The “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” tradition is one that we’ve all heard of but where does it come from? It hails from an Old English rhyme that actually says: "Something olde, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in your shoe." These items were given to the bride on her wedding day (before she walked the aisle) for good luck.
As planners, couples often ask us whether they should follow this tradition and/or if it's still commonly followed. Our answer is always the same - it's truly a matter of preference and about half of our couples choose to embrace it. Before deciding whether it's right for you, we thought we would provide a better explanation on the meaning behind the words.
"Something Old" represents the past moving into the future. Some of our favorite "old" items we've seen incorporated include heirloom jewelry from a bride's relative, a piece of a grandmothers/mothers dress sewn into the bridal gown, and a locket with a relatives photo inside hanging from her bouquet wrap.
"Something New" represents optimism for the future life the couple will share together. This is typically the easiest option of the tradition as it can be a new dress, new jewelry, a garter or lingerie.
"Something Borrowed" represents borrowing happiness, usually from another happily married couple or a friend or relative who symbolizes happiness in the couple's eyes. Some of our favorite borrowed items include an aunts gorgeous cathedral length veil and even using a parents first dance song.
"Something Blue" represents love, good fortune, and fidelity. Some of our favorite blue items included bright blue shoes, a blue sapphire necklace, and a headpiece lightly embellished with blue gemstones.
The sixpence is still a widely performed custom in Britain but not so much here in the U.S. It is placed in the left shoe before walking down the aisle and represents prosperity for the new couple.
Whether you decide to embrace this tradition or not, we hope this helps you in making your decision!
