This well known little rhyme originated during Victorian times and is still commonly practiced nowadays for good luck. Traditionally, the "old" would have been the garter of a happily married woman, which is given to the bride with the thought that her good fortune would be passed down along with it. The "old" also signifies the couple's friends will stay with them. The "old" also symbolizes the bride's connection to her past - a sense of family, continuity and tradition.
"Something new" symbolises the newlyweds' happy and prosperous future.
"Something borrowed" is usually a much valued item from the bride's family or a dear friend. It symbolizes prosperity within the new union. Something borrowed also reminds the bride that family and friends will always be there for her. It must be returned to ensure good luck. Borrow something from a happily married friend or family to wish your married life will mirror the happiness in her marriage.
"Something blue" comes from an ancient Israeli tradition in which the bride wears a blue ribbon in her hair as a symbol of her fidelity. Blue represents faithfulness, fidelity and constancy.
A silver sixpence in the bride's shoe is to ensure wealth in the couple's life. It symbolizes the promise of a lifetime of joy, a lifetime of good health, happiness, wealth, fortune, and wedded bliss the newlywed couple. The sixpence first became known as a lucky coin when introduced by king Edward VI of England in 1551. It later became part of bridal wedding traditions in the Victorian era. In 17th century England, the sixpence was part of the bride's dowry gift to the groom. A sixpence is a symbol of good luck. The sixpence coin is no longer being minted nor in circulation - the last sixpence was minted under Queen Elizabeth in 1967. Today some brides substitute a penny in their shoe during the ceremony as silver sixpences are less common.
Wedding Dress
It is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding dress.
It is also unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before until she arrives at the ceremony.
The bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stich on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony when the outfit is completed.
The colour of the brides wedding dress too had its own significance. The Romans and the Greeks wore white wedding dresses and, contrary to popular belief, that white was worn as a sign of virginity and purity, they were worn more as a sign of joy.
The tradition for the bride to wear white began in the beginning of the 16th century as a symbol of the bride's purity and worthiness of her groom. In 1499, Anne of Brittany wore a white wedding gown to marry Louis XII of France. Prior to this, most bride wore yellow or red.
Since the early Romans, white has symbolized a joyful celebration. A white gown also symbolizes purity. The tradition of the white wedding gown became solidified during the time of Queen Victoria who rebelled against the royal tradition for royal brides to wear silver. She preferred the symbolism expressed by wearing white.
Since the early Romans, white has symbolized a joyful celebration. A white gown also symbolizes purity. The tradition of the white wedding gown became solidified during the time of Queen Victoria who rebelled against the royal tradition for royal brides to wear silver. She preferred the symbolism expressed by wearing white.
In biblical times, a blue dress symbolized purity.
A green dress is thought to be unlucky unless the bride is Irish. The old expression that a woman has a "green gown" was used to imply promiscuity, the green meant she had been rolling in grassy fields with other men.
There was a well known rhyme which no doubt would have influenced many a bride as to the colour she should choose for her wedding dress.
Married in White, you have chosen right
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Blue, you will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Brown, you will live in the town,
Married in Pink, you spirit will sink.
Today’s bride however isn’t so influenced by the rhyme as her predecessors were. The very common dress color is white while there are some who also started using different colors of their preference.
The Veil
The wedding veil is thought to have two possible reasons for its incarnation. The first could have been due to ward off evil spirits which would attempt to spoil the day.
The other possibility could have been down to the Romans who were keen on arranged marriage. In these times it was customary for the bride to be covered from head to toe on her wedding day. This was to prevent the groom from seeing his bride until the ceremony was complete, after which either the father of the bride, or the groom, would lift the brides veil.
The other possibility could have been down to the Romans who were keen on arranged marriage. In these times it was customary for the bride to be covered from head to toe on her wedding day. This was to prevent the groom from seeing his bride until the ceremony was complete, after which either the father of the bride, or the groom, would lift the brides veil.
The veil became popular in Britain in the eighteen hundreds. In this country it is associated with modesty and chastity.
In some Eastern ceremonies the bride is veiled and the groom is not allowed to see the bride's face until after the wedding ceremony.
In some Jewish weddings there is a ritual where the groom ensures that the bride is his intended before placing the veil over her face.
The Garter
The wedding garter is an essential wedding accessory to any bride. It was used to hold up her stockings and she would toss it to the male guests and the luck man who caught it would then in turn would present it to the lady of their choice in the hope they might marry the following year.
The garter tradition originated back to the 14th century. In parts of Europe the guests of the bride and groom believed having a piece of the bride’s clothing was thought to bring good luck. They would actually destroy the brides dress by ripping off pieces of fabric. Obviously, this tradition did not sit well with the bride, so she began throwing various items to the guests – the garter being one of them. It became customary for the bride to toss the garter to the men. But this also caused a great problem for the bride….sometimes the men would get drunk, become impatient and try to remove the garter ahead of time. Therefore, the custom derived at having the groom remove and toss the garter to the men. With this change, the bride began to toss the bridal boutique to the unwed girls who were eligible for marriage.
Another interesting custom dated back to the ancient times where the wedding garter represented the virginal girdle. When the groom removed the garter from the bride, this represented the bride’s relinquishment of her virginity.
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