I remember this little verse growing up “ Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” but for the life of me, I could never remember the end which goes like this “ and a silver sixpence in her shoe” Did you know the complete verse ? I for one didn’t and really wanted to know what it all meant. What is the relevance of the silver sixpence in her shoe? I decided to do some research and this is what I came up with.
In the Victorian era, a sixpence which happen to be a silver coin worth six pennies was minted from 1551 to 1967 so it is correct to assume that the tradition of the bride wearing something old, something new and something borrowed and something blue originated at this time.
The sixpence in the bride’s shoe was meant to represent financial stability and wealth and may have started in Scotland when the groom would put a silver coin under his left foot for good luck.
People today, still follow this tradition and use a copper penny and there are companies who produce keepsakes sixpences for weddings.
The other items were all meant to bring good luck. Something old was supposed to represent the bride and her family’s continuity with the past. Something new was meant to represent the hope and the dreams the bride had for her future and her new life with her groom. Something borrowed from a happily married close friend or family member was supposed to bring the couple good luck and carry over to the new couple. Something blue dates back to the ancient roman times when the bride wore blue to emphasise modesty and fidelity and her love for her groom.
I’d be interested to know if you knew about this tradition and would you follow it?