The first time I had a wedding bouquet, I was about four years old. I think someone actually gave it to me during the reception. I'm not sure I really caught it, but I have a picture documenting it. I kept what was left of that bouquet for many years in my keepsake box.
When I finally reached the age of a wedding guest that was the legal age of marrying, the bouquet toss became an extremely embarrassing affair. I hoped that I would be in the bathroom during that time or anywhere but in arms reach of someone dragging me to the toss. All the single ladies were gathered as a spectacle for the rest of the group to watch. I hated the pose where the photographer would make us raise our hands in the air pretending to want it. I usually wound up hiding in the back just hoping the moment would pass so I could refill my punch.
At a certain point in my 20s, I decided that I would no longer fear the bouquet toss, but I would seize that bouquet every time. If I had to play the game, I was going to win. At one event, I was so eager to grab it, I made a fellow single lady bleed from my fingernail skimming her wrist. After that, I decided maybe fierce aggression at a wedding was not a good look.
I attended a wedding last weekend, and I got a bouquet again. It was pretty much by default. At our friend's wedding a few years ago, she and I have a picture together pretending to fight over the bouquet.
There wasn't an official toss, but the bride was kind enough to let me have the bouquet in a Mean-Joe-Green-Coke-Toss kind of fashion. It was a special catch--because I knew she'd been there like me many times. It felt like I was being handed the baton or something. I don't know if this means that I've had enough bouquets in my possession, I will finally get married, but whatever the case, it's a lovely bouquet and it's stayed fresh all week.
When I finally reached the age of a wedding guest that was the legal age of marrying, the bouquet toss became an extremely embarrassing affair. I hoped that I would be in the bathroom during that time or anywhere but in arms reach of someone dragging me to the toss. All the single ladies were gathered as a spectacle for the rest of the group to watch. I hated the pose where the photographer would make us raise our hands in the air pretending to want it. I usually wound up hiding in the back just hoping the moment would pass so I could refill my punch.
At a certain point in my 20s, I decided that I would no longer fear the bouquet toss, but I would seize that bouquet every time. If I had to play the game, I was going to win. At one event, I was so eager to grab it, I made a fellow single lady bleed from my fingernail skimming her wrist. After that, I decided maybe fierce aggression at a wedding was not a good look.
I attended a wedding last weekend, and I got a bouquet again. It was pretty much by default. At our friend's wedding a few years ago, she and I have a picture together pretending to fight over the bouquet.
There wasn't an official toss, but the bride was kind enough to let me have the bouquet in a Mean-Joe-Green-Coke-Toss kind of fashion. It was a special catch--because I knew she'd been there like me many times. It felt like I was being handed the baton or something. I don't know if this means that I've had enough bouquets in my possession, I will finally get married, but whatever the case, it's a lovely bouquet and it's stayed fresh all week.
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