Continuing our talk about where wedding traditions come from, we’ve all heard of the rhyme:

“Something old, something new.
Something borrowed, something blue.
Put a six pence in your shoe”

This well-known British adage, are items a bride should wear for good luck, For the modern Hawaii bride, there is always a modern and fashionable way to place these “somethings” in your wedding.
“Something old, something new” talks about gathering your own family as you’re joining in a new union with your sweetheart. A fun way that weddings have been mixing the two is using vintage elements, whether it be dress or decoration, with a twist. Most brides consider their “something new” their dress, and implement heirlooms into their attire.

“Something borrowed” refers to borrowing an item from a happily married loved one. The idea is that borrowing “something” from a happy couple will transfer the joy to you. I’ve seen my brides use their mothers’ wedding dresses or jewelry to take the place of this particular “something.”

“Something blue” has been used for centuries; the Romans used it at their weddings as it symbolizes fidelity and love. Colors are especially easy and fun to play with, and it is easy to make it an accent or focal point for anything. From what I’ve seen photographing weddings in Hawaii, blue works really well with the oceans and mountains available here.

This is a handkerchief that a bride borrowed from her grandmother which she had beautifully embroidered with a turquoise blue.

“And a silver sixpence in her shoe,” is often left out of this poem. It alludes to placing a silver piece into the left shoe to invite fortune into the new marriage, while placing it on the left side signifies your heart. Although it is lesser known, another little push for luck couldn’t hurt.

No matter what you plan to do with this poem, the most important part is to be creative and to have fun when integrating these “somethings” into your Hawaii wedding.