September 18, 2009

How To Have Pretty Wedding Garter Toss Photos

You aren’t a model. You are just a beautiful bride marrying the man of your dreams. It can be hard to all of a sudden be the center of attention with everyone, not to mention a trained professional, wanting to take your picture. Having your wedding garter removed and having it photographed is no exception to this fear. But, here are some tips to getting a wedding garter toss photo that you won’t mind showing to your kids…

Beautify the Legs
Perhaps with the long dress you aren’t as focused on your legs, but, if you want no regrets with the wedding garter toss photos, get your legs looking their best. This includes shaving, maybe using tan towels or some sort of bronzing cream so they aren’t so pale, and even doing a few squats and calf raises in weeks leading up to the big day.

Talk To Your Groom
What are his expectations? Does he have fantasies about taking it off with his teeth or would he sooner crawl under the head table and skip the whole process? If you are both on the same page about what you want, you won’t have a look of horror when he comes at you with a big toothy grin ready to take a bite.

Proper Placement
Wear your wedding garter (and your tossing garter, if you are wearing one) just above your knee so that your groom doesn’t have to reach to far to find it. The last thing you want, is a photo like this.

Relax
You’ve already made the decision to to the wedding garter toss, so just go with it and have fun! The best pictures are the candid moments where you are being yourself, showing your true emotion.

Forget the Camera and the Crowd
It is really hard to pose for a wedding garter removal shot, so act as natural as you can, as if no one is watching. If you are caught up in looking good for the camera or worrying about what your guests are thinking, it will show on your face and ultimately in your pictures… and it won’t be pretty.

Let Your Photographer Do Their Job
It is your photographer’s job to get the good shots; that is why you hired them. Don’t worry about where they are, just focus on your groom and enjoying the moment. Just because you can’t see the photographer or you don’t know where they are, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. The best photographers are the ones that capture all the big moments without making a scene.

Last, but not least,L enlisted a few photographers for some tips of their own. Good wedding photographers have seen it all and they know what works. Here are some great tips that you could only get from the pros…

mk mckenna says…

1.) Ask your photographer where you should do it!  They will help you pick the best place for lighting for where the action will go down; and

2) Make sure your hubby flings it (yes, like a slingshot), so it goes so much farther and higher!

lily kesselman says…

1.) I do recommend wearing it just above the knee and lifting up the dress to expose the garter. It looks sexy and fun, plus having the groom’s head under the dress just never looks quite right; and

2.) For all of the photos, take your time. Don’t have the groom rush when he is pulling the garter down or tossing it. You can get more photos if you slow it down.

shannon evans says…

1.) Don’t be so quick to get rid of it! When photographing the toss, timing is everything. By playing with it a bit, it allows the photographer to get some good photos and get ready for the actual toss; and

2.) The garter tradition is the sexiest part of the wedding and a chance to interact with guests. have fun with it!

stacey vaeth says…

1.) Communicate with your photographer before the wedding when you plan on doing the garter toss, and make sure that your wedding planner or someone assures that the photographer is in position before you do your toss;
2.) Pick someplace high (if available) from which to toss the garter from. a few steps above the dance floor, for instance. that way, the photographer can get a clear shot of all of your guests expressions, plus yours, as the garter flies through the air; and
3.) The photographer will love to have each of these images: the detail shot of the garter, the excitement of putting it on with your bridesmaids in the room, the taking off of the garter, the tossing of the garter, and you and the woman that caught it, to build out into a beautiful one-page collage for your album.

Julianne Smith on 9/18/09

C o m m e n t s

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• At my niece’s wedding this weekend they did the bouquet toss and then they gathered the men together in a circle around the bride and groom (facing out) while the groom went to retrieve the garter. I think that’s a pretty good alternative too.

  Posted by: Juan Carlos Farias · July 25, 2011 at 5:54 pm

• I like your advice about just “going with it” and that if you’ve already made the decision for garter removal and toss, then just have fun and show your true emotion. This is all great advice for couples to think through and be on the same page about! Well done. Thanks Julianne.

  Posted by: Heidi@TrulyEngaging · October 7, 2010 at 9:51 am

• [...] the wedding garter toss but, they are still taking part in the wedding garter tradition. i did this post about how to have good wedding garter toss photos, so i wanted to follow it up and give some tips [...]

  Posted by: how to have pretty wedding garter pictures if you aren’t doing the toss « julianne smith's garter girl blog · November 5, 2009 at 7:02 am

• Great post Julianne! And ditto to all the tips from the other photographers!

  Posted by: Shannon Evans · September 18, 2009 at 3:46 pm