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Thursday, April 28, 2011
Will Kate Middleton Honor the Wedding Traditions of Old?
9:39 AM | 
Posted by
Sophisticated Stationery |
With all the excitement of the Royal Wedding, it got me thinking about that old rhyme:
“Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue,
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.”
I wonder with all the hype of the Royal Wedding if Kate and Will had the opportunity to plan a wedding with these traditions in mind. After all, this old rhyme about the bride's wedding attire dates back to jolly old England and the Victorian era. The items were meant to be good luck tokens for the bride and groom and each one holds a special meaning.
Something Old
The “something old” represents to the bride a tie to her family and her old life. Whether it is your grandmother’s strand of pearls, your mom’s wedding dress or pieces of lace from it sewn into the hem of the bride’s dress or made into a handkerchief to carry, the something old is a subtle reminder of the closeness of family and the ties that bind.
Something New
“Something new” is symbolic of the success and good fortune a bride will find in her new life with her husband. The wedding dress or a special piece of jewelry can easily be the something new for the bride. The new item represents the hope and optimism every bride feels on her wedding day.
Something Borrowed
The “something borrowed” is an item the bride asks to borrow from someone special in her life who enjoys a long and happy marriage. The item is meant to bring good luck to the marriage of the young couple. Ask your mom or grandmother to borrow her pearl earrings or diamond bracelet. Maybe your aunt had a beautiful handkerchief she carried with her bouquet that you can borrow. The borrowed item will also be a reminder that you can always depend on friends and family.
Something Blue
The color blue has represented purity, fidelity, love and modesty since Biblical times. The Virgin Mary is often portrayed in blue robes and before the 19th century wedding gowns were commonly blue. The tradition evolved to a blue band around the hem of the wedding dress and today many brides chose a blue garter or a blue ribbon to wear on her wedding day. There is also a lovely selection of blue shoes a bride can chose from to represent the “something blue.”
A Silver Sixpence
A silver sixpence is a silver coin that amounted to six pennies. The last silver sixpences were minted in England in 1967 but there are many companies out there who can provide a replica for you. The sixpence was to be worn in the left shoe and was meant to bring wealth and prosperity to the bride and groom. Many brides today will use any silver coin and a popular southern tradition is to use a copper penny from the year the bride was born. After the wedding she has the penny turned into a charm to be worn on a bracelet. Either way you chose to represent “a silver sixpence in her shoe” will be a charming token to remember your special day.
The rhyme of old is a charming tradition and a fun way to carry out the wedding plans but every bride and groom needs to remember that the key to a long and happy marriage has nothing to do with luck! It’s hard work to stay married and is a choice from the beginning. Stay true to the love you feel and commit to it. Truly blessed marriages are about communication and determination not luck. My grandmother told me a long time ago “never go to bed angry and always kiss good night”. She was happily married for 58 years when she died and my mom and dad enjoyed 48 years of marriage. My husband and I follow the advice and have been together now for 24 years – maybe there’s something to it! So Kate and Will, I hope you have a long and blessed marriage, one where you can honor traditions of old and make some new ones yourselves.Check out http://www.sophisticatedstationery.com/ for more wedding ideas and beautiful invitations.
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