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Weddings, and in fact many other types of ceremony, often include traditions to help commemorate and celebrate. They can range from a little thing like wearing grandma’s wedding ring, all the way to dictating how the ceremony is held and run.
One such tradition has become very well known for weddings, and that’s “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”.
According to Readers Digest https://www.rd.com/culture/something-old/ , this tradition comes from an Old English rhyme. Something old represents continuity; something new offers optimism for the future; something borrowed symbolizes borrowed happiness; something blue stands for purity, love and fidelity.
The tradition itself is said to be a Victorian-era rhyme that came out of the English county Lancashire. At the time, “Something blue” was usually a garter, and the blue and old items protected the bride against the Evil Eye – A curse passed through a malicious glare that could make the bride infertile. “Something borrowed” was preferably the undergarment of a woman who already had children. Legend says that wearing this would confuse the Evil Eye into thinking the bride was already fertile, and the curse would be thwarted. Also, if you’re wondering, this is why brides stand on the left at weddings.
These special items have taken on slightly different meanings today, but their symbolism is still important for brides on their special day. A modern interpretation is that “something old” stands for continuity; “something new” shows optimism for the future; “something borrowed” symbolizes borrowed happiness; and “something blue” represents purity, love, and fidelity.
What types of traditions will you observe, if any, at your wedding?
Chris, Celebrant
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