We’ve all heard the age-old rhyme; something borrowed, something blue. Something old, something new. It’s a sing-song rhyme that has been incorporated into weddings for centuries.
Whether you’re superstitious or not, it’s pretty much a given that you’re expected to incorporate something borrowed, blue, old, and new into your wedding day.
But what does any of it have to do with the wedding itself, let alone your future happiness?
Let’s take a look.
The Traditional Wedding Rhyme
Before we jump straight in, let’s pause for a moment to recall the well-known, traditional wedding rhyme. It goes like this:
- Something old,
- Something new,
- Something borrowed,
- Something blue,
- And a sixpence in your shoe.
We’re all heard it. Perhaps you’ve seen many people including it in their own wedding celebrations. But what does it really symbolise and how can you include it in your special day without it feeling outdated or out of place?
 |
Solitaire Diamond RingsFrom just £785 |
The History Behind the Rhyme
Weddings aren’t just a beautiful day of pretty dresses, padentry, and great food. They symbolically and legally bind the loved-up couple together. There are many elements within a wedding ceremony that are steeped in tradition and symbolism – none more so than the age-old rhyme.
So, let’s delve into the details to truly understand why we still incorporate these elements into wedding celebrations today. What does it all mean and why is the rhyme believed to hold such power over the success of a marriage?
Something Old
The ‘something old part’ of the rhyme represents the joining of families. As such, it means brides should include something old within the wedding, typically something old from someone special within her family.
How to Incorporate Something Old into Your Wedding Day
Incorporating ‘something old’ into your wedding day might include items such as:
- Old jewellery pieces from a loved one
- Old wedding rings
- A picture of a beloved family member in a locket or sewn into the bride’s dress
- A family heirloom
- A repurposed wedding dress
- A family veil
The ‘something old’ is often very personal and sentimental to the bride and/or groom and are a lovely way to honour family members, past and present.
Something New
This symbolises the start of a new chapter in the couple’s life and (hopefully) the happy future they will enjoy together. Traditionally, the ‘something new’ would be the bride’s wedding dress.
Today, more often than not, the ‘something new’ part of the wedding ceremony is the wedding rings themselves. It’s generally less common for couples to choose to wear their parents’ or grandparents’ wedding rings, with many couples keen to choose their own rings to tie the knot.
How to Incorporate Something New
For some people, the ‘something new’ provides a lovely opportunity for the groom to present a gift to the bride and/or her family. Many grooms choose to give the bride a piece of jewellery to mark their special day and some even purchase or make something special for the bridesmaids as a symbolic way of showing their appreciation for all the ways they’ve loved and supported the bride.
Other suggestions for incorporating something new into your wedding day include:
- Your interests (particular entertainment or decor, for example)
- Exchange gifts with your spouse before the ceremony
- New jewellery items (tennis bracelet, diamond earrings, or a new charm)
- A pretty hair piece
- And a Sixpence in Your Shoe
Something Borrowed
The ‘something borrowed’ part of the traditional rhyme is arguably the most superstitious. It originated from the idea that borrowing an item from a happily married couple would transfer their luck to the new couple.
Today, ‘something borrowed’ is often a sentimental piece from a loved one, sometimes a loved one who is no longer with us. It’s a great way to honour and remember those special people in your life while incorporating some part of them into your special day.
How to Incorporate Something Borrowed
It’s a wonderful tradition to include something borrowed in your wedding day and there are many ways you can do this, including:
- China and cutlery for the wedding reception
- Jewellery pieces that are particularly meaningful to you
- Wedding dress (perhaps your mum or your grandma’s wedding dress)
- A first dance song
Something Blue
The colour blue represents purity, love and fidelity. In the Catholic religion, it is often the colour associated with Mother Mary and therefore many brides traditionally wore blue wedding dresses rather than white.
In fact, according to The National Museum of Women in the Arts, “Deeply rooted in Catholic symbolism, the blue of her (Mary’s) cloak has been interpreted to represent the Virgin’s purity, symbolise the skies, and label her as an empress, for blue was associated with Byzantine royalty.”
What’s more, the Old English considered purity, love and fidelity to be the cornerstones of a strong and long-lasting marriage. Therefore, when a bride incorporated blue into her wedding day she was revered for upholding these beliefs and taking her marriage seriously.
How to Incorporate ‘Something Blue’ into Your Wedding Day
In today’s modern world, incorporating ‘something blue’ into your wedding day is a little more fun and interesting. Women choose many creative ways to incorporate blue into their wedding day, including:
- Bouquets
- Garters
- Shoes
- Jewellery
- Decor
- Cufflinks
- Napkin embroidery
Coloured gemstone engagement rings are also extremely popular and are a subtle yet beautiful way to incorporate this stunning colour on your special day.
The ‘and a sixpence in your shoe’ line was added to the rhyme in Victorian times when it was tradition for the father of the bride to place a sixpence into the bride’s shoe – her left shoe, to be precise. The sixpence symbolised good luck and prosperity and was meant to set the bride and groom in good stead for the start of their lives together.
Of course, this part of the famous rhyme has been fairly forgotten about, with many people having never heard it before. However, there are some people who choose to include it.
How to Incorporate a Sixpence
Today, the sixpence no longer exists so most people choose to use a penny instead. And rather than popping it into their shoe (because that seems pretty uncomfortable), they include a coin in the groom’s cufflinks or tie the coin to the ring bearer’s pillow. Coins are pretty small, so it’s easy to find creative ways to include them in your wedding day.
Final Words
We hope this article has given you a little more insight into the Something Blue rhyme and tradition. Although it’s an old rhyme, its symbolism still holds a lot of significance for weddings today and, as such, each element of the rhyme is often included in some way within the day.
Hopefully the ideas we’ve shared help inspire you with creative suggestions to include different parts of the rhyme into your special day so that you can have a long and happy marriage.
