For a few seconds, the spotlight could shine away from the bride and groom and find you, sweaty and triumphant, with the bouquet or the garter in your hands. Think of the glory. The fame. The wealth. And for the superstitious, think of the future spouse that this bouquet or garter guarantees you. So how does one catch it? Where should you stand?

After several years of wedding photography, I can give you three tips on how to catch the bouquet or the garter.

Tip number one: Don’t be drunk. The drunk one does not catch it. The drunk one is very loud, but the drunk one does not catch it.

Tip number two: Bring a large butterfly net. This is a no brainer, really. If butterfly nets are for some reason not permitted at the wedding you’re attending, skip this tip and go to tip number three.

Tip number three: Stand in front, in line with the bride or groom. Most of the time, the person in front gets it.

You have to be ready for it!

Occasionally, the person way in the back gets it. But that’s it. I rarely see anyone in the middle of the pack catch it.

So remember this for the upcoming wedding season! Stand in front behind the bride/groom, or way in the back. Let me know how it goes. And have fun! Don’t worry if you don’t catch it, it’s not a big deal. Just have fun. If you do catch it though, wow. Congrats! That’s a pretty big effing deal!

Thanks for reading :)

P.S. Hey bro, there’s always a bro who pretends for a second to be one of the girls and joins them during the bouquet toss. Resist the temptation, as you may be overestimating the hilarity and originality of this act. It happens at every other wedding.