The color blue is traditionally associated with purity, love, and fidelity, and was popular before the white wedding dress trend. It was meant to “baffle the evil eye,” as seen in the poem “Something Blue.” The bride’s garter, blue jewelry, or blue ribbon can be given by family members or purchased by the bride herself. This tradition brings good fortune and happiness to the marriage and is believed to be a Western wedding tradition.
The bride’s “something blue” can be given by her mother, sister, or even the bride herself. The items are typically collected from women in the bride’s family or friends who have had a lifestyle that has been influenced by the bride’s past. Some examples of what brides wear include a blue bouquet, blue shoes, blue earrings, signature cocktails, and blue wedding favors.
Something blue can also be worn by the bride’s parents or close female relatives, as well as by the bride herself. For example, a blue bouquet can symbolize the bride’s commitment to her partner and her long line of family and friends who have supported her through thick and thin.
The “something blue” can also be used as a symbol of continuity, optimism for the future, borrowed happiness, and purity. Today, brides have the freedom to choose who gives them their “something blue” or source it themselves. The “something blue” is a charming and sentimental aspect of weddings, and it holds personal significance.
Bridesmaids can also wear blue and act as the bride’s “something blue,” wearing blue hair, manicures, and old family photographs. The “something blue” can be interpreted in many ways, such as from a family member or a friend of the bride who is happily married.
📹 Something Old New Borrowed Blue Ideas
Need some ideas? Watch this! Tell me what your Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue was for …
What is the something blue wedding rule?
So what do the sayings mean? Something old signifies continuity; something new suggests optimism for the future; something borrowed represents borrowed happiness and something blue stands for love and fidelity. Blue has actually been connected to weddings for centuries – in ancient Rome for example, brides wore blue to symbolise the same values.If you are wondering what items you should chose, then the 1898 folklore suggests the something blue should be a garter. This is a key component of a brides wedding day attire, and should be plucked off by the groom and tossed to all the single men at the reception, before the bride performs the bouquet toss.
This tradition stemmed from hundreds of years ago when it was believed that owning a piece of the wedding dress would bring good luck, leading to wedding guests almost attacking the bride to rip off a piece of her gown. It was this that led brides to wearing garters to be given out as the lucky piece. Another belief was that the garter was a symbol of the newlyweds consummating their marriage. Again according the Victorian rhyme, something borrowed should be the undergarment of a woman who has been blessed with children, which communicates fertility to the bride.
Of course, there are plenty of new takes on the traditional objects and each small personal treasure should be unique to each bride, but here are a few ideas if you are short of inspiration:
What is the saying for a bride something borrowed something blue?
What is the Saying Something Borrowed Something Blue?. “Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe.” This is the full Old English rhyme, each “something” representing well wishes offered by friends and family on a couples wedding day. Its essentially a recipe card for your marital success, and the list of ingredients is worn by the bride to ensure that future happiness.
What Does the Saying Something Old Something New Something Borrowed Something Blue Mean?. Like breaking a bottle of champagne off the bow of a ship, the “something borrowed” rhyme is a superstitious send-off, hoping those soon-to-be-wed have a bon voyage in their marriage. Theres a specific meaning attached to each of the mementos, and we get into the purpose suggested by that mythical lore in a bit. Somehow the keepsakes were carried with the bride down the aisle (in her dress, bouquet, veil, jewelry, etc)., offering a line of defense to the happy couple.
Who Gives the Bride Something Borrowed Something Blue?. It was customary for the women in a brides life to gift her the pieces of the poem. It was meant to pass along the fortune and fidelity of their marriages, like if happiness was an heirloom. But you can put your own twist on these good luck charms, including who gives them to you. It can be a romantic gesture for the couple to offer each other the trinkets as a toast to their belief in their abilities to make their own luck.
Who gives the bride something new something blue?
Who usually gives the bride something old, new, borrowed, and blue?. Traditionally, these objects are cobbled together from female relatives and friends. But again, there are no hard and fast rules here. Something old could be a vintage getaway car, something blue could be the bouquet, and something new could be a gift from the soon-to-be spouse or the bride herself!
This is an opportunity to get creative with subtle throwback touches, like wearing a piece of vintage jewelry or incorporating some fabric from the brides moms wedding gown into her own. (For inspiration, check out these pics of Paige trying on Rees wedding gown from 1996!) Many brides also use their something old item to pay tribute to lost loved ones, like by tucking an old photo into a locket or bouquet as a reminder of someone who is with them in spirit.
Something new ideas:. Now for the easy part! Any special new item the bride has bought or received as a gift to wear for the first time on the big day can count as something new. Think: the wedding band, a pair of comfortable wedding shoes, a pretty hairpiece, or even the wedding gown.
What do you give a bride for something borrowed?
Something OldVintage wedding rings.Antique engagement rings.A brooch, pin, or watch that has been passed down in a family.The wedding dress itself may have been handed down.Fabric sewn into something like the veil or handkerchief.Photos of departed relatives in a locket.A cake topper.A classic poem or letter.
In 1871, St. James’ Magazine published a story where a bride says, “On the wedding day, I must ‘wear something new, something borrowed, something blue’.” Later versions updated it to five things a bride should wear: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in her shoe.
The custom, still strong today, says the women in a bride’s life should gift her with these items. Each of the five items has symbolic meaning and are said to bring luck, love, family, and prosperity to the new marriage. Many say each trinket is also there to ward off evil and those wishing harm to the new couple.
With that in mind, we bring you a list of ideas for each “something” that you can give a new bride.
What to give a bride for something borrowed?
Ideas for “Something Borrowed”: Wedding dress, veil or tie from a parent or grandparent. Heirloom accessories such as a necklace, earrings, hair comb, or tiara. Perfume or cologne.
In 1871, St. James’ Magazine published a story where a bride says, “On the wedding day, I must ‘wear something new, something borrowed, something blue’.” Later versions updated it to five things a bride should wear: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in her shoe.
The custom, still strong today, says the women in a bride’s life should gift her with these items. Each of the five items has symbolic meaning and are said to bring luck, love, family, and prosperity to the new marriage. Many say each trinket is also there to ward off evil and those wishing harm to the new couple.
With that in mind, we bring you a list of ideas for each “something” that you can give a new bride.
Can bridesmaids be something blue?
Theres no rule that says it has to be the bride that wears blue. Its increasingly popular now for brides to give this job to their bridesmaids, and some even go as far as creating a blue crew or picking out guests that they ask to wear blue at the wedding.
Do blue bridesmaid dresses count?. If youre still undecided on the colour theme for your wedding or youve been considering blue for a while now, then this could be the deciding factor. Who better to bring you good luck on your big day than your bridesmaids in blue dresses?
Blue is a particularly adaptable colour, from darker shades like navy through to cornflower and pastel blues. There is something to suit every style of wedding and season – in fact, you might even have difficulty narrowing it down. Weve picked some of the top blue bridesmaid dresses from our collection to help you choose.
Do brides still do something old something new?
While the evil eye is a thing of the past, something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue can be an entertaining tradition to follow at your wedding in whatever way works for you. Have fun with it as you put the finishing touches on your special day.
Is the bride supposed to wear something blue?
Its a Western wedding tradition treated with almost dogmatic certainty: in her bridal trousseau, a bride must have “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” When Kate Middleton walked down the aisle, she did so wearing her engagement ring from the 1980s, a custom pair of acorn earrings gifted from her parents, a tiara belonging to the Queen, and with a blue ribbon sewed into her dress. Beyoncé, meanwhile, is said to have had a cobalt manicure during her ceremony to Jay Z, whereas the fictional Carrie Bradshaw wore a pair of royal blue Manolo Blahniks for her wedding to Mr. Big. And even as marriage and its accompanying rituals grow less conventional as a whole—the bouquet toss, for example, is largely becoming a thing of the past—”something old” is, well, also something thats staying.
There is no authoritative origin story for the rhyme. It did, however, begin appearing in formal English literature from the 1870s onward. Mary Greenleaf Darling referenced it in her explosively popular book, Battles at Home, which was serialized in an 1870 issue of the Boston-based childrens magazine Merrys Museum. (Fun fact: Louisa May Alcott was the publications editor.) In it, a young girl breathlessly tells her sister that she must tuck a blue bow into her dress before she marries a wounded soldier: Brides, you know, must always wear ‘something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue; so I found this bow of mine at the last moment, and we can each wear it in turn after you, Sue,” she says.
A year later, in a humorous essay titled “Marriage Superstitions, and the Miseries of a Bride Elect” for St. James magazine, a bride-to-be laments the absurdity of this wardrobe demand: “On the wedding day I must ‘wear something new, something borrowed, something blue. The first is easy enough—a matter of course. The second is not difficult, as many dear devoted friends are so charmed to have a finger in the wedding pie, by doing the uncle business, lending (but without interest). For the blue there is only one resource, as one has to be draped in virgin white, and therefore ‘Honi soi qui mal y pense.” (The Anglo-Norman phrase roughly translates as “shame on anyone who thinks evil of it,” and is most likely a tongue-in-cheek nod to the fact that “something blue” was usually a garter. )
Can someone be your something blue?
Theres no rule that says it has to be the bride that wears blue. Its increasingly popular now for brides to give this job to their bridesmaids, and some even go as far as creating a blue crew or picking out guests that they ask to wear blue at the wedding.
Do blue bridesmaid dresses count?. If youre still undecided on the colour theme for your wedding or youve been considering blue for a while now, then this could be the deciding factor. Who better to bring you good luck on your big day than your bridesmaids in blue dresses?
Blue is a particularly adaptable colour, from darker shades like navy through to cornflower and pastel blues. There is something to suit every style of wedding and season – in fact, you might even have difficulty narrowing it down. Weve picked some of the top blue bridesmaid dresses from our collection to help you choose.
Can a person be something blue in a wedding?
Your something blue doesnt have to be worn by a bridesmaid. A growing number of brides are asking guests to wear something blue, including their grandparents or even a friend who didnt quite make the cut when they were picking their bridesmaids.
You dont have to go all out with a full blue crew, but selecting one or two people is a great way of including someone and making them feel special. And dont forget about your groomsmen – a blue tie or pocket square would work just as well.
Including something blue in your big day. When it comes to this traditional rhyme, our advice is not to get caught up in finding things to fit the bill. The more time you spend worrying about it, the more likely it is that youll be your something blue on the big day. Dressing your bridesmaids in blue is a great way of ticking this box, but, more importantly, its also a beautiful colour.
Can friends be your something blue?
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue! Ask one friend to wear something in a shade of blue as a token of your friendship. Make sure the officiant or other member of the party acknowledges the role of this special friend for all guests to appreciate their blue gown or suit.
A musically gifted friend could offer a song during the ceremony or reception that holds meaning for you as a couple.
Ask a friend to be in charge of the guest book or a unique guest book alternative, like wood wall art or a Polaroid photo guest book. That gives them a special role while making sure you have a record of all guests in attendance.
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