Advice from Prosperity Mansion & Farm, an outdoor, Maryland wedding venue located in Frederick County Maryland and near Westminster.
We’ve all heard the rhyme about what every bride should have on her wedding day: “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue.” If you’re hoping to include all of these elements in your wedding day but aren’t sure how, keep reading for ideas from Prosperity Mansion & Farm!
The phrase that this tradition is based on originates from England in the Victorian Era, and it claims that every bride needs these five things to ensure good luck and happiness in her new marriage. Yes, five things. While today, only the first four parts of the rhyme are heard, the original rhyme had a fifth item; “a sixpence in my shoe.” In addition to everything else, the rhyme states that the bride should have a sixpence coin tucked into her shoe for luck and prosperity. Original sixpence coins are hard to come across and are expensive to purchase but replicas can be found on Etsy for around seven dollars!
For many years, the tradition was for the bride to wear or carry each of these things throughout the day. It was important to have all of these things gathered so you and your spouse could begin your married life with luck and good fortune.
How can you include Something Old? The original idea is that your Something Old should come from your family to connect you to your past as you begin your future with your new spouse. You can do this by wearing jewelry that belonged to your mother, grandmother or another family member, sewing a swatch of fabric from your mom’s dress into yours, or by keeping photos of your loved ones with you or in your bouquet.
What about Something New? The hope for this aspect of the rhyme was to have something to celebrate your new life with your spouse as a married couple. This can be done by secretly embroidering your new name on the inside of your dress (if you hope to change it), picking out a new perfume, nail color or shade of lipstick to wear on your wedding day, or by purchasing a statement decor piece that you can feature in your home after the wedding is over.
The original intention of the rhyme is for couples to get their Something Borrowed from someone that is already happily married, so their luck can be passed to the newly married couple. You can do this by borrowing a friend’s veil or shoes to wear, including flowers from a friend or family member’s garden, or by borrowing your mom’s signature lipstick shade!
Something Blue is the part of the tradition you can have the most fun with. The origins of this part of the phrase are harder to place, but many think it comes from the idea of “true blue” to represent honesty and loyalty in your love and new life together. In some religions, blue is also associated with the Virgin Mary. Many brides decide to wear blue shoes or a blue garter as their something blue. If you want to splurge on a new treat for yourself, Oscar De La Renta has a perfume scent called “Something Blue” designed for brides on their wedding day. You can also tie a blue ribbon around your bouquet for a nice pop of color!
While many brides do still wear or carry these items, we have also seen couples at our Maryland wedding venue incorporate this tradition in other ways throughout their big day. At the end of the day, this is your wedding, and you are allowed to include traditions in any way you like.
You can always include family heirlooms in your décor to incorporate your Something Old for your big day. At Prosperity Mansion & Farm, we have a gorgeous fireplace mantle where you can feature statement décor pieces, and this is a gorgeous place to have an antique from days past featured in your wedding. You can also drive off in a vintage getaway car, “Just Married” sign and all, to begin your lives together!
If you want to include Something New in your big day, why not go out and purchase a centerpiece for your sweetheart table together or get a piece of art custom made? That way, once your wedding is over, you have a new accent piece for your home as well as a piece of your wedding to keep.
If you’re looking for a non-traditional way to have Something Borrowed, there are plenty of ways to incorporate this into your reception! You can always borrow a topper or a knife for your wedding cake, or you could “borrow” your parent’s first dance song or a recipe for a signature cocktail to serve.
The easiest way to incorporate Something Blue without wearing or carrying it is to have a shade of blue in your wedding color palette. This way, you can have flowers, décor, and the bridal party include your Something Blue. If you’ve got a different color palette and just want a small touch of blue, you can always opt for a blue cake stand or have the ring bearer carrying the rings on a blue pillow.
The tradition of Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue is one of the most well-loved and well-used wedding traditions today, and there are plenty of ways to incorporate it into your wedding at Prosperity Mansion & Farm. Our Frederick, Maryland wedding venue is happy to help you include any traditions you wish to have the wedding of your dreams!
Article Photo by Brad Barnwell Photography.
Mission Statement:
Prosperity Mansion & Farm is committed to providing a beautiful wedding venue that is affordable to all couples. Our budget friendly venue allows you to celebrate your big day and then move on to the next phase of your relationship without financial burdens.
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Frederick Maryland
Carroll County Maryland
Westminster Maryland
Baltimore Maryland
Montgomery County Maryland
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Gettysburg Pennsylvania
Hanover Pennsylvania
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