Wedding Tradtions: Something old, new, borrowed, blue, sixpence in your shoe

Most people say "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Many brides interpret these words in the same old conventional fashion (the handkerchief is old, the dress is new, the earrings are borrowed and the garter is blue). The whole phrase is "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe." Here is the meaning behind the phrase.

Traditionally brides incorporate something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue in their wedding. The orgin of this is english and the old english rhyme goes "something olde, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe." Family members and the bride's attendants gave old, new, borrowed, and blue items and a sixpence to the bride as tokens of love on her wedding day for good luck just before her marriage. However, today brides are working the old, new, borrowed, and blue objects into their weddings themselves. But you may break tradition and get the groom involved as well.

The first of the five items or "Something Old" represents continuity of the past moving to the future. The old item can be an antique, an heirloom object, or a sentimental piece that represents the bride's past. The second of the five items or "Something New" represents optimism for the future and the new life the bride will share with her groom.

"Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family. One of the most traditional choices is also one of the loveliest -- borrowing a gown from your mother or grandmother.

Blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns. There are unlimited ways the color blue can be incorporated into the wedding day. Keep in mind there are many shades of blue and one may work better than another for the bride depending on how the blue item will be used.

And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe represents wealth and financial security. It can also be carried in the bride's purse or sewn into the hem or lining of her gown. Including the sixpence in your shoe is largely a British custom today. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings. A sixpence is a coin that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and worth six pennies. So this wedding tradition is definitely English, and many sources say that it began in the Victorian era.