American in Paris DIY Fun Giveaway Wedding

Paris Wedding Wednesday : Garter Battle & Giveaway!

In need of a garter for my upcoming June wedding, and to satisfy my ever growing need to be creative, I thought I would make one.

I grabbed a few items from the craft store down the street from me (which is sadly closing), and dug into my overflowing sewing box at home to find what I need to make a fun bridal garter that matches my wedding shoes.

My wedding shoes!

It only took me an hour or so, a few blue sequins a little lace and organza ribbon and voilà!

Blue garter belt

But the desire to constantly create was still lingering and quite insistent. So I picked up the needle and thread and made another garter, this time with teal and red accents. Just to push the theme a little more towards circus.

Red garter belt

For anyone who is not familiar with what the garter is for at an American wedding, I will explain : First the bride does the bouquet toss, where she gathers all the unmarried young women who are in attendance, then turns around and tosses the bouquet over her shoulder to the young ladies waiting behind her with eagerly outstretched hands. She who catches the bouquet is said to be the next one to get married!

Then the groom, takes the bride and sits her down in in the center of the dance floor and with much well-behaved cheekiness pulls the garter off of the brides leg. Ooh la la chéri! Then he gathers all the unmarried young men, turns around and tosses it over his shoulder to them. The young man who catches it must then, with well-behaved cheekiness or NOT! (depending on the amount of champagne that has been consumed) will then put the garter on the thigh of the young lady who caught the bouquet. This game is hopefully done in much fun and good humor and well just a bit of subdued sexiness couldn’t hurt! After all, we all KNOW what the bride and groom will most likely be up to after the reception, non?!? 😉

So back to the results of my little creativity binge. Now I have two cute garters and I CANNOT decide between them!

Well, I have decided to let you lovely people decide! Vote for the red or the blue garter, and I will wear the one with the most votes.

Poll ends in a month!

Aaaaand! The garter that gets the least amount of votes will be given away to a randomly chosen person who comments on this blog post! So if you want a chance at winning, do leave a comment. (If you don’t want a garter just say so in your comment and if you are randomly chosen, I will randomly pick someone else!)

22 Comments

  1. Being practical, I’m saying the red, just because it looks as if the bow will lie flatter against your dress. If you have a crinoline or something that snags easily, the larger sequins in the middle of the blue might catch it (actually- have you tested to see if ANY of the sequins snag- particularly against your hose on the other leg (not very pretty when it comes for garter time). (sorry, I’ve got my “planner hat” on! 🙂 Form OVER function, I go for the red!

  2. After all of the oh-so-cute circus themed accessories of yours that I’ve seen, I think the blue is the best fit. Although, you can never go wrong with red! Either way, I’d absolutely love to have one of them to celebrate my big day at the end of the summer *& I’m sure Brad would too ;)* Best wishes with your final wedding planning! I just know it’s going to be amazing!

  3. Can you have the lucky garter catching gentlemen try to fling the garter across the pond to me?

    Melissa, you should be a wedding planner or write a book. I’m going to reserve you to plan my wedding one day,
    Bisous bisous

    1. Heheheeee! Thanks Kelsey for your comment! I would love to be a weedinng planner, but am to scared pf the precarity. But a book, now that’s an idea I have been toying with! 😉

  4. Do you know the difference between a garter belt and a garter? What you made are two cute garters. A garter belt is worn around the waist and has straps with clips that attach to stockings.

    1. Well Mary, I guess I don’t know the difference!Thank you for clearing that up for me!!! 🙂 I will modify my post accordingly. I mearned something new today…chouette!

  5. I think the blue would be best with the shoes! though the red is very pretty too! the center of the flower on the blue one reminds me of the jewels in the center of the ruffle on the shoes!

  6. Indeed, the blue one matches the shoes sooooo perfectly, but I love the red one, which, to me, is like some uncredibly sexy perfume….. Anyway, both are great!

  7. Blue! Especially love that red piece in the middle of the flower. Very nicely Done!

  8. They are both lovely, but call me a conformist, I’m with the majority so far! The blue is a lovely match with the shoes. And both serve as your “something blue” and ‘new.’ I applaud your doing so much of your wedding yourself. I’ve just been to a dear relative’s VERY over the top affair, that has to have set the bride’s father back six figures, complete with an entire crew of photographers and videographers! [And it wasn’t even a ‘destination wedding.’] I would be petrified to start a marriage built on such elaborate expectations AND debt! Mine was about $350, including dress, shoes, both rings, cake, flowers, minister, wedding dinner! Of course, that was <mumblety years ago, family only and held in my late mother's gorgeous living room, not a pricey hall, nor even a moderate church basement [a route taken by 2 of my brothers.]

  9. Love the combination of colors….. nice matching too…. simply awesome presentation of red and blue color…… design of the shoe is also nice….. the white layer on the blue shoes is superb…

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