What Counts as “Borrowed” Anyway?

The adage that asks that a bride should have “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” is one of the most adhered-to contemporary wedding traditions that’s been around almost as long as the modern idea of marriage. It asks a bride to combine good luck charms from the heritage of her family, her new future with her partner, and the successful marriages of her friends. It’s a rhyme that many couples still try to stick closely to, with many families having “Something ________” traditions of their own. But if you’re having a hard time adhering to the specifics of this adage, here are a few suggestions for the two suggestions that are the hardest to fill – something “borrowed” and something “old”:  

Something BORROWED
The point here is to find a good luck charm from the happy marriages of the married couples in your life. While some families have traditions specific to them, now is always the right time to start a new tradition. Instead of wearing a bracelet or headpiece that was borrowed from a friend or family member, consider instead “borrowing” a wedding detail from their day to highlight your own. In addition to a rockin’ pair of borrowed white sunglasses, dance to the song used as your sister’s first dance to her partner, or use your aunt’s secret chocolate chip cookie recipe for the favors. This creative twist will keep you from loading up with old, new, borrowed, and blue anklets for lack of a better option. Even though you won’t be wearing all of your “borrowed” items, you will have a chance to give the suggestion your own modern twist.

Something OLD
“Something Old” is the requirement of the rhyme that asks brides to carry a token or charm taken from the heritage of their families. Some brides choose instead to carry something from their partner’s family to represent a new connection with the history of their family tree. Either option is meaningful, and even something you found from an antique store carries with it it’s own history. Like “something borrowed,” the point is to keep with the spirit of the adage. There are no wedding police that with confiscate your “something blue” if it’s really more “blue-green.”
As for your “something old,” earrings and necklaces work well, but make sure you have clasps inspected and repaired by jewelers before you walk down the aisle; you don’t want to lose your great grandmother’s pearls this early on. Also, check aged lace and metals against the fabric of your gown to make sure the antiqued colors don’t look harsh and aged against the rest of your outfit. Antique jewelry makes a wonderful “something old,” but there are inherent problems with the age of certain pieces. Skip garters (whose elastic tends to deteriorate quickly and with little notice) in favor of pieces that can be easily repaired.