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

Wedding traditions. There are lots of wedding traditions which brides, grooms and guests follow without necessarily knowing why. I've been doing a little research into some of these traditions and want to pass on what I've found out.

Perhaps the first things a bride thinks of when she's thinking of what she'll need for the wedding revolves around the saying "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe". This saying is thought to date back to the Victorian period. "Something old" represents the links to the brides family and the bride will often wear something given to her by a parent or grandparent (jewellery, garter, part of a mother or grandmothers wedding dress). "Something new" represents the new beginning the bride is about to take with her partner. It is often the wedding dress which is classed as the "new" something. "Something borrowed" represents the relationship with friends and family; a reminder to a bride that they are there for her. The borrowed item must be returned however! "Something blue" represents faithfulness, purity and loyalty in the relationship. Often a bride will wear a blue garter as her "something blue". "A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe" represents the brides wealth in her married life.

I absolutely adore the idea of having an embroidered or fabric heart sewn inside the breast of the wedding dress.

Tying shoes (and tins) onto the back of the newly weds car is a slightly odd tradition. Tying shoes to the back of the car comes from Tudor times when shoes would be thrown at the couple; if their carriage was hit it was thought to be good luck! In the past there have been a number of customs involving shoes which were thought to bring good luck. The father of the bride can give the groom a pair of the brides shoes as a symbol of the responsibility of the bride passing over to another man; this is thought to come from the Egyptians. The tins were added as the noise was thought to ward off evil spirits.

The day of the wedding used to be very important. Each day having a different meaning. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were the favored days to get married with Thursday Friday and Saturday being thought unlucky. There was a saying to explain these days;

Monday for wealth
Tuesday for health
Wednesday the best day of all
Thursday for losses
Friday for crosses
Saturday for no luck at all

There is a similar type of rhyme with advice on which month to marry;

Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden and for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.
Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.
Marry in May and you'll live to rue the day.

May is thought an unlucky month to many as in the Roman times the festival of the dead and the festival of the goddess of chastity were in May. The month of June was thought lucky as it is named after the Roman goddess of love, Juno.