Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
We’ve all heard the rhyme and even those who aren’t superstitious feel the need to adhere to this particular tradition on their wedding day, but did you ever wonder where it came from?
The original rhyme included another line, it went like this “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in your shoe.” Each represents something different that the bride needs for their big day.
Something Old:
Something old symbolizes family, and the connection the couple intends to keep with their families. Popular “something olds” include carrying a female loved one’s handkerchief on a bride’s bouquet, or a locket, or a photo. Many times this can be from a grandmother, or an aunt, or a loved one that has passed away and can be a memorial as well. We even have a bride at Key Hall this month that is wearing the same dress her mother and her grandmother wore and have created an entirely vintage themed wedding around it!
Something New:
Something new is a symbol of the new life the couple is making together and the positive outlook that they have for it. Many brides don’t need to think about something new as often times most of what they wear is new, their dress, their shoes, their jewelry, etc.
Something Borrowed:
Something borrowed goes along the same lines as something old, it represents the love that the lender has for the bride or the couple. Many times this could be a hair piece or a piece of jewelry from a loved one.
Something Blue:
Blue as a color symbolizes fidelity and constancy in love in ancient Iraseali customs. Many times, brides in Israel would wear blue colored ribbons in their hair to signify their commitments to their husbands. In modern times, something blue can be anything from hair pieces to flowers to shoes! We’ve featured more ideas here.
A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe:
A sixpence is an English coin that was minted from 1551 to 1976 and is worth six pennies. This is a tradition, much like the white wedding gown, that is believed to have originated with the Victorian Era. It is supposed to bring financial wealth to the couple. Many modern brides have left this part of the rhyme off as sixpences are not readily available.