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

Ahh, the cute little wedding saying that promises good luck to the bride in her marriage. She must indeed have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. I wasn't sure where this strange tradition came from, so like every good Generation Y-er, I went to Google. And I learned this:

The actual rhyme is:

Something old, something new

Something borrowed, something blue

And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

Ahhh I forgot the sixpence! But there was a great explanation that followed.
"Each item in the poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy."

Right, I knew that.

 "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past.

So something old comes from my family...I don't want my mom's wedding dress or veil (sorry mom. It's just not my style.) And I could carry an old Bible that my grandma gave me at my baptism, but I didn't even want a bouquet 'cause I didn't want my hands to be full. Besides, Erika will have to hold all of that anyway. Maybe old bobbi pins would work? That would relate to the family business and will be an essential part of the day.

"Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead.

Doesn't the wedding dress kind of cover this one? And my wedding band? And shoes? And jewelry?

"Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family."


Oh how sweet. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. I'm already afraid of the borrowed item that I know will be coming my way. It's been passed between both sides of my family. I know that this "borrowed" item is not allowed to be returned to the borrowee. I can only hope that someone gets married shortly after me so they can "borrow" it.

"Blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."

Looks like we picked a pretty darn good color for the wedding. Unfortunately blue underwear are going to show through my ivory dress. Blue ribbon on the flowers? Can Chris just wear a blue tie and we'll say its good?

And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a Scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. A sixpence is a coin that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and worth six pennies.

Fabulous. I will be six pennies richer. However, put a penny in your shoe for the day and let me know how that feels. I can only imagine that it gets wedged in between your pinkie toe and the little piggy that didn't get any roast beef. And what's with the left shoe? Really, the left shoe is the lucky shoe? I have a bunion on that foot. The last thing I need is to be shoving a sixpence in my shoe. And where do you get a sixpence in America? I'd probably have to spend $5 on a sixpence at some bridal store. The sixpence ain't happenin'.

I think I'm going to make my life easier and throw this tradition right out the window. It's not the first time I've done it. I'm seeing Chris before the ceremony, people WILL NOT stand when I walk down the isle and there will be no first dance. So what the heck? Let's get rid of this one and I don't have to worry about finding a sixpence, jamming it in my shoe, or trying to scrounge up something old for me to cling to along with my bouquet.

And what if the rhyme had been switched around? Any number of people could have changed it over the years. Then we would have to have something new, something old, something borrowed...something cold?