Modern American Wedding Traditions

In the upper Midwestern states, a wedding reception traditions calls for the best man to auction the garter instead of tossing it. The best man carries a hat around the reception site and the guests put dollar bills in it. Someone acts as auctioneer to count the money, and after a specified time has elapsed, the best man gives the garter to the last person to put money in the hat.

Another midwestern tradition is a wedding reel. Wedding guests form two lines, and they pay a dollar or more to dance with the newlyweds. The couple uses the cash for their honeymoon.