Weddings just aren’t the same without something borrowed, something blue, something old and something new. This tradition has been around for years, leaving brides searching for the perfect blue jewel to throw in their hair or their grandmother’s pearls to wear around their neck, but where do these wedding traditions come from?
The saying “something borrowed, something blue” dates back to Queen Elizabeth’s era. It is often quoted with the last line missing, “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a silver sixpence in her shoe. Each “something” has its own representation and meaning besides the modern meaning of strictly luck.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
Something old represents tradition and continuance of their families past from one generation to another. This was also a great way to pass an heirloom down through a different family line if the bride’s family was only girls. Their line or heirlooms did not stop there; they were simply molded into another family.
Something new is a great way to celebrate the biggest day of the bride’s young adult life. Back in the 15th, 16th and 17th century, many brides were not accustomed to new items. These were often a treasured gift from their family or groom. Something new also represented luck in the future. This could be represented by new shoes, new undergarments, new lace or anything the family could afford at the time.
Something borrowed is meant to bring fortune and love from one happy couple to the next. Grandparents, parents or other relatives with a happy marriage would often let the bride borrow a piece of jewelry to bless them with the same love and happiness they have had the years of their marriage.
Something blue is often used to symbolize purity. Virgin Mary was often shown wearing blue. The bride can wear a blue garter, a blue sapphire, a blue sash or blue soles on her shoes.
Where Did They Come From?
Traditions didn’t stop there. Brides who carry a bouquet or wear a veil are carrying on a tradition that started in the 15th century. Brides carried flowers to mask their sweat, dirt and smell. Though most weddings were in June (only a month after their annual bath) the grooms were often given baths the night before. In that case, flowers it is.
Veils were worn for many reasons, religious and non-religious. The first reason was to keep the bugs away from the bride. Consider it your own small mosquito net. Religious reasons varied from the purity of the bride to protecting the bride from the eyes of the groom. They were also used in the empires of Rome and Greece to protect the bride from evil spirits who might try to take her purity away before the wedding. The veils were worn in red, yellow or white. Today, veils are more of a fashion statement seen in the version of white that matches the bride’s dress better.
Last but not least, why does the bride’s parents fork out the cash for this ceremony? The modern tradition is for the bride’s parents to pay for the wedding ceremony and rehearsal and the groom’s parents to pay for the rehearsal dinner. This started when the bride’s parents had to provide a dowry to the groom’s parents. The groom, taking their girl as his bride, becomes her caretaker, her provider and her protector. These services apparently did not come free. The dowry was used as payment for these services.
Traditions are a wonderful way to pay tribute to history and your family. I just feel lucky to be able to bathe, to not have to worry about bugs attracting to me and my parents paying off my husband. It’s the little things that count.
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