On your wedding checklist you are likely to see “something borrowed, something blue…” This saying is common for traditional weddings and originates from an Old English rhyme that refers to having certain items as symbols of good luck.
According to theknot, “Something old represents continuity; something new offers optimism for the future; something borrowed symbolizes borrowed happiness; something blue stands for purity, love, and fidelity; and a sixpence in your shoe is a wish for good fortune and prosperity”.
For most brides, tweaking traditions are a thing of the “now”. With so many ideas out there, it’s the perfect opportunity to artfully weave your lucky charms into the ceremony to ensure you feel complete when you say “I do”.Before deciding how you would like to incorporate these small traditional items, discuss options with your mother, mother-in-law, and bridesmaids, they may have some crafty ideas on how to add a touch of sentimentality to your wedding day. Divide responsibilities amongst them, by allocating certain items to certain people. You mother may want to bestow something borrowed and the bridesmaids may want to take responsibility for one of the others and vice versa.When it comes to uniqueness, the symbol you are likely to have the most fun thinking up, is your something blue. From the weddings of real brides, here are some inspirational ways to incorporate this item into your wedding.
Zwelisha Giampetri, a Multimedia Designer, said, “Our wedding was unconventional but, funnily, it literally worked out that I had something old, something new, something borrowed and two items that were blue. In addition to making a bold choice of painting my nails electric blue (I still have the nail polish bottle and have only used it once), I also borrowed something that was blue – a beautiful pair of shoes belonging to my mom, which she had bought in London.”
“I incorporated my “blue” into quite a few features. I had blue ribbon on the bouquet which matched my bridesmaid’s dresses and groomsmen boutonnières,” commented Kyro Brower, a PR Executive who was wed in Durban.“I went traditional and had a blue brooch pinned to my garter,” said Lisa Folkard, a receptionist by profession, who was wed in Hillcrest.Culinary Artist, Kirstie du Toit, also recently tied the knot. She embraced old traditions, but spiced it up by having her groom follow the traditions as well. “My something blue was the ribbons in my garter as well as my husband’s underwear. I made it very sentimental by printing “until my forever ends” in blue on each item,” she said.
If you are the type of bride who looks to incorporate trendy details into your wedding day, internationally acclaimed and award winning designer, Terrence Bray shared some of his favourite tips for adding that “something blue”. “I always like blue in the forms of jewelry possibly aquamarine stones in an earring. Another favourite is is to get a family member to hand embroider initials and date of the wedding in a monogram that can be attached to the lining of the dress, it's a very sentimental detail. For the more daring bride a pale blue shoe is a wonderfully quirky choice, even having baby blue shoe soles make for a nice easy to achieve detail,” said Bray.
Tips supplied by the Banqueting Manager at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa.