You have probably heard the popular wedding
tradition saying before, but not every bride
to be knows exactly where it originated from
or what the meaning behind the saying is. It
is a darling saying and is one of the only wedding
traditions in today's society which makes some
sense. It is a cute tradition - one which is
performed to bring good luck to the newlywed
couple.
The traditional saying is:
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.
A sixpence is a coin that was minted in Britain
from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and
worth six pennies. This wedding tradition
can be traced back to England, and many sources
say that it began sometime in the Victorian
Era. Each item in this sort poem represents
a good luck token for the bride - if she carries
them, it is said her marriage will have good
fortune.
Something Old: The old item has several different
meanings, but one general theme: a link of
continuity from the bride's past. Some say
this is a desire to remain connected with
your family even after you established a family
of your own. Other sources say it represents
the life you are leaving behind. Another idea
is that the tradition of family values and
the connection family brings is being passed
down to you. It is safe to say that all of
these assumptions are correct; the bride is
leaving behind her past to start a new beginning,
but not to forget where she has been. Things
you can use for the something old theme are:
jewelry from your mother, grandmother or great-grandmother,
an old wedding photo from your family, a love
letter from your father to your mother, a
picture of your parents in your purse, an
old handkerchief, a childhood pillow to hold
your rings, a piece of lace sewn into the
hem of your gown.
Something New: means optimism and hope for
the future. It conveys the message that you
and your husband are creating a new union
that will endure the test of time. Many brides
choose to use their wedding gown, flowers
or rings to symbolize the "something
new" in this tradition.
Something Borrowed: Again, there are several
meanings behind borrowing an item from a friend
or relative. Some sources say borrowing something
is borrowing happiness from a happily married
woman, so that their happiness will carry
over to the new bride. Other sources have
said it is symbolizes the love and adoration
you have for the person from whom you have
borrowed the item from. If you borrow an item
from your happily married grandmother or mother,
you can fulfill both of these meanings. Doing
this lets your parents (or grandparents) know
that you admire their marriage and the respect
they have for each other and that you hope
to have an equally happy marriage. The borrowed
item also signifies to the bride that she
can always count on her friends and family
for support. Items that can be used for the
something borrowed theme could be: family
jewelry, a prayer book from your mother or
grandmother, strands of pearls, or your parent's
cake cutting set.
Something Blue: The color blue has been connected
to weddings for centuries as a symbol of love,
modesty, fidelity, good luck, purity and loyalty.
Many brides incorporate this color into their
clothing, by either wearing a blue stoned
jewelry item or wearing a blue garter. However
for a modern spin, you could use blue toe
nail polish, blue eye shadow, a blue ribbon
tied into your flowers, blue underwear, even
wear light blue shoes! The possibilities are
endless and limited only by your imagination.
A Lucky Sixpence: A sixpence in the bride's
shoe represents wealth and financial security.
For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be
worn in the left shoe. This tradition may
date back to the Scottish tradition of the
groom placing a silver coin in his shoe for
good luck. Many companies sell keepsake sixpence
pieces for weddings.
Brides have been honoring the something old,
new borrowed, blue tradition for centuries.
Although these items are supposed to bring
good luck to the bride, many brides are following
this tradition to honor people close to them
on their wedding day.
Erica Tevis is the owner of Little Things
Favors Little Things Wedding Favors Visit
them on the web and check out their large
supply of wedding favors, themed favors, invitations,
and wedding accessories.
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