We have all heard the bridal tradition of wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in the shoe” on your wedding day but why and where did something blue and the sixpence come from?!
Wearing something old embodies your connection to your family and past as a single woman. A great option is to wear a piece of jewelry from your mother or grandmother, but other creative possibilities include asking your seamstress to sew a small piece of lace or a button from your mother’s gown onto yours, tucking an old love-note from your fiancé into your bouquet, or using a pretty handkerchief from your grandma to wrap the stems of your bouquet.
Something new on your big day represents the new life you are beginning. This is often your wedding gown but a gift from your fiancé for your wedding day, such as a beautiful bracelet or hair comb, is a wonderful option to symbolize your future together.
A something borrowed item to carry or wear is to remind you that your friends and family are there for you should you ever need their help. Preferably, you will want to borrow something from a happily married woman so that some of her good marriage juju rubs off onto you!
Now to the good stuff… You may not have known this but wearing something blue has the oldest ties to history! Blue has been associated with purity since the Roman times where brides wore blue to symbolize love, fidelity, and modesty. There is also speculation that the symbolism of purity in the color blue is linked to the blue garments of the Virgin Mary. Did you know that white did not become a popular color for wedding dresses until the late 19th century? In the past, many wedding dresses were blue! To include this part of the tradition in your ensemble many brides opt for the blue garter but try having some fun with it! Ask your seamstress to monogram your slip in pretty blue thread or sew in a few blue crystal beads, wear lacy blue lingerie (as long as it isn’t causing a wardrobe malfunction), entwine blue ribbons into your bouquet, include blue sapphires in your wedding jewelry, or go bold with blue satin shoes or opera length gloves.
A coin in the left shoe is thought to originate from an old Scottish custom where the groom would put a silver coin under his left foot for luck. At some point, this tradition was delegated to the bride (typical, right ladies)! A sixpence was a silver coin worth six pennies in England between 1551 and 1967 and was placed in the bride’s left shoe to attract wealth to her new marriage. A Google search can probably find you a commemorative sixpence but most brides today use a penny or other coin. Just be sure to get it into the left shoe!
So, do you think this tradition is for you? Do you need to follow all of it or pick and choose? We haven’t seen any scientific study to prove or debunk it so if the thought of going on a treasure hunt for your special items sounds like fun, then go for it! On the other hand, if chasing items down in your already busy schedule sounds painful… skip it. Either way you go, the idea of pausing to consider where you come from and where you are going is at the core of most traditions. We encourage you to make time for that!
Happy Planning,
Sharon and Laura
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