Something Blue: Wedding Tradition Explained

The tradition of wearing something blue on your wedding day stems from the Old English rhyme, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe. The rhyme, which originated in 19th-century Lancashire, lists items that a bride should have with her on her wedding day to bring good luck and fertility to her marriage. Something blue represents love, purity, and fidelity, which are considered key qualities for a strong marriage according to Old English traditions. While the traditional something blue item was a garter worn under the bride's dress, modern brides often add subtle pops of blue with accessories, flowers, or decor.

Something blue represents love, purity and fidelity

The tradition of wearing "something blue" on your wedding day comes from an Old English rhyme: "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe." The rhyme, which originated in 19th-century Lancashire, describes the items a bride should have with her on her wedding day to promote good luck and fertility in her marriage.

The colour blue in the rhyme stands for love, purity, and fidelity, which were considered the three key qualities of a strong marriage in Old English culture. While the traditional "something blue" item was often a garter worn beneath the bride's dress, modern brides have more options for incorporating blue into their wedding attire. For example, blue shoes, bags, jewellery, flowers, or decor can all serve as a bride's "something blue."

Blue was a popular colour to wear before white wedding dresses became trendy. Brides may also choose to include blue in more subtle ways, such as a blue ribbon in their hair or a blue marker for friends to write messages on the bottom of their shoes. Grooms can also participate in the tradition by wearing a blue tie or cufflinks.

The "something blue" tradition is a fun and creative way to honour the past and bring good luck to a couple's future together. Whether you choose to wear a blue accessory or incorporate blue into your wedding decor, including "something blue" in your wedding is a charming way to add a touch of colour and symbolism to your special day.

Blue items can include ribbons, shoes, flowers, decor, garters, etc

Blue items can include anything from ribbons to shoes, flowers, decor, garters, and more. The colour blue symbolises love, purity, and fidelity, which are three qualities that the Old English considered essential for a strong marriage.

A fun way to incorporate blue into your wedding is through your accessories. You could opt for a pair of blue shoes, such as pumps or heels, or even blue hair accessories. If you're looking for something more subtle, consider a powder-blue bow tie or a blue ribbon to tie around your wedding invitation suites. You could also add a pop of blue to your bouquet by sprinkling in some blue flowers, such as clematis.

For those who want to make a bolder statement, consider wearing a blue wedding dress or using blue decor at your reception. Another option is to include blue in your garter, which is traditionally worn beneath the bride's dress.

The possibilities for incorporating something blue into your wedding are endless, so feel free to get creative and choose something that reflects your unique style.

The colour blue is meant to baffle the evil eye

The colour blue is thought to ward off the evil eye. In the Mediterranean, Middle East, and many other regions, the colour blue is associated with good luck and positive energies. In these regions, the colour blue is often used in amulets, which are believed to protect against the evil eye.

In the context of weddings, the tradition of incorporating "something blue" stems from the Old English rhyme, "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue". The rhyme describes the items a bride should have on her wedding day to ward off the evil eye and bring good luck to her marriage. The colour blue is also said to represent love, purity, and fidelity, which are considered key qualities for a strong marriage.

While the specific origins of the rhyme are unclear, it is believed to have originated in the 19th century in Lancashire, England. The tradition has evolved over time, and today, there are many creative ways to incorporate something blue into a wedding, such as through accessories, flowers, decor, or even the wedding dress itself.

Blue was a popular colour to wear before white wedding dresses

The tradition of wearing something blue at a wedding stems from the Old English rhyme, "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe." The rhyme, which originated in the 19th century, describes the items a bride should have with her on her wedding day to ward off the evil eye and bring good luck and a happy marriage. Blue is a colour that stands for love, purity, and fidelity, which are three qualities that the Old English considered essential for a solid and strong marriage.

Blue was a popular colour for wedding dresses before white dresses became the norm. In Western culture, white is now the most common colour for wedding dresses, but this was popularised by Queen Victoria, who wore a white lace dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. Before this, brides in Western culture would wear a plethora of colours, including blue, yellow, black, brown, and grey. In fact, blue was tied to purity, piety, faithfulness, and the Virgin Mary.

The earliest recorded instance of a princess wearing a white wedding dress was that of Philippa of England, who wore a white silk tunic and cloak when she married Eric of Pomerania in 1406. However, this was not a widespread trend, and it was not until Queen Victoria's wedding that white became a popular option for brides.

Nowadays, wearing blue at a wedding is often more subtle, with brides opting for a pop of blue through accessories like shoes, bags, jewellery, or flowers.

Blue stands for the three key qualities of a strong marriage

The tradition of wearing "something blue" on your wedding day comes from an Old English rhyme: "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe". The rhyme, which originated in 19th-century Lancashire, describes the items a bride should have with her on her wedding day to promote good luck and fertility in her marriage. The colour blue was said to represent love, purity, and fidelity, which were considered the three key qualities of a strong marriage by the Old English.

Blue is also the colour that was popularly worn by brides before the white wedding dress trend. It was believed to baffle the evil eye, a curse passed through a malicious glare that could make a bride infertile.

Today, there are many ways to incorporate blue into your wedding attire. Traditionally, brides would wear a blue garter beneath their white dresses. Modern brides often add a subtle pop of blue with accessories like shoes, bags, jewellery, or flowers. You can also incorporate blue into your wedding decor, such as using blue ribbons to tie your wedding invitation suites together.

• Blue wedding shoes
• Blue hair accessory
• Blue flowers in your bouquet
• Blue garter
• Blue ribbon

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