Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
January 11th, 2006 Posted in Wedding Planning and Ideas
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in your shoe.
Most will recognize the above verse as a common wedding superstition. Dating from Victorian times (though the individual customs well predate that era), the poem was applied to brides on their wedding day, reminding them to encorporate an item of each category into their attire. But why? And what does each custom represent?
Something Old, Something New
Weddings serve as the starting point for a whole new segment of a bride’s life. They are leaving the comfort and safety of their parents and their single life, to become an integral part of another person’s existence. The happy and prosperous future is represented by ’something new’ to encourage success both in love, and in life. By including ’something old’ in her wedding attire, the bride is both symbolizing the ending of her old life, and also acknowledging the importance of the past in the hopes of bringing the best parts (like friends and family) with the new couple into the future. Traditionally this item was the garter of a happily married woman, who in giving the garter, passes her own wedded bliss onto the new bride.
Something Borrowed, Something Blue
Again in the hopes of a happy future, ’something borrowed’ is often an item that has great sentimental meaning within the bride’s family. In order for the good luck of the item to be passed along, the bride must ensure that she returns it to her family members following the wedding. Alternatively, like ’something old’, items are often borrowed from happily married women.
As for ’something blue’, if you recall back to an earlier post called "Flowers Convey Meaning", you’ll remember that colors can be used to represent qualities or attributes. Blue, in this context, is of Biblical origin, and is used to express the bride’s fidelity.
Silver Sixpence?
The last line of the verse may not be as familiar to you, as it often gets dropped during recitation. The practice of putting a silver sixpence in the bride’s shoe is said to bring good luck, and ensure wealth for the newlyweds. In the United Kingdom, the process is more detailed, and traditionally the bride placed the silver piece in her right shoe, and on the morning of the ceremony, was careful to take her first step with her right foot. Brides today, owing to a lack of silver sixpences, often substitute a penny.