The origination of this popular wedding phrase is familiar to some, but for those who don’t know where it came from, you may find this interesting. The often unquoted last line of the traditional bridal saying offers a clue at its origin. The phrase in its entirety is:
“Something old, something new, something borrowed,
Something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe.”
A sixpence is a silver coin and has a value of six pennies. I researched and discovered that the sixpence was minted in Britain from 1551 to as recently as 1967, indicating that the tradition of the bride wearing something old, something new, etc., is English. Many sources say that this began during the Victorian era. It is said in this poem, that each item represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all five of these items on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. (Yep, ladies, that’s all it takes!) The fifth item, the sixpence, may be tough to find; a possible reason why many brides have only paid attention to the first four, aside from the fact, that if you are like me, I didn’t know about that little British coin for the shoe.
“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.
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, associating purity with this color. Before the late 19th century, blue was the traditional color for the wedding dress. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria wed Prince Albert in 1840 that white became to symbolize the purity of a bride. The new tradition of white dress purity began with the Victorian Era and this fairly new tradition continues today.
Jana Norrell/901-335-0200
