Something Old, Something New

The saying “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” is a popular little wedding rhyme that has been passed down through the generations. It is just one of the many traditions that make up a typical wedding. But what exactly does that clever rhyme mean? In order to make use of these traditions in your wedding, it’s a nice thing to know what these traditions actually stand for. Here are the most common traditions used today and what they represent.

For instance, do you know why wedding rings are placed on the ring finger of the left hand? This stems from an Ancient Egyptians belief that the “love vein” ran down the third finger on the left hand. It’s actually rather amazing that this tradition has lived on for as long as it has.

And why on Earth do we tend to throw rice or other substitutes at the couple? This is a tradition that has been carried down from Roman Times. The newly married couple being showered with rice by their guests comes from the ancient belief that rice was a symbol of fertility and good fortune. Rice, to this day, is considered the “life giving seed”. (But maybe not for the unfortunate birds that later eat it).

Have you ever wondered why the bride carries flowers? This is a tradition borrowed from many countries. Over time, this tradition has evolved to carrying silk flowers although its original intent was not for accessorizing or beauty. Originally, this was a superstition based on the bride carrying strong herbs to ward off evil spirits.

Carrying on these traditions have more than proved their importance as they have remained only slightly changed for centuries. By knowing what the customs stand for and how they came to evolve will just give you a little more special meaning on your wedding day!

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