Wedding Origins and traditions

Something old, something new, something borrowed,
something blue, and a silver sixpence in their shoe’.

This good such saying dates back to Victorian times and many brides still try to arrange their wedding attire accordingly.

Something old represents the link with the bride’s family and the past. Many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewellery or a mother’s or grandmother’s wedding gown or handkerchief.

Something new represents good fortune and success and the bride’s hopes for a bright future in her new life. The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item.

Something borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when she needs help. The borrowed item is supposed to come from a happily married woman, thereby lending the bride some of that marital bliss to carry into the new union.

Something blue is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. Often the blue item is the garter. Brides of ancient Israel wore blue ribbons on the border of their wedding clothes to denote love, modesty and fidelity, and these are ideals still associated with that colour.
Blue also denotes the purity of the Virgin Mary and is the most popular of all colours.

A silver sixpence in her shoe is to wish the bride wealth. Some brides still place a coin in their shoe during the marriage ceremony.