Unique Ideas for Somethings Old, New, Borrowed, or Blue

The old English bridal rhyme for good luck goes like this:

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,

and a silver sixpence in her shoe.

Typically, the brides' friends and family give these things to the bride just before she walks down the aisle, but there's no reason that you can't buy each of these on your own. Each bride's journey to her wedding day is unique, so why do we feel like our "old, new, borrowed, and blue" pieces need to be exactly the same as someone else's? Well, here are a few unique ideas so that your wedding can be as unique as you and your groom.

Something Old

Something old is supposed to represent continuity. That's why most brides get something like a family heirloom from a long family line. The older the item, supposedly the longer the relationship will last. If your family doesn't have any heirloom items, this one can feel a little difficult. Maybe have your groom buy you a vintage ring set, or find an old hair pin online. One of my favorite ideas is to gather pictures of your family on their wedding days and put them in small frames, then attach them to your bouquet. Or even pictures of loved ones who have passed incorporated in the same way. If you'd like to add a little old Hollywood style to your wedding, consider leaving your wedding in a classic car! So classy.

Something New

This one represents optimism for the future. Some brides use their wedding ring or their dress as their "new" thing because it's the perfect representation of optimism for your future. What about changing things up a little and investing in a beautiful pair of shoes that you can wear over and over again. What better way to show your optimism than with something you can use for years to come. Maybe you want "new" to mean something less tangible. Maybe it's a new concept that no one you know has done, like instead of a guest book, having guests sign the matting on a portrait of the two of you or something equally unique. You can even make a signature cocktail for your event; it could even be your something blue!

Something Borrowed

Something borrowed is my favorite because it's borrowed happiness. Traditionally, a bride would ask the couple she sees as happiest for something to borrow for her wedding. You don't have to borrow an actual item if you don't want to. Borrowing ideas from another couple's wedding is a great way to use this custom in a fun way. Maybe a wedding song or an idea for one of these other elements. If you'd like to borrow an physical item, I love the idea of borrowing wedding rings from loved ones to tie around you bouquet or even borrowing wedding china to use on your sweetheart table. If you're in a sorority, like I am, wearing your sorority badge is a tradition on your wedding day, but borrowing badges from your sisters and sticking them to your bouquet can bring a little bit of that side of your life to your wedding day.

Something Blue

Blue represents purity, fidelity, and love. Most brides usually find a blue garter or blue jewelry to follow this guideline. So a modern alternative could be a handkerchief with blue stitching to keep your eyes dry. But what about incorporating something to your dress? Maybe stitching your wedding date into the hemline, take an old blue shirt of your groom's (or from a deceased family member's) and cut out a heart to stitch into the inside of your gown over your own heart, using a beautiful blue fabric to line the underside of your gown (like this design from Christian Dior), or even replacing the white tulle with blue, as a little secret pop of color.

And A Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe

Most people forget this side of the old rhyme, as it's typically an English tradition, but apparently the father of the bride is supposed to slip a silver sixpence in his daughter's left shoe just before she walks down the aisle to foster prosperity and good fortune in the couple. Some people have even adapted this to where the bride's mother sets a gold coin in the bride's right shoe to balance it out. Now, walking down the aisle with a coin in your shoe can obviously be painful, and finding a silver sixpence can be difficult. So a modern change could be using a penny instead. If you can find a silver sixpence, maybe an antiques store or online, I've found an adorable pin, called a kilt pin, that you can make yourself with a large safety pin, that has a sixpence attached so that it's not in your shoe, but maybe pinned on the inside of the skirt of your dress.

Whether or not you follow this superstition, you have to agree that it's sometimes fun to follow these funny little rules. Let us know how you plan on incorporating different wedding traditions on our Facebook page!