Wedding Blog

In my last post, I introduced you to our bluegrass band, Good Wood. In my next post, I’ll let you hear some of their music and detail the craziness at the end of the evening. But now, as the band is taking a break between sets, it’s time for us to take the stage for the garter and bouquet toss!

I’ve always been a big fan of bouquet tosses. As a single girl, I loved the symbolism of “passing the torch”. I’ve caught my fair share of flowers over the last few years– and it’s always been a source of great entertainment and pride. Plus, free pretty flowers are a nice souvenir!

The garter toss, however, gives me mixed feelings. I’ve always found the symbolic “deflowering” to be somewhat tasteless, and not particularly relevant (myself having been deflowered a long while ago). Also, while it seems that everyone enjoys watching the groom fish around in the bride’s dress for her undergarments (ack!), my observation has been that male audience participation in the garter toss is always less enthusiastic than female participation in the bouquet toss.

But whatever, Mr. CP seemed eager to toss a garter, and I’m an equal opportunity bride, so I decided to oblige, and we had both…

After the band cleared the stage, I took over at the mic and announced the tosses.

Our best man joined us to emcee. He called all the unmarried ladies to the front and center, while I limbered up.

I had to fake the girls out a few times to keep them on their toes. I tossed my personal bouquet - not a second toss bouquet - because I knew I couldn’t take it with me and didn’t want it preserved.

Can you spot Jaye (who is already married!) in the blue shirt in the front row trying to sabotage all the single girls?

As you can see, there were a couple of ladies who definitely wanted my bouquet more than others. Once I threw it, my sisters went truly apeshit. I think Allie’s face below is the perfect mask of my own desperation during a few tosses. Jaye made a decent reach, but looks like she’s about to plunge face-first into the lawn instead…

In the end, it was my sister Liz who caught the flowers. She seemed pretty pleased with herself as my other sisters congratulated her. Bridesmaid Amy (who is getting married this summer) is adorably gleeful in the left hand corner of this pic:

While the girls cleared the field and Micah summoned the guys, I put on a second, disposable garter. I wasn’t about to throw my flask garter at anyone… aside from the risk of beaning a dude in the head, I just couldn’t part with it.

Mr. Cherry Pie and I discussed the logistics of garter removal while we waited for the guys to assemble. I think this next photo is me asking him if I should just take it off and hand it to him so we can get it over with, and him saying, “Hell no, I want to take it off with my teeth!”

The shrug is obviously my acquiescence…

I was thinking: Fine, if we’re gonna do it all the way, I might as well have a good time. But you’re not sticking your head up my dress!

Instead, I hauled my dress up around my waist. In retrospect, it might have been better to do it the other way…

Well, at least Mr. CP had a pretty good handle (and a pretty good grip) on the garter…

If taking it off with his teeth wasn’t animalistic enough, he had to swing it around like a chew toy…

The guys were waiting below the stage, practicing their linebacker stances and cat calling…

Mr. Cherry Pie pointed the garter into the crowd like a rubber band, pulled back, and let it go…

Our bachelor friend from Seattle, Craig (also responsible for the “purple stuff” and other infusions), was the lucky recipient. Doesn’t he look happy?

Hmm… didn’t think so. More like chagrined.

I’m not a modest girl by any means, and I enjoy even the worst dirty jokes… but for some reason, I was glad when that garter toss was over.

OK, OK, it was fun, and it was kind of sexy. With a smooch, all is forgiven…

After that, we stumbled down the stairs and helped ourselves to the dregs of the “purple stuff”. The first bus was had just departed with our early-retiring guests, but we still had a few good hours of drinking and dancing to do before we hopped the last bus home!

Next, as it gets later, it gets rowdier, and we finish off the evening past lights-out at the saloon.

[Credits: All original images and post-processing courtesy of Piknik Studios.]

Previously:
Married in Montana: The Rehearsal
Married in Montana: The Girls Get Ready
Married in Montana: The Guys Get Ready
Married in Montana: The Bus Ride to Polebridge
Married in Montana: Pre-Ceremony Preparations
Married in Montana: Staging the Ceremony
Married in Montana: Our Wedding Ceremony (Part 1 of 2)
Married in Montana: Our Wedding Ceremony (Part 2 of 2)
Married in Montana: Receiving Line & Refreshments
Married in Montana: Cocktail Hour
Married in Montana: Bride & Groom Portraits
Married in Montana: Family Photos
Married in Montana: Wedding Party Portraits
Married in Montana: Our Rustic Reception
Married in Montana: Toasting
Married in Montana: Just Desserts
Married in Montana: Making it Official
Married in Montana: Glamour Shots!
Married in Montana: Portraits of Our Guests
Married in Montana: First Dances