Something Blue: The History of Wedding Traditions

Surreptitious or not, you may be following old traditions on your wedding day for good luck or even just for fun. “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a silver sixpence in her shoe.” This phrase is both an Old English rhyme and a supply list for every bride, minus the sixpence, an out-of-circulation British coin.

This wedding tradition warns that the bride must have the four items from the rhyme on her wedding day as tokens of good luck. We want you to be lucky on your day, so we’ve offered an explanation of each item on your wedding to-do list with suggestions for a perfect occasion.

1. Something Old
A wedding binds two lives to create a new, single life for the couple. An old item represents the past and traditions to ensure a bride’s connection to the past in her new life. A vintage brooch makes for the perfect “something old.” With a beautiful brooch you can get creative — use it to enhance your dress, wrap your bouquet or even bedeck your garter!

2. Something New
A new item is simply a symbol of an optimistic future for the bride in her new life. It’s a symbol of hope for a prosperous and happy life with her husband. Include a new jewelry item on your day for added shine and a token that will last long after the wedding. The endless possibilities include sybolic jewelry, like the Cartier Love bracelet, themed jewelry, like Chopard Happy Diamonds heart earrings, or simple accessories to compliment your bridal look.

3. Something Borrowed
This is an item you borrow from a close friend or family member, usually a happily married friend. For the superstitious, the borrowed item is supposed to transfer happiness from the successful couple. A borrowed item also symbolizes good fortune and happiness. Many brides use the dress or parts of the dress that their mother or grandmother wore, or maybe even the same veil. We can’t let you borrow anything, but we like the idea of sewing a meaningful cloth or fabric into the dress.

4. Something Blue
A blue item is a symbol for love, fidelity and purity. Before white wedding dresses became common bridal fashion, the color blue was popularly used. Before Queen Victoria insisted on wearing a white dress in her marriage to Prince Albert in 1840, blue was the color of most wedding dresses. Since sapphire symbolizes loyalty, we think sapphire jewelry is perfect for your “something blue.”