Garter/Dollar Dance???

I don't know too many spins on the garter..

But I have seen the bride and groom both dance. I have also seen the fg/rb do it too, which was really a success. The couple was donating to a charity too. So the more they raised, the more good could be done. hehe. If you are planning on keeping the money, i would keep it to just you and your FH though.

I found these on the web, not all are one I'd pick.. but some would be a blast!

http://www.absolutemusicdjs.com/2011/10/top-50-requested-money-dance-songs/

Put it on a football and throw it out to the groomsmen?

people generally do both, it's not a one or the other thing, it's just a personal choice thing

In my circles, the garter is simply tossed, and that's it. Nothing happens with the guy who catches it. The tradition stems from the days the family of the bride would show off bloody sheets to prove virginity. As such, it's definitely not something I would do. Having my husband go up my dress in front of my grandmother seems rather humiliating.

Dollar dances aren't done in my circles either. I get that some cultures are big on this, but still, your guests have already gone through the expense of attending and likely getting a gift too. Asking them for more money seems tacky. It's also a very boring time for the guests that don't want to participate.

We are doing both....

My FH will take off the garter and then he will either toss it or put it on a football and toss it. We havent decided yet. The guy who catches the garter will dance with me, while my FH will dance with the gal that catches my bouquet.

We are also doing dollar dances. We picked 3 songs and during those songs people will pay our bridal party to dance with us. At the end of the night the bridal party will give us our collected money.

Both, the garter toss and dollar dance, are a HUGE tradition done in our area. It is always expected and turned into lots of fun.

**edited for misspelling!!!

I'm thinking no to the dollar dance but FH says yes to garter toss. We haven't really discussed the dollar dance so we may. At my first wedding I had over 350 people and my ex-husbands family is polish so we did a polish apron dance to polka music. I was exhausted by the end and I was only 18. I can't imagine doing it almost 40 lol.

I must really love him because this is the garter I bought. He is a huge Patriots fan and I'm a huge Ravens fan but as a surprise I'm going to have a Patriots garter. I may have to incorporate the Ravens in there somehow though. I can't let him think he converted me I think we will put the garter on a football and toss it. Thanks for that idea!

Not sure about the garter idea. I've only seen the standard done.

Have you considered a raffle? A friend of mine recently went to a wedding that did this and came home with $120. I'm not sure if that was the whole pot or if it was split between bride and groom and the winner.

I haven't been to a wedding that's done a dollar dance in quite awhile. But if you do it, try to pick a long song.

@The Future Mrs. C - I LOVE your garter!! I am a huge Patriots fan! My fiance on the other hand is a MN Vikings fan...boo!

@Jennifer- I'm seriously worried that it may burn my leg! Hahaha we are definitely a house divided.

@Holly, I like the idea of you and FH dancing with those who caught the bouquet/garter... way less awkward that either one of them putting the garter on each other or dancing together if they're not a couple!

In our area people usually do both. I havent decided yet what we are doing.

I cringe when I see the garter being sold or dance with the bride for money. Traditionally this never happened. People are already bringing gifts of cash/things.

I've seen the garter auctioned off. I'm sorry, but it was incredibly tasteless and tacky...and had a HUGE ick factor to it. Especially when the bride's grandfather in law bid the highest. Just do a garter toss please?

@Holly - we're doing the same thing... the catcher of the bouquet and garter (we're hving all females and all males come out for each, respectively) will dance with FH or I. I'm glad someone else thinks that's a good idea lol.

As far as a money dance goes, only you and FH can make that decision. You know your guests, and how they would feel/react to it.

Personally, our friends would be shocked if we didn't have one. In our circle of friends/family it's all about blessing the couple and sending them off into life together, so they come with cash and want to bless and gift it to the couple.

For the Garter toss FH is just throwing it. He won't be taking it off my leg, I find that uncomfortable. Plus my dress is pretty fitted through the hip so I don't even know how it would work.

Whoever catches it, catches it. No dancing, no prizes, no bidding.

I've heard of money dances which I think would be really fun. Some people do not buy gifts and prefer to give money, so this would be a great time to do that. And some people actually buy gifts and give money.

As far as the garter, I've seen it being tossed by the groom and whoever catches it has to put it on the lady who caught the bridal bouquet. This could be a little uncomfortable for your guests, but if they are in a relationship it shouldn't matter.

Last year my fiancé and I caught the garter and bouquet at a friend's wedding and 6mo later we got engaged!

I've heard of money dances which I think would be really fun. Some people do not buy gifts and prefer to give money, so this would be a great time to do that. And some people actually buy gifts and give money.

As far as the garter, I've seen it being tossed by the groom and whoever catches it has to put it on the lady who caught the bridal bouquet. This could be a little uncomfortable for your guests, but if they are in a relationship it shouldn't matter.

Last year my fiancé and I caught the garter and bouquet at a friend's wedding and 6mo later we got engaged!

@ Hailey & @ TiffanyShay. I think that is the fun part of the wedding, especially if it is the young kids that end with the bouquet and garter!

My family is big with the dollar dance...it is big in some parts of Mexico and Spain (where parts of my family stem from..the other part of us is Ireland...so lots of fun at our weddings) but I am not doing it because I am not doing any of the formal type dances BUT I love it when the groom and bride both do it! I think it is fun for the ladies to get a chance to buy the groom for a minute =)

As for songs...you can do fast or slow...whatever you are comfortable with in dancing. =)

Totally losing the Miss Congeniality Award on this one, but seriously, is this a wedding or a pole dance?

We did the dollar dance and garter toss . We also did the baile de la culebra . Everyone loved it and I was told it was first non boring wedding they had attended.