Garter Belts for Brides - Sophisticated to Funky

Dating as far back as the 14th century, garter belts have been worn by brides worldwide. Their symbolism has meant virginity, luck, modesty as well as a sign of consummation of the new bride and groom (The groom would come out of the bridal suite with his prize garter).

During the middle ages in France, it was good luck for guests to get a piece of the brides dress. At some point in time, brides must have gotten fed up with that particular tradition and created the easy to remove garter belt for damage control and dress safety.

Nowadays, it is part of the traditional wedding ceremony for the groom to remove the garter during the reception and toss it to a crowd of guests and groomsmen who are single. Whomever catches it, is supposed to be the next to marry.

This is often done at the same time as the flower bouquet toss where the bride tosses her bouquet to all the single ladies at the wedding. And, in some cases, the man who caught the garter will place it on the leg of the woman who caught the flowers. (Lucky girl, she gets both the flowers and the garter! )

As the garter tradition continues, couples taking their vows create their own meaning for the ritual. Some brides just like the idea of wearing something with a rich tradition, even if it never sees the light of day during her wedding. Other brides, hide flasks beneath their dresses. While some prefer to have their garter as the "something blue" for good luck - especially if their color-theme doesn't have any blue to be found.

Below is a selection of garters that are beautiful and sometimes funky. It's very easy to find tacky or sleazy looking garters. I wanted to scope out the most elegant ones. They range in price from about $15 up to around $80. And, surprisingly, some of the ones I expected to cost the most, were actually very affordable. I hope you find the images as inspiring as I did in choosing them!

Garters are generally worn just above the knee. I'm not certain if there is a specific leg that they should be worn on, as it seems to vary from picture to picture. If you have very sexy long legs, wear it up high and when it's removed, you can show off what your lucky husband gets to see daily!

The garter photos start out with a gorgeous image from the lingerie company Bleu. I like the "no frills" approach to this sleek garter which would set well under a thin satin or straight-line gown.

Be careful when you choose your garter, that it is well hidden and won't disrupt the line of your gown or you may end up looking a bit lumpy! That especially goes for the garter holding the flask!

BlueSparrowTrinkets on Etsy (Which many of these designers can be found direct on Etsy.com), has the perfect garter to match a beach wedding with a little shell which becomes a memento of your special day.

The Elegant Garter Shop provides just that, a simple, elegant garter. Nothing showy or tacky, just pretty elegance that would look great on any brides leg.

Fiorrie Mitton makes some of my favorite garter designs. Given, they are couture which means they are on the more expensive end of the spectrum. However, they are stunning - little undergarment jewelry pieces. If you are creating a vintage wedding and your dress is taking you back in time to the era of screen-goddesses, then these are the perfect choices to accessorize the look. They would flatter any woman's leg. The downside is, who would want to toss such a beauty?

The GarterLady creates garter belts from another era of time. Imagine King Louie XIV and you'll get an idea of the luxury in store for any bride wearing these creations. Jewel encrusted and shapely designs are two of the signature marks of this designer. I love the attention to detail and how the shape is not a single band, but gets larger in the front to show off the large inset jewel. Be careful when these are thrown (they should come with a warning ), I wouldn't want to be knocked in the head with one of these! By the way, she does have a slim-line design one that is perfectly blue to fulfill the bridal list of needs for the day.

GartersByKristi made me laugh out loud. I love the Batman garter! This is obviously a designer seeking the hearts of independent women who wish to create their own personalized wedding day surrounding their favorite themes. I imagine the bride who wore this probably had to purchase two, so her husband would get to keep one.

For the eco-friendly, green bride, or a bride going for a Rustic look, look no further than janayahandmade for an organic cotton garter belt. This garter has beautiful attention to detail and is as cute as they come, while still maintaining an elegance mixed with just the right amount of funky!

I added in a garter by Lawlessfairy because it was so sugary sweet and what I envision when I think of a traditional bridal garter belt. It comes with a perfect bow and it isn't overly lacy or frilly. Though, check out how it fits under your gown prior to purchasing. If you have a crinoline as part of your dress, you'll have no problem with this classic.

Not quite the classiest, but perhaps the most amusing...A garter belt flask for those brides who can't wait to start the party, or for the other brides who have such bad nerves they wouldn't make it down the aisle without a nip. Juliette is the designer of this class act. Her garters are available on her retro website and can be personalized. I can see this being a big hit at a bachelorette or hen party.

What bride wouldn't feel gorgeous in pearls and silk? NatalieBriggs has apparently taken this into consideration while creating her luxurious garter complete with handmade silk flowers - perfect for any bride. Again, the tosser of this garter should aim low to avoid pearls in eyes...

More images of Garters Below:

Woomi creates a show-stopper sexy bridal garter belt using hand cut lace. It fits snug against the leg and is great for sleek gowns. This one is sexy enough to go further up the thigh, just like in the photo!

That Garter Girl is a great resource for edgy, funky garters. She also makes custom creations such as the peacock garter that looks great under a peacock dress. I love the tri-color fabric - very beautiful option.

PetereneDesign on Etsy has perfected the garter belt, not just for brides but for anyone - including men who want to dress up and have something stunning to hold up their leg-ware. This designer includes jewels, feathers, lace, satin, silk, cameos...you name it, it's designed into their luxury garters which any bride would be very sad to toss. I'm going to make a special note about their tropical garter, which would be perfect for a beach or garden wedding!

Pink Frosting makes a garter that's as sweet as candy. Little pearls are embedded into the elastic each time it bunches with a little added rose with satin ribbon for a final touch. Attention to detail is great and this would work for any blushing bride.

Last but not least, I have to mention That Garter Girl one more time. This tribute to the world of vintage is classy and very unique. The handmade flower, created from wrapped ribbon, gives a really contemporary feel, while the feathers help bring us back to a classic time period. it's a great example of past meeting present in a fashion design.