Weddings are a beautiful celebration full of love and fun and whilst the main event is all about the happy couple, there’s one special activity that singletons can get involved with… and that’s catching the wedding bouquet!

If you’re single or desperately waiting for a proposal from your partner, tradition says that the lucky guest that catches the bouquet will be next to walk down the aisle. So, to help those looking to secure that lucky catch, DiamondsByMe has conducted an experiment to reveal the winning formula to help you be first in line in catching the wedding bouquet.

The Formula

DiamondsByMe conducted an experiment where their selected bride stood on a single spot and threw the bouquet to a crowd of people 200 times, both indoors and outdoors. The experiment revealed that if the bride is throwing her bouquet inside the wedding venue, you need to stand 10.3 feet away from her. Or, if your bride decides to take the bouquet outdoors, you still need to be central to the bride but due to the likeliness of wind outside, choose to stand 11.5 feet from the bride in order to catch it.

But you can’t just stand in one spot and expect to catch the bouquet, there are other factors you need to consider:

Take off your heels

You wouldn’t wear heels if you were playing a sport, so why would you wear them when running around to catch a bouquet?! You’re going to want to jump to catch the flowers, so to avoid any injuries – make sure you put your heels to one side.

Make sure you have enough space around you

You’re not going to have much luck if you’re standing behind people so when getting in position, make sure you’re standing away from as many people as possible. This will give you a better chance of catching the bouquet and will prevent you from knocking into someone during the process.

Wear an outfit that doesn’t restrict you

Tight fitted sleeves or jackets aren’t going to be the best option if you’re looking to get your hands on the bouquet. Choose a strappy, armless dress or top to make sure you have enough room to move your arms around.

Consider the athleticism of the bride

Ask yourself is the bride sporty or not? If the bride is sporty and known to be strong, stand a little further from the spot as her throw is bound to be more powerful. In contrast, if the bride is not the sporty type and it is likely to throw straight back, then follow the formula but be prepared to move around.

Keep your eyes on the prize!

It’s vital that you keep your eyes on the wedding bouquet at all times! If the bouquet bounces near you, you want to be the closest one to it and the first one to catch it. In addition to this, take a look at your surroundings before the bouquet is thrown, if you are indoors and the venue ceiling is low this could mean the bouquet will bounce off of it so be prepared.

DiamondsByMe spoke to Hannah Stevenson, 31, from Lincoln who recently caught the bouquet at her friends wedding and as a result, found the love of her life! When asked how she felt about catching the bouquet Hannah said:

“It felt great to catch it! After being single for around four years, I was ready to meet someone new. It just so happened that my future husband was watching on the sidelines as I caught the bouquet! The bride’s husband’s best friend to be specific, who had travelled over for the wedding from Saudi Arabia where he worked. He was someone I’d never met but had briefly spoken to earlier that day at the ceremony. And I quite fancied him!”

Hannah then went on to explain:

“After I caught the bouquet, we got to talking, exchanged numbers and he took me on a date the following evening. Despite me living in Manchester at the time and him living in Saudi, we managed to uphold a long-distance relationship despite only seeing each other a couple of times a year until he moved back to the UK permanently.”

“Two days before our official fifth anniversary, he proposed to me overlooking Whitby Bay and we’re now due to be married on the 30th of September 2023, just one day after our seventh anniversary. As you can see, we’ve had a whirlwind of a relationship all thanks to that wedding we met at!”

Whilst it can be a special experience catching the bouquet, don’t worry if you don’t manage to catch it, there’s always next time. It’s important to remember that it is the newly weds special day, so don’t make a scene if you don’t get the result you want! But don’t forget, practice makes perfect so if you’re eager to get your hands on the wedding bouquet, practice a few times beforehand both indoors and outdoors to make sure you’re fully prepared.