together to form a tube, and adding elastic. This allows for the creation of a beautiful, handmade garter in under 10 minutes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding garter material | Lace, silk, satin, elastic, chiffon, fabric, rhinestones, crystals, pearls, etc. |
| Wedding garter cost | $15 to $125 for an ornate garter; average cost is $20 to $40 |
| Wedding garter placement | Upper thigh, mid-thigh, or just above the knee |
| Wedding garter use | Accessory, lingerie, to hold up stockings |
| Wedding garter tradition | Garter toss, where the groom removes the bride's garter and tosses it to a crowd of single men; the bride's partner may use their hands or teeth |
| Wedding garter alternatives | Using an old wedding dress to make a custom garter, redesigning the dress for bridal outfits, using pieces for a handkerchief, ring bearer pillow, bouquet wrap, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Wedding garter history
The wedding garter is a thin band of elastic fabric worn around the upper thigh under a wedding dress. In the past, garters were used to hold up stockings, but today they are worn for fashion, with many brides wearing them as their "something blue".
The wedding garter is said to be one of the oldest wedding traditions, dating back to the Dark Ages. After the wedding festivities, guests would accompany the newly married couple to their bedroom to ensure they arrived safely and to wish them well. It was considered good luck for a guest to take home a piece of the bride's clothing, and crowds would reportedly become unruly, ripping at the couple's clothes. The garter toss tradition is thought to have originated during this time as a way to appease the crowd and offer guests good luck in a more controlled environment. It was also used to offer guests proof that the couple had consummated their union, as married couples were expected to do so immediately.
Today, the garter toss is a fun and entirely optional wedding reception activity. The bride's partner removes the garter from under her gown and tosses it into a crowd of male wedding guests. Whoever catches the garter is meant to put it on the woman who catches the bride's bouquet.
Many brides today are choosing to skip the garter toss but still get a garter to save as a special heirloom to be passed on through the generations. Some brides are choosing to repurpose their mother's or grandmother's wedding dress to create a custom garter, incorporating elements such as lace, satin, and pearls.
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Making a garter from a vintage wedding dress
Wedding dresses are often packed away, stored in attics or shoved under beds, taking up space in people's lives. Many brides do not want to wear their mother's or grandmother's wedding dress on their wedding day, but they may want to feel a connection to their family members by incorporating a piece of their wedding dress into their own. One way to do this is to make a garter from the vintage wedding dress.
A wedding garter is a thin band of elastic fabric that was traditionally used to hold up a woman's stockings. Nowadays, it is worn as a decorative accessory, and it is optional. Wedding garters are typically made with lace and embellishments and held in place by elastic. They are usually worn just above the knee on the narrowest part of the thigh.
To make a garter from a vintage wedding dress, you will need to cut a strip of fabric from the dress. If the dress has a bow with two long tails, you can use this to form a tube by folding the fabric over and stitching it together. If not, you will need to cut a longer strip of fabric, fold it over, and stitch it together to form a tube. Once you have your tube of fabric, take a piece of elastic that is shorter than the tube and thread it through one end. You can use tweezers and a safety pin to help with this task. Once the elastic is in place, sew both ends together. You can then add any embellishments you like, such as fabric flowers, bows, lace, or beading.
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Garter placement
Wedding garters are thin pieces of fabric featuring an elastic band that holds them in place and are worn under a wedding dress on the upper thigh. They are usually made with lace and embellishments.
There are no rules about which leg to put the garter on, so you can do what feels most comfortable. It is recommended that you wear the accessory just above your knee—the narrowest part of your thigh—to ensure that your garter won't easily rub against your other leg when walking or dancing. If you plan to wear a tighter-fitting wedding dress, the spot around your knee is where your dress will flare out, making this an ideal location for this piece of lingerie. You can, of course, adjust it and place it higher if that feels more comfortable for you.
Many brides choose to wear their garters all day, even if their partner doesn't plan to remove it as part of the reception. If you decide to take this route, wear one made of stretchy lace that will lay flat against your skin, instead of one made of gathered fabric. You can also opt to slip your garter on a few moments before the toss ritual.
The wedding garter toss is a wedding tradition where the bride's garter is removed and thrown out to a crowd of single men. During the wedding reception, it has become a tradition for the bride's partner to remove the garter from underneath her gown (with their hands or teeth) and toss it into a crowd of male wedding guests. The garter toss tradition originated in the Dark Ages when people believed that having a piece of the bride's dress was considered good luck. In modern times, the garter toss has become a fun but entirely optional reception activity.
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Garter alternatives
Wedding dresses can be reused to make custom garters for brides who want to include this accessory in their wedding attire. However, wearing a garter is a polarising concept for brides, and some may be looking for alternatives to this tradition.
One option is to skip the garter toss altogether. Weddings are full of traditions that come and go, and it is not mandatory to include any tosses at your reception. If you want to include a toss, but are uncomfortable with the idea of the groom removing the garter, you could consider throwing something else instead, such as:
- A gift card
- A boutonniere
- Sweets
- A signed football or baseball
- An action figure
- A stuffed animal
- A bouquet of dollar bills or lottery tickets
If you would like to include the garter in some way, you could try one of the following:
- Hide the garter in a balloon drop
- Give the garter to a member of the bridal party who is also getting married soon, or another close friend, relative, or future daughter or daughter-in-law
- Have the garter as a prize for the winner of a wedding reception game, such as a dance-off, musical chairs, limbo, trivia, or life-sized Jenga
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Garter cost
Wedding dresses can be repurposed into garters, and many people choose to do this to feel closer to their mothers or grandmothers on their wedding day. The Garter Girl, for example, creates custom wedding garters from old wedding dresses.
Wedding garters are a piece of bridal lingerie worn under a wedding dress on the upper thigh. They are generally made of lace and feature an elastic band to hold them in place. Wedding garters are available in a variety of colours, but brides typically select white or blue. Garters can also be made of stretchy lace, satin, or gathered fabric. They can also be decorated with delicate bows, appliqués, beading, rhinestones, or crystals.
The cost of a wedding garter varies depending on its style and ornamentation. On average, a wedding garter costs between $20 and $35. However, prices can range from $15 for a basic garter to $125 for an extremely ornate one.
The wedding garter tradition dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was believed that having a piece of the bride's dress would bring good luck. During this time, guests would follow the couple to their wedding chamber and tear off pieces of the couple's clothing. To appease the guests, the bride would toss her garter, a token of her dress, to the crowd. Today, the garter toss is a fun and optional tradition that is usually performed by the bride's partner during the wedding reception.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make a garter from your old wedding dress. You can cut the dress into different sections and stitch them together to form a tube. You can then add any embellishments you like, such as fabric flowers, bows, lace, beading, etc.
First, cut a strip of fabric from your old wedding dress. You can then fold it over and stitch it together to form a tube. Next, take a piece of elastic that is shorter than your tube and work it through. Finally, sew both ends of the elastic together and neatly stitch the two tube ends together. You can then add any embellishments.
It is recommended that you wear the garter just above your knee on your upper thigh. This will ensure that it doesn't rub against your other leg when walking or dancing. You can also wear it higher if that feels more comfortable.
