One Tradition You Can Toss!

This photo is absolutely hysterical for a multitude of reasons, but mainly because at thirty-ahem-something, I have been a bridesmaid nearly 10 times where I managed to catch the bouquet a total of 0 times.

Yes, you read correctly - Zero, Zip, Zilch, Nada - the Big Goose-Egg. I'm fairly certain on a few occasions it was just me and a handful of adorable flower girls in the middle of the dance floor. But I digress...

As a planner, I find many brides are weary of keeping with tradition and having the bouquet toss and rightfully so. Many want to drop this custom for several reasons. Couples are getting married later in life and brides don't want to make their single guests feel unnecessarily awkward. Others dislike the implication they are chomping at the bit to settle down.

I say - let it go!

I often suggest my brides just hand the bouquet to a guest who is already engaged or give individual flowers to several guests. Some brides like to give the bouquet to the longest-married couple in the room, as a bit of reverse karma. That I like.

I did have the honor of "drinking the wine" at the close of my friend Becca's wedding a few years ago. After the sheva brachot was recited at the end of the reception, there was a blessing over wine. Two cups of wine were poured into a third cup; some of the wine from the third cup was then poured back into each of the first two cups. One cup was then given to Becca (the bride) and the other to Jon (the groom). Jon selected an unmarried man to drink from his glass and Becca selected me to drink from her glass (YAY!). This was seen as a "charm" to help bring unmarried people luck in getting married.

Meaningful and dignified. Thanks Bec ;)