Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

This is a good luck saying which dates back to the Victorian era and many brides will try and ensure that they have something of each in their wedding outfit. Brides have been honouring the tradition of wearing an old, a new, a borrowed and a blue item during their wedding for centuries. Although wearing these items is supposed to symbolise good luck for the bride, they are also just a fun tradition that gives the bride an opportunity to express her admiration for a few special people in her life on her special day.

Something Old is meant to represent the link with the bride's own family and the past particularly mother or grandmother or even most distant relations. Something old is symbolic of continuity. To symbolise this link brides may choose to wear a piece of antique family jewellery which belonged to the relative. Alternatively they may select something from the mother's or grandmother's wedding gown. Other things that may be chosen include a handkerchief, a scarf or a piece of lace.

Something New represents good luck and success and the brides hopes for a bright future in her new married life. The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item but it could be anything that is purchased new for the wedding such as the wedding flowers or the wedding rings. Wearing a new item on your wedding day conveys the message that you and your husband are creating a new union that will endure forever.

Something Borrowed is to represent to the bride that friends and family will be there for her on the special day and in the future when help is needed. "Borrowing" is especially important, since it has to come from a happily married woman, thereby lending the bride some of her own marital happiness to carry into the new marriage. Anything can be borrowed but it must be returned afterwards. Another way to incorporate a borrowed item into your wedding day attire is to borrow a friend’s piece of jewellery. If you have a close friend who has worn the same necklace for as long as you have known her, you might consider borrowing this particular necklace for your wedding day as a reminder of your friendship. Perhaps she wore the necklace on her own wedding day.

Something Blue in ancient times is the symbol of faithfulness, purity and loyalty. Often a blue item is the garter and in olden times the couple wore blue bands on the border of their wedding attire to denote, love, modesty and fidelity. Another way to wear something blue is to include a blue flower in your headdress or theme your wedding flowers in blue.