We all know the saying “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” But did you know this long-standing tradition for brides stems from an Old English rhyme? It that starts the same, but ends with “and a sixpence in your shoe”. Wedding trivia is kind of my thing. JK I totally Googled that. Anyways, over the summer, I’ll be sharing some of my best ideas for each of these good luck charms. First up? Something old, which represents continuity or a link with the past.
1.) Take the rhyme literally and wear a penny from an important year in your life in your shoe. Back in 1983 when my mom got married, she wore a penny from that year in hers. Luckily, she’s kept that same penny ever since then. I was able to wear it in my shoe when I got married in 2013, along with a penny from that year. I’m hoping this tradition will continue with my own daughter one day!
2.) Scour one of the city’s cool vintage stores for a throwback dress to wear at your rehearsal dinner.
3.) Take a page out of Lindsay and Tim’s book and rent an old classic vehicle to use as your getaway car at the end of the night or to transport you from the ceremony to the reception.
4.) Share a reading from a classic piece of literature at your ceremony. Think Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, and poets like William Blake or John Keats.
5.) Have a handkerchief made from your baptism or christening dress and use it to dry your happy tears throughout the day.
6.) Collect all sorts of vintage brooches and have them made into a one-of-a-kind bridal bouquet. My sister did this very thing when she got hitched. We hit up flea markets, thrift stores, and even Ebay for months, collecting all the pins we could find. We then recruited the help of a jewelry-making friend for the actual assembly.
7.) Some kids have blankies, some have stuffed animals, some (like me) have pillows. If you’re in the same club, you could have your childhood favorite made into a smaller version for your ring bearer to carry down the aisle. BONUS TIP! Don’t actually tie the rings to it though! Keep those safe by putting the best man in charge.
8.) Use the champagne flutes or cake knives your parents or grandparents used at their wedding. My BFFs Ashly and Sean decorated their wedding cake with the same topper used at Ashly’s great grandparents’ wedding in 1937. ANOTHER BONUS TIP! It could double at your something borrowed!
9.) Wear a special piece of jewelry that has been in your family for generations. Your grandmother’s wedding ring on your right hand, a great aunt’s string of pearls around your neck, or even have your new hubby carry your grandfather’s pocket watch.
10.) Sew pieces of your mom’s wedding dress into your own, like Heather did when she wed Zach. Or better yet, wear your mom’s dress! Stephanie (I’m sure you remember her EPIC engagement shoot!) did something similar that literally blew me away. She took her mom’s wedding dress, modernized it a bit with the help of Burgh Brides Vendor Guide member Clarissa Boutique, and wore it to her rehearsal. The two went to each fitting and customization together, and the whole process became a sweet bonding experience for them. It really is one of the sweetest ideas I’ve ever heard of. Thanks to Stephanie for sharing the photos!
Are you carrying on the Something Old tradition? What will yours be? Share other ideas below and keep your eyes peeled for more new, borrowed, and blue ideas coming soon!
