Bouquet Toss – A Modern Spin On Tradition

Weddings are full of traditions, but all brides are not traditional. When it comes to your wedding day, don’t be afraid to alter wedding traditions and add your own personal touch to the day. One such tradition that is making its way out of some wedding receptions is the bouquet toss.

Traditionally, the DJ/MC will make an announcement for all the single ladies in the room to make their way out to the dance floor. If you’ve been to a wedding in the past year, you can guess what song is among the top favorites to get all the single ladies out on the dance floor. The young ladies fill the dance floor; the bride turns her back to the wild pack and, on the count of three, she hurls the bouquet over her shoulder into the hands of a lucky young lady. According to lore, the woman who catches the bouquet is said to be the next to be married.

Sounds like a fairytale, right? Well, the truth is that some brides find this tradition silly and are opting to cut the bouquet ceremony all together. If you find yourself somewhere between traditional and new age, there is a very classy, yet fun, option for you: present your bouquet to the couple that has been married the longest.

Discuss the details with your DJ ahead of time. The preparation is simple, but will prove to be a very memorable moment in your evening. Select a song for an anniversary dance. The song should be over 3 minutes in length and should fit the theme of long lasting love. Consider the following: Remember When, by Alan Jackson; Lucky, by Jason Mraz; or Thank You by Led Zeppelin.

Your DJ will invite all of the married couples out on the dance floor. Periodically, he will eliminate couples from the dance floor, starting with you, the newlyweds. To avoid having everyone abandon the dance floor, quit dancing, and miss the crowning moment, he should say something like, “When I call you, please join the newlyweds on the outer edge of the dance floor.” The goal is to have everyone circle the last remaining couple. He will continue calling out years, “If you have been married for less than 30 years…35 years….40 years…” and so on until the last couple is dancing in the middle of all the married couples.

Your “toss” bouquet should be waiting for you at the DJ’s booth, when you go to retrieve it, let your DJ know how many years the winning couple has been married. Your DJ will recognize the lucky, loving couple as you present them with your bouquet. Tip: You can go the extra mile and add a special bottle of wine to the presentation. At this time, the DJ can invite everyone back to the dance floor to join the winning couple.

If you are less than traditional bride, the bouquet presentation coupled with an anniversary dance is a great way to reinvent the bouquet custom.