How to Incorporate “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” into Your Bridal Jewelry

There are all kinds of age-old wedding traditions that people still include in their ceremonies today. Among them is the classic phrase, “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,” which dates back many centuries. This rhyme refers to the concept of the bride carrying or wearing certain objects that represent good luck, protection, and family lineage while walking down the aisle. In this article, we’ll explore how to honor this tradition with bridal jewelry. 

The Tradition of Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

The concept of incorporating symbolic items into a bride's attire has ancient roots, but the specific combination of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” gained prominence during the Victorian era. This period was known for its fascination with sentimentality, romance, and elaborate wedding traditions. The individual elements of the rhyme were thought to bring different types of luck and blessings to the bride:

• “Something old” represents the bride's connection to her family, ancestors, and past. It is believed to ward off evil spirits and bring parts of her history into her new life.
• “Something new” symbolizes the optimism and hope associated with marriage. It represents a smooth transition for the bride’s fresh start and new chapter in her life.
• “Something borrowed” is believed to represent the happiness and good fortune of a happily married friend or family member, which would then be transferred to the bride. It is also seen as a way to honor and involve family and friends in the wedding celebration.
• “Something blue” is associated with purity, love, and fidelity. Blue is considered a sacred and protective color. Wearing or carrying something blue is believed to ward off the evil eye and ensure a faithful and successful marriage.

Incorporating Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue into Your Bridal Jewelry

You can get as creative or subtle as you’d like when you incorporate these items into your wedding ceremony — you might wear your grandmother’s veil, or carry a bouquet of blue peonies, for example. For jewelry lovers, this tradition can be a great guide to choosing your bridal accessories — if you’re interested in bridal jewelry with some extra symbolism, here are a few ways to incorporate this classic rhyme into your jewelry. 

Something Old

Something old is meant to indicate family history and the legacy of happy marriages that led to yours. A great way to incorporate something old into your bridal jewelry is to wear a family heirloom or a piece of jewelry passed down either from your side or your partner’s side of the family. You can update the heirloom to make it more your style, or wear it as is — just remember to get it resized if it’s too big or small and make functional updates as needed, like replacing broken clasps or securing loose stones.

Something New

Something new is meant to indicate your future as you begin a new chapter in your life. This will mark the start of your marriage, so your engagement ring can count! Or you can treat yourself to something new for your big day. A new pair of diamond stud earrings, a custom designed pendant necklace, or a sparkly tennis bracelet that matches your wedding set are all great ideas for bridal jewelry that satisfies “something new”.

Something Borrowed

Borrowing something from a loved one can symbolize leaning on their happy marriage as a guide for your own, or it can simply be a good way to include the people who are close to you in your special day. You can wear your sister's earrings, your mom’s bracelet, your best friend’s pendant necklace, your aunt’s ring — having a little piece of the people you love with you as you walk down the aisle can be a meaningful way to enter your marriage. Be sure to take good care of your loved ones’ jewelry with a thorough cleaning after as a little thank you. 

Something Blue 

Adding a little blue to your bridal jewelry is not only a way to follow tradition and symbolize protection, but it’s also really beautiful. You can wear a sapphire pendant, a pair of aquamarine stud earrings, a blue enamel evil eye beaded bracelet, a turquoise ring, or dangling blue topaz earrings, just to name a few ideas. These can be a really lovely pop of color against other more classic bridal jewelry. 

… and a Silver Sixpence in Her House

The last line of the rhyme, “and a silver sixpence in her shoe,” is often omitted or adapted in modern weddings. It refers to placing a silver sixpence (an old English coin) in the bride's shoe to bring wealth and prosperity to the couple — but if a coin in your shoe sounds uncomfortable, you can still honor the tradition by tucking a penny somewhere else, like your dress’s belt or your flower bouquet. 

Bridal jewelry is inherently special and meaningful; anytime you wear it you will be reminded of your vows and the special day you spent celebrating with the people you love. A great way to incorporate these sentiments into your bridal jewelry is to create one-of-a-kind custom designs. Work with our expert bespoke jewelry team at Quick Jewelry Repairs to design a custom piece; we’ll walk you through the process from start to finish to produce something extra special for your big day.