something old, something new

So I know pretty much everyone has heard the little chant/poem for brides’ about getting married.  I’ve always found it a curious saying and with so many of my friends married, getting married, just married, etc. I’d also heard about a sixpence that’s supposed to go in a shoe but no one I knew of knew what it meant.  So I got curious about it and googled it.  Here’s one I found that was pretty cool.

Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

A sixpence is a coin that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and worth six pennies. So this wedding tradition is definitely English, and many sources say that it began in the Victorian era.

Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride’s family and the past. "Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride’s new life ahead. "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.

As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."

And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride’s shoe represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a Scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings.

And here’s another:

This good luck saying dates back to Victorian times and many brides try to arrange their wedding attire accordingly. 

Something Old represents the link with the bride’s family and the past. Many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewelry or a mother’s or grandmother’s wedding gown or handkerchief (see above).

Something New represents good fortune and success and her hopes for a bright future in her new life. The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item. 

Something Borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when help is needed. "Borrowing" is especially important, since it is to come from a happily married woman, thereby lending the bride some of her own marital bliss to carry into the new union. 

Something Blue is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. Often the blue item is the garter. Brides of ancient Israel wore blue ribbons on the border of their wedding cloths to denote, love, modesty and fidelity.  These are ideals still associated today with that color.  Blue also denotes the purity of the Virgin Mary and is the most popular of all colors. In ancient Israel brides wore a blue ribbon in their hair to symbolize their fidelity

A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe is to wish the bride wealth. Some brides still place a penny in their shoe during the marriage ceremony. 

~*~*~Blessed Be~*~*~