Garter Go or Garter Stay?

Portrait of American exploitation film director, writer, producer, editor, and actor Russ Meyer (1922 - 2004) with his new wife actress Edy Williams as they pose by a tree during their wedding reception, June 27, 1970. (Photo by Frank Edwards/Getty Images)

Ever watched a groom disappear under the layers of lace and chiffon of a bride’s dress? He’s searching for the promise of an exciting wedding night, while guests wonder what’s really going on as his head is between the bride’s legs. With a drum roll he emerges triumphant, garter in his teeth, smiling. On such an innocent and pure occasion, the garter symbolizes the unspoken privilege of marriage – sex, sex and more sex. It’s a brazen implication in front of family, coworkers and maybe a religious official. But as guests grin and gasp in amusement or feigned horror, one has to wonder, is the garter really appropriate for a wedding?

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Forget The Bouquet, Single Ladies Need to Catch a Break

Teresa Tam Photography, http://www.TeresaTamStudio.com

As a frequent single at weddings, catching the bouquet symbolized more than just being next up to the altar. It represented being on a team perceived as less favorable – the singles team. Identifying oneself as such to a wedding crowd is not always fun. It’s like announcing that your batting average in relationships is so low that you’ve resorted to catching a bunch of flowers for good luck in love. It’s no wonder the bouquet toss has fallen out of favor.

The View of “For Better or For Worse”

Image: Tiger Woods walks with his wife Elin Nordegren during the President Cup in San Francisco on October 9, 2009. Woods announced on December 11, 2009 that he will take an indefinite break from professional golf after rumors of alleged affairs with several women have surfaced.

From JFK to John Edwards to Eliot Spitzer, Prince Charles to Picasso, from Kobe to Tiger and countless other celebrities, these men promised ‘for better or for worse’ and yet each had an extramarital affair or two. While women too commit their own sex scandals, it’s the male affairs that take center stage the most. But women do share the spotlight in affairs – mostly as the victimized wife. Placed before their peers, the wife must decide whether or not to uphold the concept of ‘for better or for worse’ after their husbands have broken their own shared vows first. Divorce is not an easy decision.