Are
you like me in regard to superstitions, you know you should laugh at them but
deep down there’s always that little niggle? I for one, don’t walk under
ladders, I’m extra careful on Friday 13th and I often catch myself
saying ‘touch wood’ after talking about a lucky event.
Back
in the early 1800’s superstitions were rife, never more so than in the Regency
marriage mart. For a young lady, a successful marriage was her life’s ambition
and most often achieved financial security. So weddings were the
acknowledgement of success and were often huge events that all of society would
want to attend.
Lets
now look at some of the age-old traditions of the bride.
Something
old, Something new,
Something
Borrowed, Something Blue,
And
a silver sixpence in her shoe.
Something
Old:
Family
dynasties were celebrated. Marriages were usually ‘arranged’ to ensure these
large extended families survived. So to wear something old, was a way to ensure
the bride’s links, not only to her family, but to her ancestors was recognized
and remembered.
The
bride would often wear a piece of old lace or handkerchief of her mother’s. Or
perhaps a piece of jewelry was handed down from mother to daughter, such as a
Tiara or necklace.
Something
New:
The
something new was to signify the start of her journey into a new family and
life. The item would signify good luck
and prosperity, happy days ot come. Once again it could be jewelry or a token
of some kind.
Something
Borrowed:
This
item signified the bride’s impertinence to her knew family. It was supposed to
brign the bride joy and often a lot of thought went into this item. Being
‘borrowed’ it of course had to be returned after the wedding or else something
bad could happen to the couple. Often prayer books were given to hold during
the wedding ceremony.
Something
Blue:
‘Something
blue’ is the oldest of the traditions of the rhyme and goes back thousands of
years. The color blue itself symbolized purity, modesty, fidelity and love.
Brides
often wore blue ribbons in their hair or sewed blue trim into their dresses.
Silver
Sixpence in Her Shoe:
The
placing of a silver sixpence - in some traditions a penny - in the bride's shoe
was a good luck charm.
The
silver coin helped to attract prosperity to the newly weds. It’s also
interesting to note that silver was the age old remedy for warding off evil and
bad luck. Therefore it’s probable that the tradition of the silver sixpence is
linked to very old beliefs and superstitions.
The Date of the Wedding
However,
often the biggest superstition, relating to weddings, was the picking of the date
of your wedding day.
There are a few
versions of this very old Pagan rhyme.
- · "Married when the year is new, he’ll be loving, kind & true.
- When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate.
- · If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you’ll know.
- · Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden & for Man.
- · Marry in the month of May, and you’ll surely rue the day.
- · Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you’ll go.
- · Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.
- · Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
- · Marry in September’s shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
- · If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
- · If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
- · When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last."
I
find it comforting that today, most western weddings still celebrate the
something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
Did you apply this saying to your
wedding? What did you have that was blue?
5 comments:
I think the 'something blue' also has very old roots as that was the color of the robes the priestesses who served the divine feminine or Goddess wore. They also had a blue crescent tattooed on their forehead at the point of the 'third eye'.
I eloped so didn't really adhere to these superstitions although I did marry in a navy blue suit...
In my conservative Hindu culture, an auspicious wedding date as well as precise time to repeat the vows are enforced. And the bride typically wears red or some similar color (devilish hue in other cultures LOL!!).
Well, I wore a blue sari for my reception. That counts for something, right?
Great post! Loved the lists of months and what to expect! First wedding I followed tradition and my something blue was my garter.
I did have the list of items. My grandmother's cameo broach,a blue garter, a penny in my shoe, and a borrowed slip.
Great post, Bronwyn. I did wear something old, new, borrowed, and blue.
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