Garter flasks are my favourite wedding accessory so far and I’ve already got one picked out for my wedding. I haven’t even decided on my dress yet, so that’s really saying something!

Garter Flasks are available online from Juliette and they consist of a very stylish and well-made garter with a little pocket for the 3oz. flask (or use it as a purse for your lipstick and cards). You can choose from one of the ready-made designs (with quirky names like Pretty in Pink, Something Blue, Red Psychedelic or Black Dragon) or you can have them custom made for you or your whole wedding party. Garter flasks inject a nip of cheekiness into your wedding day and they make for some hot wedding photos too.

Note: This garter is way too good to toss, so organise a stand–in garter if you still need something to throw.


For Brides Who... Want to give stuffy traditions the finger!

ENTER KILLER BRIDES' COMPETITION TO WIN A GARTER FLASK!

For more information, view our profile on Juliette or the website http://www.garterflask.com/index.htm

A more modern version of the garter toss (this works well for the bouquet too) is to give the garter to the couple who has been married the longest. You can either find out beforehand who this is, or you can get your MC to ask everyone to stand, then progressively get people to sit down. I.e. the MC says; ‘sit down if you’ve been married for one year, five years, ten years’ etc. This avoids a football scrum of wrestling for the garter at you wedding. It’s also a nice gesture to celebrate the marriages of your family and friends.

For Brides Who... Are a little bit sentimental.

If you’re not too worried about making a joke out of the tradition, this option will definitely get your friends laughing, but only if you can play it up a little. It also takes quite a bit of preparation and a practice-run. The bride disappears to the bathroom a few minutes before the garter toss. She has a piece of fishing line tied to her garter and it is tied to several items that the groom pulls out from under her dress, one by one. The bride wears some very large underwear (the Bridget Jones kind) where the items can be held. You could use items that are relevant to the couple or that are just plain funny. This will be hilarious for your guests and the groom, especially if you haven’t given him a heads up first!

For Brides Who... Like to put on a performance.

Brides who want to do something a bit different to reflect their own style can make a garter to suit their wedding and it doesn’t have to include lace. If you’re not particularly crafty, there are lots of really unique garters, like the ones below, on Etsy.

If you like any of these designs, show these Etsy shops some love!

The Little White Dress Garters and dresses that are whimsical & beautifully sweet!

The Chica Boutique - Unique garters (& headpeices) that are a little bit artsy.

La Gartier Garters - Styish, vintagey and a little bit grown-up garters.

For brides who are particularly bold, check out this chain garter from my favourite fashion blog, Kingdom of Style Only for the brave...

For brides who... Have their own quirky style.

If you really hate the idea of doing the garter toss, then DON’T DO IT. It’s your wedding and there’s a good chance your guests will be too busy dancing to notice. Though keep in mind that if you have super traditional family members (or groom) they might be disappointed. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if it’s worth putting up with a teensy bit of tradition for the sake of keeping your Nana happy.

For brides who... Don’t care what people think.