“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in her shoe…”

This Victorian Rhyme is just one of the many wedding traditions that is still used by today’s brides. Most people have heard it, but who knows what it all really means? When I got married in April of 2004 I was curious to know the meanings behind these traditions and some others I heard about. This is what I learned…

The “something old” signifies that the couple’s friends will stay with them. Many brides wear pearls or another piece of simple jewelry worn by their mother or grandmother in her wedding. Sometimes the bride will fulfill her “something old” with an heirloom handkerchief, veil or prayer book. Other times the “something old” is a garter that is given to the bride by a happily married woman to pass along a happy marriage to the new couple.

The “something new”, by tradition is usually the dress, jewelry or bridal bouquet and it signifies looking to the future for health, happiness and success.

Frequently the “something borrowed” will be a handkerchief, pair of gloves or other small accessory lent to the bride by a bridesmaid or another close friend. Other times the “something borrowed” is an opportunity for the bride’s family to give her something as a token of their love for her. Either way the borrowed item must be returned to ensure good luck.

The “something blue” represents fidelity and constancy, and is said to bring good luck. The tradition of wearing something blue began in Ancient Israel where bride’s wore a blue ribbon in their hair to symbolize commitment. Bride’s will sometimes wear a small blue ribbon attached to the inside of her dress. However, many times today the ribbon is replaced by a blue garter, a delicate monogram on the bridal slip or some other small accessory.

As for the “sixpence in her shoe” brides would often place a dime in their shoe to ensure good luck and wealth in the couple’s married life. Some bride’s today still slip a dime in their shoe for good luck and often times the bride with save the dime to be passed on to her daughter, granddaughter or niece.

Then, of course, there’s the dress. In ancient times many women simply wore their best dress, usually red or yellow. In biblical times, brides’ dresses were traditionally blue because blue was thought to represent purity. The first known white wedding dress was worn by Anne of Brittany in 1499 in her marriage to Louis XII of France.