Something Old, Something New,
Something Borrowed, Something Blue,
And a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe

This good luck saying dates to Victorian times and many brides still follow it:
‘Something Old’ represents the link with the bride’s family and the past. Many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewelry, or perhaps a mother’s or grandmother’s wedding gown.
‘Something New’ represents success and prosperity in the couple’s new life and happiness in their future. The wedding gown is usually new, but many brides buy a new pair of shoes especially for the wedding.
‘Something Borrowed’ reminds the couple that friends and family will be there when help is needed, that they are not alone as they start out on their journey together. It may be as simple as a delicate lace hanky or it might be a piece of family jewelry.
‘Something Blue’ represents faithfulness and loyalty in marriage – you know the expression ‘true blue’. Most brides choose a garter for their something blue. However, blue flowers can also be used, and these days, many brides are choosing traditional white gowns with a little delicate embroidery or beading in blue.
A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe wishes the newlyweds wealth and good fortune. This last is often forgotten in the rhyme and few brides still put a coin in their shoe today.

Kissing a chimney sweep
This is an old English tradition. Indeed, according to Anthony Gissing, a chimney sweep in Yorkshire, England, kissing brides is part of the job. Gissing, who is paid handsomely for doing this service, is happy to promote the tradition. The custom was born four hundred years ago when a chimneysweep saved the life of King George when his carriage bolted. The king insisted that a chimneysweep attend his daughter’s wedding; the bride kissed his sooty face and the groom shook his hand. And thus a tradition was born.

Placing the wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand
There are two possible origins for this custom. Ancient Egyptians believed the "vein of love" ran directly from the ring finger to the heart, thus placing the ring on this finger was said to denote eternal love. During the17th century the groom would slide the wedding ring part way up the bride's thumb, index finger and middle finger as the priest said “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. The ring was then placed on the next free finger. In Ireland, this is still done using the index finger first, then moving left.

Throwing the garter and the bouquet
The removal of the garter and throwing it by the groom is a French custom which represents the symbolic removal of the old life and the beginning of a new one for the bride. There IS a right and wrong way to conduct the garter toss: customarily, all single men are asked to group around the seated bride. The groom is then supposed to tactfully lift her skirt and remove the garter from the bride’s right leg, just above the knee. The groom then tosses the garter and it was believed to bring good luck to the young man who caught it. These days, it’s thought that the young man who catches the garter will be next to be the groom.
The bouquet is thrown over her shoulder (so she can’t aim it) by the bride. Because the bride is considered to be lucky, to catch her bouquet brings good fortune to the girl who catches it. Tradition dictates that whichever of the single females at the reception catches the bouquet will be the next in line for marriage.


Showering the couple with rice is a very old tradition and represents both the idea of prosperity (there will always be food on their table) and fertility (they will have many children). Many churches now forbid the throwing of rice so many couples have resorted to blowing bubbles.