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Old, New, Borrowed, Blue ... What's a Sixpence?

 

Weeding Dresses and Traditions

 

Something olde, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe is the popular old English rhyme dating back to Victorian times. 

 

Even in today's fast paced cyberworld, the wishes haven't changed all that much. Something Old represents the ties between the bride, her family and the life she's leaving behind. This token of love is often a family memento, jewelry or heirloom. Moving away from her childhood or old life with Something New represents stepping into a new life together as a couple with her chosen Groom. Weeding dresses or rings often represent Something New.

 

Something Borrowed is a lucky token shared from a happily married friend meant to bring similar happiness to her marriage. Others believe it stood as a reminder to her that family and friends would always be there when she was in need of help. 

 

Something Blue represented fidelity and constancy. Blue has long been the color of purity and loyalty, even being a common color for weeding dresses in the 1800s. This blue token is often the brides garter or ribbons.

 

And a Silver Sixpence in her Shoe today is most often a copper penny to bring wealth and prosperity. And remember to place it in your left shoe to bring the luck's best value. This luck is believed to have originated from a Scottish tradition for grooms to place a silver coin under his foot for luck. 

 

The sixpence was a British coin minted used in the British Empire beginning 1551. The last year of use was 1967. It's worth six pennies, hence six pence. Maryland also minted them during the same time period. There were some years when no sixpences were minted.

 

During the middle ages it was believed evil spirits were most active during rites of passage, such as a wedding. They would do anything to ward off misfortunes by having good luck charms, often giving a lucky coin to keep the bride and groom safe. It was the custom for the Lord of the Manor to given his bride a piece of silver as a wedding gift during the 1600s. Later it became tradition to include a sixpence in the brides dowry.

 

There are many styles of weeding dresses on bridalonlinestore.com.