The bouquet toss can be a critical time of a wedding. Of course, it’s not the bride making an entrance or the groom crying at her beauty. Still, it holds weight within wedding cultures that celebrate this tradition. Brides, toward the middle to end of their wedding, will gather the single women for the bouquet toss. She stands in front of them, with her bouquet in front of her, and proceeds to throw it behind her into a sea of available women. While some may view the tradition as outdated or sexist, others view it as an indicator of who’s up next for getting married. Now that we know what to expect, here’s our list of efficient, bouquet toss songs.
What Does a Bouquet Toss Song Communicate?
Thanks to movies and media, wedding culture has made its way into our lives. In Mama Mia, the bouquet was tossed to Abba’s “Dancing Queen,” a celebratory anthem of womanhood (and youth). But what happens if you aren’t really a subscriber to the whole “must get married” and “must get married young” ways of life? There has to be a set of songs out there that express the emotion of the moment for the bride and or the bouquet toss catcher. In the sea of catchers may be a younger sister, best friend, aunt or associate. And the toss, however soft or hard, says a lot about who the bride wants to catch and the reaction she wants to spark. The choice of song has the power to capture the bride, the catcher and both of their reactions.
How To Choose a Bouquet Toss Song
Maybe you’re the type of bride that knows, ahead of time, what set of bouquet toss songs will get the job done. You know who will be in the catchers and the general consensus of emotion around catching the bouquet. If that’s so, you could make a playlist for the DJ to choose from, according to their better judgment. This list could include “Only Girl” by Rihanna or “Single Ladies” by Beyonce. It could include “Milkshake” by Kelis or “Like A Virgin” by Madonna. Each of these songs have their own meaning, overt and covert.
If the bride wishes the catcher well, that might align with Meghan Trainor’s “Dear Future Husband” or “Happy” by Pharrell. This could be a time where the bride rises above any shaming traditions of singledom or marriages that happen later in life. Instead, this is a celebration of the tradition and a moment to connect with the women that have contributed to making this momentous day such a special one. Think “Vivir Mi Vida” by Marc Anthony, “Just A Girl” by No Doubt, “Lady Marmalade” by Lil Kim, Christina Aguilera, Mya and Pink or “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper.
Regardless of which song is chosen, the bride has the power to shift the focus and set the tone. And choice of song plays into that. Wishing brides, their girls and elders a fun and fruitful bouquet toss!