Who knows how many times you have heard about the custom to wear something new, blue, borrowed and old for your wedding day, but have you ever wondered why you should do it?
This practice comes from a famous wedding recipe from the Old English rhyme "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe", that names the lucky object every bride should wear for her wedding day.
This ancient tradition came out during the Victorian age and became part of many other countrys' traditions, included Italy.
We don't know the exact meaning of each trinket, but we suppose that:
Concerning the "something blue" there are many different assumptions: in Israel, the brides used to wear a blue band to symbolize purity, love and loyalty, three key qualities for a solid marriage. The blue color was also meant to ward off the evil eye from the bride and the couple.
And what about the sixpence? Nowadays this coin is not longer produced, but in the past it was supposed to bring prosperity to the couple. In the past, the bride's father gave the sixpence (now a penny) just before she walked down the aisle as a gift of good luck. Some brides make this tradition extra special by using a penny from the year they were born or the year they met their love. Sooooo cute!
Naturally, brides shouldn't stress out too much about this "something..." thing, but if you are very superstitious, you should definitely follow this tradition!
Do you need some ideas?
There you go!
Something Old:
you shold choose something used by a family member who has lived a very happy life as wife. Lot of brides choose something to pay tribute to their beloved, as an old object or a pic of someone who's not with them anymore. Here following some options:
Something New:
you can really go wild because this is the easy part!
So it could be a comfortable pair of shoes, beautiful lingerie, a pretty hairpiece or even the wedding gown! In Italy is customary that the bride's mum gifts her daughter with the dreamy dress.
Something Borrowed:
tradition say that the bride should borrow an object from a beloved person or someone who's really important for her and who has lived or is living a happy married life. You could consider borrowing the veil from your married bridesmaid, a jewel important for your mum or maybe something that reminds you someone you loved but is no more with you, at least physically.
Something Blue:
That's the fun part! Here you can unleash your creativity and choose a blue thing which means something to you or you just love. Usually the bride's "something blue" is the garter, but you can add a touch of colour to your outfit. A good option could be a blue pair of shoes, which can give a special touch of color to your look! Otherwise, if you want something more "low profile", you can consider to choose some blue flowers for your bouquet or a blue pair of earings.
And what about the "Sixpence"? Personally, I think you can skip this last recommendation: heels are already very uncomfy, why you should make matters worse? If you really want to follow also this "rule", maybe you can put it a penny in a secret pouch inside your dress.
Even if the Evil Eye superstition is already a thing of the past, this wedding rhyme can be a funny tradition to follow, that can allow you to put the finishing touches to your beautiful wedding day!
But what about you? Will you follow this tradition or you'll break the rules?