The Surprising Origins of the Wedding Bouquet Toss
Origins of the Wedding Bouquet Toss
One of the highlights of a wedding is the bouquet toss. Just like the cake cutting, the first dance, and the best man’s speech, it has become a staple in a wedding programme. The bouquet toss makes for some great wedding photos, but it has an interesting story behind it as well!
Is the Bouquet Toss Still Popular?
The bouquet toss tradition remains a cherished part of many weddings, though its popularity has evolved over time. Traditionally symbolising luck and love, the bouquet toss at weddings is now often seen as a playful moment that adds energy to the celebration and delivers some unforgettable photos.
That said, not every couple includes it. Some feel it may not suit their guest list or style, while others prefer to offer modern alternatives, such as gifting the bouquet to someone meaningful or creating smaller toss bouquets to share.
At SvenStudios, we’ve seen couples embrace the bouquet toss in creative ways that reflect their personalities. Whether you choose to keep the tradition or do something unique, it’s all about capturing those joyful, unscripted moments that make your day truly yours.
Meaning Behind the Bouquet Toss
The wedding bouquet toss is more than just a fun photo opportunity. It carries symbolic meaning rooted in centuries-old traditions. Historically, the bouquet toss was believed to bring good luck, with the single woman who caught it thought to be the next to marry. It also represented the bride sharing a piece of her happiness and fortune with others.
Today, while the superstition may not hold the same weight, many couples still include the bouquet toss as a playful nod to tradition. It creates a joyful moment filled with excitement and laughter, especially among close friends and guests.
At SvenStudios, we love capturing these spontaneous celebrations. They reveal genuine reactions and meaningful interactions, helping to tell the full story of your day with warmth and authenticity.
Why do weddings have a bouquet toss today?
The origins of the wedding bouquet toss dates back quite a way, and like many wedding traditions tends to hide some of the more ‘sultry’ parts of what a wedding represents.
In Medieval Europe, people considered bridal dresses lucky. Once a ceremony is over, the bride gets to keep the dress and never wears it again. Before this happens, some women who wanted to share in the good luck would chase the bride and try to tear pieces from the dress. By the time the bride manages to get away and join the groom, there would be barely anything left of her attire!
Naturally, weddings that took place in a church, (as most were) tended to view this tradition of deflocking a bride as she exited the church as a little repugnant, so eventually, brides started throwing other things, like her garter and bouquet.
Flowers became a popular bouquet toss item, symbolising fertility, love, and good fortune in weddings. The recipient of the bouquet is supposed to have romantic good luck from catching the item—they inherit the bride’s fortune in finding someone to wed.
It’s turned out well that the custom developed this way; wedding dresses tend to be expensive, and few women would want to see theirs destroyed. Also, many brides choose to keep their wedding dresses as keepsakes or heirlooms to their children.
Bouquet Toss in Weddings Today: How It’s Done
Today, the bouquet toss at weddings is a fun, photo-worthy tradition. It tends to be a distracting end to more tearjerking or sentimental formalities to lead into the party! It involves the bride gathering the single ladies in attendance, who will gather a few paces behind her and try to catch the bouquet she throws. It’s an opportunity for the wedding photographer to take dynamic shots. In some weddings, the single men get in on the fun as well with the garter toss.
Sometimes, the bride requests one of her bridesmaids’ bouquet for the toss so she can preserve the flowers in hers, or have a specially made ‘toss bouquet’ for the occasion. Occasionally, brides might throw one made of artificial flowers, or paper so that everyone can keep their bouquets as mementos. Some bouquets can be heavy too, so throwing one into a drunken mass of people can be a recipie for disaster.
Are you ready to throw your bouquet?
If you want to keep this tradition in your programme, make sure you tell your wedding planner or maid of honour. They should inform the MC when to announce bouquet toss, and time it for when people are no longer eating or milling about outside after the meal. Furthermore, it’s vital to keep your wedding photographer aware of the flow of activities so that they can prepare their equipment for each part.
After the bouquet toss, consider organising fun games or opening the dance floor to keep the energy flowing. it will look awkward to move abruptly from the bouquet toss into something else! Since the bridesmaids and single ladies are already front and centre, perhaps you could have them participate in a game, to extend the fun. You could also open the dance floor at this point so everyone can end the evening on a high note.
The bouquet toss tradition remains a cherished part of weddings, adding excitement and symbolic meaning to the celebration. Be sure to incorporate this activity into the ceremony by prepping the DJ, master of ceremonies, and the photographer properly. Finally, make sure you get a photographer who can capture the event and give you something to look back on fondly.
Everything at a wedding has a tradition steeped in history, and the origins of the wedding bouquet toss is no exception. It can be a bit of fun researching this kind of thing if you’ve ever wondered why we do certain things at times like a wedding!
Weddings are among the most memorable events in a person’s life, and SvenStudios can help you immortalise yours. We work out of Adelaide, specialising in wedding photography all around Australia! Get on an obligation-free video or in-person meeting to discuss your wedding today!
