Wedding Traditions Explained: Something Old, New, Borrowed & Blue - A Perfect Blend Entertainment (2024)

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Wedding Traditions Explained: Something Old, New, Borrowed & Blue - A Perfect Blend Entertainment? ›

Something old is symbolic of a bride's relationship with her family. Something new is a wish for a bride's good fortune in her new life. Something borrowed is a reminder that family and friends will be there for the bride if she needs help. Something blue symbolizes loyalty in a bride's new marriage.

The tradition of the bride wearing something borrowed and something blue comes from the Victorian-era poem that in full reads: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe.” A sixpence is a British coin worth six pennies that was minted from 1551 to 1967.

What is the Saying Something Borrowed Something Blue? “Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe.” This is the full Old English rhyme, each “something” representing well wishes offered by friends and family on a couple's wedding day.

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe" is the famous rhyme that superstitious brides and grooms follow in the name of luck on their wedding days.

You have probably heard of the saying, “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”. The actual reasonings behind the ideas are a little less known. These four things a bride is “supposed to” wear on her wedding day is thought to make the marriage successful.

"Something borrowed" from a happily married friend or relative is believed to bring good luck for the union and even fertility. By borrowing something from a friend or relative in a successful marriage, the hope is that some of their good fortune transfers over.

“As long as you choose something personal and unique to you, your something blue will be special,” Jessica says, adding: “Something blue can be anything from a sapphire ring passed down from your Grandma to blue knickers. I once had a bride who had blue shoelaces in her evening shoes!”

While the evil eye is a thing of the past, "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" can be an entertaining tradition to follow at your wedding in whatever way works for you. Have fun with it as you put the finishing touches on your special day.

Traditionally, the wedding garter most often symbolizes love and luck. In the Middle Ages it was more tied up with notions of virginity and the consummation of marriage; these days it's more of a fun, lighthearted wedding way to show off the couple's chemistry and interact with their guests.

The phrase is an Old English rhyme that lists 4 items that are promised to bring brides good luck on their wedding day. Let's review: Something Old – Is an item that is 5 years or older. Having something old on your wedding day is a symbol connecting your old life (before marriage) with your new.

Can a person be your something blue? ›

Your 'something blue' doesn't have to be worn by a bridesmaid. A growing number of brides are asking guests to wear something blue, including their grandparents or even a friend who didn't quite make the cut when they were picking their bridesmaids.

The Garter Toss

To pacify the crowd and ease the bride's mind, the groom began tossing out a piece of the bride's wedding attire to distract the guests as the newlyweds made a quick escape from the reception. The garter toss is one way to rally all of the gentlemen to the dance floor.

Something new represents optimism for the future. Something borrowed represents borrowed happiness from another happily married couple or bride. Something blue represents purity, love, and fidelity and is also meant to ward off the Evil Eye, a curse that could make the bride infertile.

Lots of brides also said flowers, flowers, flowers, and we can't blame them, we die for booming blooms on the big day. But if you look at the list, you get a very telling testimonial of what most brides want for their wedding days: experiences, uniqueness, food and lots of fun.

trousseau \TROO-soh\ noun. : the personal possessions of a bride usually including clothes, accessories, and household linens and wares. Examples: I am fortunate to be in possession of various family heirlooms, including several items from my great-grandmother's trousseau. "Sifting through these abandoned papers …

In case you need a refresher, "something old" symbolizes continuity; "something new" offers optimism for the future; "something borrowed" represents borrowed happiness; and "something blue" stands for purity, love and fidelity.

Something old represents continuity and protection for a bride's future child. Something new represents optimism for the future. Something borrowed represents borrowed happiness from another happily married couple or bride.