Something
old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and
a silver sixpence in her shoe.
This good luck saying dates back to Victorian times and many
brides try to arrange their wedding attire accordingly. 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 a mother's or grandmother's wedding gown. Something new
represents good fortune and success in the bride's new life.
The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item. Something
borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will
be there for her when help is needed. The borrowed object
might be something such as a lace handkerchief. Something
blue is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. Often the
blue item is the garter. A silver sixpence in her shoe is
to wish the bride wealth.
Giving
Away The Bride
 The
father who "gives away" his daughter at her wedding
ceremony is following an ancient tradition that has evolved
over hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The custom dates
back to the time when a daughter was considered property,
and the groom had to pay a price to her family before he could
be permitted to marry his intended.
Another
theory is that it symbolized the transition of authority from
the bride's father to her husband as she moved from the parental
home to the conjugal home. Today, many brides follow this
custom, but its meaning has emerged as an outward approval
of the groom by the parents or family of the bride.
 In
old times, female children were deemed to be the property
of their fathers. When it came time for the daughter to marry
and her father approved of the arrangement, he was actually
transferring ownership of his daughter to the groom. Today,
the act of giving the bride away is symbolic of her parents'
blessing of the marriage to the chosen groom.
Women
who consider this tradition archaic, or who have lived independently
for years before their wedding, can eliminate this custom
entirely or revise it to include their mother, brother, stepfather
or any other significant member of the family. Some brides
even elect to walk down the aisle alone.
Shoes
Tied on the Car Bumper
Brides' shoes once were considered to be symbols of authority
and possession. They used to be taken from her when she was
led to the wedding place, and given to the groom by her father,
effecting the transfer of his authority to her husband and
as a sign that the husband now had possession of her (and
she couldn't run away). The new husband then tapped her on
the head to show his new role as her master.
It
is obvious why this doesn't continue, but it helps to explain
why we tie shoes to the back of the get-away car. Incidentally,
the ever-popular horn honking has its beginnings in the days
when brides traveled in open carriages. They were an easy
target for evil spirits, so defenders would use bells and
firecrackers to scare them away. No chance of any spirits
getting in your way -- it's honeymoon or bust!
Carrying
The Bride Over The Threshold
Generations ago it was considered lady-like for the new bride
to be, or to appear to be, hesitant to "give herself"
to her new husband, whether or not she truly was. At the threshold
to the bridal chamber, the husband would often have to carry
the bride over to encourage her to go in. An older meaning
is that during the days of "Marriage by Capture,"
the bride was certainly not going to go peacefully into the
bridegroom's abode; thus, she was dragged or carried across
the threshold.
Veils
The veil originally symbolized the bride's virginity, innocence,
and modesty. The veil can be traced back to Roman times when
it was a complete head to toe cover (that was later used as
her burial shroud!). This symbolism has been lost over the
years but the veil is still customarily worn. In some Middle
Eastern and Asian cultures, the veil was worn to hide the
bride's face completely from the groom who had never seen
her. Only after they were married would the groom be allowed
the lift the veil to see his new wife's face.
Britain
is a place that is rife with traditions and legends, so it
is little wonder that the tradition of the white wedding dress
was started by the English Monarchy. It was the wedding of
Queen Victoria that spawned the interest and popularity of
white wedding dresses as we know them today.
Queen
Victoria married Albert of Saxe in 1840, and wore what would
then have been considered a flamboyant white gown. Of course,
this did not start the tradition immediately; however, many
women saw this as a statement of class and style, and copied
the Queen by also getting married in white.
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