In many Western wedding traditions, the bride traditionally tosses her bouquet for unmarried guests to catch.
The custom is commonly treated as a lighthearted prediction: the unmarried woman who catches the flowers is said to be the next to marry. It developed from older European beliefs that possessing part of a bride’s clothing or accessories could bring good luck, and guests once sometimes tried to take pieces of the bride’s dress.
Tossing the bouquet provided a safer, more orderly substitute for those earlier practices. The bouquet is thrown backward over the bride’s shoulder toward a group of willing guests, usually near the end of the reception.
The tradition is not universal. Some couples omit it, replace it with a bouquet presentation, or include guests of all genders. It should also be distinguished from the garter toss, which is a separate reception custom.