The bouquet toss is back in fashion

Chers amoureux,

Today, couples who choose to seal their union with a secular wedding ceremony are hesitant to incorporate traditional elements. Among these traditions is the bride's bouquet toss. Having somewhat fallen out of favor, the bouquet toss is making a comeback.

For many years, the bouquet toss was shunned by couples for several reasons. In the early days of secular ceremonies, couples were fond of originality and rejected all forms of tradition. Furthermore, unlike previous centuries when bouquets remained simple, today's bouquets are often true works of art and represent a significant expense. For this reason, brides often want to keep their bouquets as long as possible rather than toss them to a pack of bridesmaids ready to form a ruthless melee worthy of the Five Nations tournament to seize the floral prize. Finally, tradition dictated that the bouquet toss take place on the steps of the church. For this reason, couples opting for a secular ceremony didn't dare perform the famous toss for fear that the gesture would be misinterpreted. Today, to avoid any misunderstanding, the bouquet is often tossed at the start of the reception.

However, in recent years, this practice has been slowly but surely making a comeback. Just like the secular ceremony that comes to us from across the Atlantic, the bouquet toss is regularly featured in American films and series and is therefore once again sparking interest among brides who wish to recreate a romantic, outdoor, "American-style" wedding.

While some claim this custom is French, others give it an Anglo-Saxon origin, but all agree that, according to legend, the bride throws her bouquet with her back turned to her bridesmaids, and the one whose heart is available who is lucky enough to catch the bouquet will be the next to get married.

In conclusion, if you'd like to incorporate this little touch of tradition into your secular ceremony, go for it! A little tip if you want to keep your splendid bridal bouquet: Ask your florist to make an identical but smaller (and therefore less expensive ) bouquet and use it for the toss.

See you soon !