"Something Old" For the Bride

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Every bride who wants to ensure the best possible start to her marriage is familiar with the old saying, "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue". The new part is easy, but what about the old? Take a look at this list of suggestions that you can use.

The reason behind wearing something old for your wedding is to have a link to your heritage. It is even better if the old item has particular sentimental value to you or to the person from whom you get it. Brides will often start with their families when they are seeking out old items, but if nothing inherited presents itself, it is perfectly fine to seek out a vintage item to add to your wedding ensemble.

The most traditional something old is your mother's wedding gown. Sentimental value aside, many brides initially shudder at the thought of wearing their mom's old wedding dress (especially if she was married in the 1970s!), but do not be so quick to dismiss it out of hand. If your mother is willing, it is often possible to dramatically overhaul a vintage wedding gown to give it a more contemporary flair. Not only will you be fulfilling the "something old" requirement, but you will end up with a one-of-a-kind gown in the process.

If this simply is not your style, another nice idea is to steal a little piece of lace or fabric from your mother's wedding gown to incorporate into your bridal ensemble. A bit of lace could be stitched to the inside of your train, or you could use a larger piece of fabric from your mom's wedding dress to make a little drawstring purse to carry your essentials. Some brides might prefer not to wear their mom's gown, but might be able to work with her veil. Don't forget to ask your grandmother, as well. She may just have a gorgeous handmade Belgian lace veil tucked away in her attic just waiting for you to wear it.

Another popular and sentimental choice for the bride's something old is family jewelry. Many a bride has worn her mother's strand of pearls on her wedding day. When you are planning to wear an antique or vintage piece of jewelry, be sure to have a reputable jeweler inspect it before the big day. It is very common for older pieces to need a little maintenance, like re-stringing a pearl strand. Often brides will choose one heirloom piece of wedding jewelry to wear in combination with a new piece of handcrafted bridal jewelry. You can have a pair of earrings or a necklace handcrafted especially to coordinate with the vintage bridal jewelry to add your own style to your accessories.

Vintage jewelry doesn't always have to be worn on your body to qualify as your "something old". An antique brooch looks wonderful pinned to the ribbon wrapped around the stems of the flowers in your bouquet. If there is not a spectacular heirloom brooch in your family, it is easy enough to track one down in an antique store, flea market, or online. You might even find this detail to be so pretty that you want to find vintage brooches to adorn the bridesmaids' bouquets as well.

Almost anything can count as your "something old", though ideally it would have sentimental meaning or at least be very beautiful. It is wonderful to have this connection to your heritage or to brides from the past. Paying homage to the past is a great way to launch your new future.

Laura helps brides with their wedding plans by offering advice on selecting bridesmaids gifts,reception ideas and other aspects of planning a wedding. Handcrafted bridal jewelry can be custom made to coordinate with your wedding gown, as well as your other bridal accessories.

Ideas For the Bride's "Something Borrowed"

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We all know the old saying "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue". The "new" part is a snap, because the bride will have plenty of newly purchased things to wear, but what about the "borrowed"? These are some ideas on what you can choose for your "something borrowed" to ensure the best possible luck on your wedding day and for your marriage.

Ideally, the "something borrowed" should come from a happily married woman. The idea behind the old superstition is that you are not only borrowing her belonging, but her good fortune as well. The articles are intended to be worn on the bride's person, so it would not do to borrow a set of toasting glasses or a cake server.

One of the nicest ideas for the "something borrowed" is jewelry. Many people will combine two of the things from the old rhyme, so if you want to borrow something that is also blue, for instance, that would work out beautifully. Bridal jewelry sets are frequently loaned by the sister of the bride. If your sister's wedding jewelry suite happens to be created from a combination of white pearls with blue Swarovski crystal accents, so much the better. Sometimes brides prefer not to wear the exact same sets of bridal jewelry as a close friend or relative, so you could always think about borrowing just a necklace and putting your own personal stamp on it with a unique pair of earrings.

Veils are one of the most popular items for a bride to borrow. Chances are that you have plenty of people who could loan you a veil, from recently married friends to your mother or grandmother. Antique veils are a gorgeous accent for modern wedding gowns, even if they do not match perfectly. It is often entirely possible to make changes to a borrowed veil to help it coordinate better with your gown (assuming that the original bride does not mind, of course). Long veils can be shortened (by having a seamstress cut off the top, then re-gather the tulle and attach to a new comb), single layer veils can have a blusher or a tier added, and embellishments can be added. A plain tulle veil can be completely transformed with the addition of a scattering of twinkling crystals or by stitching on a ribbon or lace trim border.

Working with the idea that the bride should wear the borrowed item, it is often considered to be good enough for her to carry it down the aisle, even if it is not an article of clothing. To this end, you can ask around for sentimental things that can be incorporated into your bouquet. Your grandmother's beautiful lace hankie could be wrapped around the handle of your bouquet. Another idea is to add a fun detail tucked within the flowers, such as a butterfly or bird brooch borrowed from your mother. The florist can wire it to peek out from the blossoms, which would be a lovely whimsical touch.

Something else that you could borrow to carry would be a small family Bible or prayer book. Although most brides these days carry floral bouquets, tradition has always held that a white Bible is a suitable alternative to carry down the aisle. Decorate the Bible with a small spray of white flowers, and you will have both your "something old" and your "something borrowed" taken care of at the same time.

Finding ways to get "your something old, something blue, something borrowed, and something blue" is a fun part of planning a wedding. It is a neat old custom that almost every bride still decides to follow. After all, who couldn't use a little extra happiness and good luck?

Let us know if you need assistance in any area of planning your wedding. Take advantage of Bridget's experience helping clients select jewelry and accessories. Beautiful sets of bridal jewelry will become treasured family heirlooms.

Ideas For "Something Blue" For the Bride

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Every bride knows that she is supposed to wear or carry "something blue" on her wedding day. You may be stumped, though, as to just what that lucky blue item should be. Here are some ideas on blue things for the bride.

One of the easiest places to incorporate something blue is in your accessories. Your blue item can be seen or hidden, it is entirely up to you. If you want to show your something blue, then one of the best ideas is to look for bridal jewelry sets that have a few blue Swarovski crystals in them. This can be such a pretty and unexpected accent for your bridal ensemble; if you prefer bridal jewelry sets that are mostly white, simply choose pieces that are created primarily from pearls with just a couple of blue crystals. You will have a classic bridal look with a twist.

Your wedding shoes can be another place to get your something blue. This works especially well for brides who are planning to wear strappy sandals, because it is only a touch of blue. Brides who are wearing ballgowns will find that their shoes barely show under their full skirts anyway, so it is fine to choose a fun shoe. The best part about wearing blue shoes is that you will be able to use them again after the wedding, unlike some of the more traditional white bridal styles.

If you prefer to keep your something blue under wraps, then think about choosing an item like a blue garter. A lacy white bridal garter can be decorated with a little blue bow, and that is all you need. Some brides also like the idea of wearing sassy blue underwear, which is fine as long as they will not show through your white gown!

You don't have to wear your blue accent, either. It can be something that you carry as part of your bridal ensemble. A beautiful white hankie with your wedding date embroidered in a light blue thread would be one nice idea. You could also think about carrying a small handbag that is made of blue silk, or is white with some blue beading. The handbag is not something that the bride will carry down the aisle, but you do need a place to keep your lipstick and a few mints, so why not make it blue?

Another something blue that you can carry is your bouquet. There are a limited number of flowers that are available in blue, so check with your florist to see if there is an option that will be in bloom around the time of your wedding. Blue hydrangea is one of the most gorgeous blue flowers, and it is available for summer brides. If you cannot find a good choice for a blue flower, an all-white bouquet can be lived up with the addition of a blue satin ribbon. A very wide satin ribbon in a periwinkle or baby blue would be a beautiful way to tie the stems of your bouquet.

Your something blue is one of the areas of the wedding where you can be creative and have fun. Allow your personal style to dictate your choice. Just whatever you do, don't forget about this custom; the color blue is used at weddings to symbolize fidelity.

Ask Bridget for advice in areas of jewelry or weddings. She writes numerous articles providing information for the customers of Silverland Jewelry.com. Bridal jewelry sets can be custom made to be perfect for your wedding gown.