The Wedding Garter Tradition Explained: Is it Timeless or Outdated in 2025?

Weddings are full of traditions. Some are more controversial than others, like wearing a wedding garter. If you’re not sure what the ceremony means, you might wonder why people are skipping it. Learn more about the long-standing tradition to decide if it’s the right thing for you.

What Is the Wedding Garter Tradition?

A wedding garter is an elastic band of fabric that a bride traditionally wears around her thigh. Traditionally, they used to hold up stockings for everyday wear. Now, garters are lingerie for special occasions or a wedding accessory tossed to single male guests. Moms sometimes turn parts of their wedding dresses into garters for their daughters, while grandmas might pass down the ones they wore.

During the reception, guests gather around the bride after she sits in a lone chair. Her new spouse kneels before her and tries to remove the garter from her leg without lifting her dress too high. Some partners use their hands, and others use their teeth. The specifics depend on each couple’s preferences.

Why Do Some People Skip It?

People skip the garter tradition for various reasons. If you read about the origin and felt uncomfortable, you might agree with some of their motivations.

They Don’t Enjoy the PDA

Letting your partner under your wedding gown to remove a piece of lingerie — with their teeth or otherwise — is a huge public display of affection. If you aren’t an instinctively affectionate person or feel comfortable kissing in front of people, the idea of having lingerie stripped away in front of everyone might feel more embarrassing than fun.

Single Guests Don’t Want to Get Called Out

Some couples choose to toss their wedding garter into a crowd of all the single male guests in attendance. The gesture symbolizes the same thing as a wedding bouquet toss. People think that whoever catches it will get married next, but plenty of single guests would rather stay at their seats. They might not appreciate being asked to stand in front of everyone just because they’re single, especially after watching your romantic ceremony.

Some Guests Lists Are Mostly Family

The average wedding has 75 to 150 people in attendance, which likely means the couple invited more friends than family members. Smaller weddings are likely just people you’re related to. If your guest list is mostly family members, you may not want them ogling at your lingerie. They also probably don’t enjoy the idea of taking your garter home as a keepsake. No one wants their sibling’s or cousin’s lingerie.

Reasons to Potentially Keep It

There’s nothing wrong with embracing the wedding garter tradition. You might want to keep it because you’re excited to use one that your mom, grandma or aunt made for you. They might use their bridal gowns or other sentimental fabric, adding more meaning than a wedding garter set you could buy online.

You can also skip the tossing ceremony and wear your garter all night. If your partner gives you one customized to your interests, like a Taylor-Swift-themed wedding garter for a Swiftie, it may feel like a private, romantic gesture that you’ll want to keep alongside your gown.

Alternatives to a Wedding Garter Ceremony

Couples who would rather replace their garter toss with something less anxiety-inducing have plenty of options. See what people are doing with their reception schedules to figure out what you want to do.

1. Play the Newlywed Game

The Newlywed Game challenges your understanding of your new spouse. You’ll both sit down with your backs turned to each other and raise something representing a yes or no to each question. 

Not knowing what your partner answers makes each guess more authentic. Everyone will watch you both guess about each other in real time, leading to lots of laughter. The game is a fun way to test how well you know each other, which may feel even more satisfying if you waited years to get married.

2. Host a Dance Challenge

You’ll do plenty of slow dancing at your wedding reception, but you can always fit a fun dance challenge where your garter ceremony would’ve been. Hire an instructor to teach everyone a few simple moves so every guest dances at the same time to the same song.

You could also ask people to do quick dance solos and pull a new person onto the dance floor to replace them. As long as everyone’s grooving, the activity will boost everyone’s mood and make your reception feel more lighthearted.

3. Continue Mingling With Guests

There’s no pressure to replace a garter ceremony with anything. You’re creating your wedding from scratch. If you don’t add a garter toss to your reception, there’s no time to fill. You and everyone you love can continue dancing, chatting and enjoying dessert instead. Use the night to do whatever makes you happy, which includes leaving early to catch a flight to your honeymoon.

Make Your Wedding Perfect

When you think about the wedding garter tradition, pay attention to how it makes you feel. Go with your gut. Whether you enjoy the tradition or not, you’ll know you’re planning the ultimate reception when you feel comfortable with your decision.

Wedding Garter FAQs

What Is the Garter Etiquette for Weddings?

Garter etiquette for weddings requires that the bride wear the garter on their thigh and let their partner remove it in front of everyone. However, they can’t reveal anything other than your legs and the garter. The process can be quick, romantic or transform into a hilariously sexual show.

Why Is the Garter Removed With Your Teeth?

There’s no official reason why some people remove their partner’s garter with their teeth. That’s up to every couple. The act can make the removal ceremony more intimate or add a layer of ridiculousness, depending on how your partner removes the elastic fabric.

What Is the Purpose of a Garter Under a Wedding Dress?

The purpose of a garter under a wedding dress is to participate in a meaningful tradition. The fabric doesn’t actually hold up any stockings, so there’s no practical purpose for it being there. Garters are only supposed to make brides feel beautiful and special, which is why it’s important to decide if the tradition makes you feel that way before committing to it.