Posts Tagged ‘traditions’
What Are Your Traditions?
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
Traditions are something brides love to incorporate into their special day, whether it’s a special flower, dish, location, or an item of clothing that has some sort of special meaning to the bride or couple, it’s…well..tradition.
And no other type of wedding checklist has the same cache as the little poem we often hear brides and her maids recite than “Something old, something new…”. So I took it upon myself to research the actual poem and find out a little history about it. And after about 2.5 seconds of investigating, I came across an ASK Yahoo site that had it all clearly spelled out before me.
The next line of this old saying actually hints at its origin. The complete phrase is:
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.
A sixpence is a coin that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and worth six pennies. So this wedding tradition is definitely English, and many sources say that it began in the Victorian era.
Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. “Something old” symbolizes continuity with the bride’s family and the past. “Something new” means optimism and hope for the bride’s new life ahead. “Something borrowed” is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.
As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, “Marry in blue, lover be true.”
And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride’s shoe represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a Scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings.
And after researching this small item, I coincidentally ran across a similar topic in Brides Magazine discussing what brides are “borrowing” for their day. Here are a few of the keepsakes these brides borrowed.
“My grandparents’ wedding cake topper from the 1950s,” says Tracy via Facebook.
Denise replies, “I will be the third granddaughter to tuck our grandmother’s hankie in her garter on her wedding day.”
“My soon-to-be MIL is loaning me her lace purse and the pearl comb she wore on her wedding day. She has two sons and a grandson, so I am honored to be the “girl” in the family,” Michelle responded.
Additionally in this piece, a poll was taken and not surprisingly, 41% of brides say they borrowed jewelry for their wedding and 78% said they did, indeed, have something blue on them on that day. Regardless of what you decide to integrate as your small treasures, we think it’s a great idea to memorialize things and people that are special in your life via these small tokens. It’s a great way to keep those close to you even closer and to create, yet another, special memory.
Tags: keepsakes, poems, traditionsPosted in Accessories, Ceremony, Ettiquette, Wedding Jewelry | No Comments »
Feature Friday: Five Star Wedding Gown Specialists
Friday, May 27th, 2011
Perhaps you’ve chosen a luxurious new gown that perfectly expresses your individual style, or a family gown that has been passed on to you by your mother or grandmother. Whatever you choose, the experts at Five Star Wedding Gown Specialists can assist you with cleaning, restoration, pressing, alterations, and gown preservation.
Five Star Wedding Gown Specialist is the only licensed specialist in San Antonio who is able to provide “Museum Care” preservation. Five Star Wedding Gown Specialists are certified & licensed fabric experts who have been expressly trained to clean every fabric imaginable with the utmost care.
Your wedding gown is one of the most precious possessions you’ll ever own. It will always be symbolic of one of the most important days in your life. The time and money invested into your gown is considerable. That’s why it’s so important to trust its cleaning, care and preservation to the experts at Five Star Wedding Gown Specialists.
Tags: dresses, Gown Preservation, San Antonio, san antonio wedding, traditions, wedding, Wedding GOwn Cleaning and Preservation, Wedding Gown Preservation, wedding ideas, wedding planning, weddingsPosted in Feature Friday | No Comments »
Tunes to remember: song suggestions for your wedding
Tuesday, April 19th, 2011Submitted by: Cutting Edge Entertainment
Bride and Groom First Dance:
At Last – Etta James
Crazy Love – Van Morrison
God Bless The Broken Road – Rascall Flats
In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel
It’s Your Love – Tim McGraw
Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
Me and You – Kenny Chesney
Still The One – Shania Twain
Then – Brad Paisley
Father/Daughter Dance:
A Song For My Daughter – Ray Allaire
A Whole New World – Bryson & Belle
Always Beautiful In My Eyes – Joshua Kadison
Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Butterfly Kisses – Bob Carlisle
Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John
Could Not Ask For More – Sarah Evans
Daddy’s Hands – Holly Dunn
Daddy’s Little Girl – Mills Brothers
Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing – Aerosmith
Father’s Eyes – Amy Grant
Fire and Rain – James Taylor
Forever Young – Rod Stewart
Have I Told You Lately – Rod Stewart
Heaven Is Missing An Angel – 98 Degrees
Here Comes The Sun – George Harrison
Hero – Mariah Carey
How Do You Fall In Love – Alabama
I Hope You Dance – LeAnn Womack
I Loved Her First – Heartland
In My Arms – Mark Wills
Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder
Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel
Kiss By A Rose – Seal
Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley
My Father’s Eyes – Eric Clapton
My Girl – Temptations
My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
The Way You Do… – Temptations
The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
There You’ll Be – Faith Hill
Through The Years – Kenny Rogers
Unforgettable – Natalie Cole w/ Nat King Cole
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
When I Said I Do – Clint Black
When You Say Nothing At All - Allison Krauss
Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder
You Look So Good In Love – George Strait
You Needed Me – Anne Murray
You’re Something Special To Me – George Strait
Your Song – Elton John
Groom/Mother Dance:
Bridal Party Dance:
Bridal Party/Bride and Groom Entrances:
Posted in Music | No Comments »
Popping the Question: “Will you be my Bridesmaid?”
Friday, October 29th, 2010
Photo By Anthology Photography
Choosing your bridesmaids is never an easy task.You’ll have to decide how many bridesmaids to choose. You may have friends vying for a spot among the wedding party, or some may shy away with the belief that “once a bridesmaid never a bride”. You might know without question who will be the Maid of Honor or you might not know how to choose the right person. There is some simple etiquette to follow when asking your bridesmaids to be part of your wedding to ensure the experience is memorable for everyone. Most brides have between four and six bridesmaids. There is no law as to how many you must have; the decision is up to you. You may want to take into consideration how many groomsmen you will have, but many brides are opting for uneven wedding parties. When asking a friend to be a bridesmaid, a simple phone call won’t suffice. The girls you choose will be the ones helping you throughout the entire planning process. They are going to be there to give insight on decision making, calm your nerves on the big day, and be your shoulder to cry on in the days leading up to your wedding.
Photos By Anthology Photography
You have to find the perfect time to pop the question. If you want to make your bridesmaids feel honored and special you probably shouldn’t ask her:
- In a status update on Facebook
- At the bar on karaoke night when both of you have had a little too much to drink.
- After a fight with a bridesmaid leaving an opening in your wedding party.
- Through text message, email, or any other impersonal method of communication.
- At her wedding.
- When you have just got news that she just broke up with her boyfriend.
If you really want to win over your bridesmaids, ask them in a way they’ll never forget. Some unique ideas include:
- Give a gift.
- If you have a wedding theme, this is the perfect opportunity to tie in your theme. You can have a framed photo of the two of you and a card attached asking them.
- Send a card
- This could be a great idea for out of town bridesmaids that you cannot ask in person.
- Throw a small dinner party
- Invite all the girls and announce it all at once. Handing out small gift bags with bridesmaid sashes and novelty buttons can be a fun way to get all your maids hyped up for the wedding.
Courtesy of Infinity Photography & Videography Flowers By Oakleaf Florist
- Keep in contact with bridesmaids and inform them about meetings, fittings and rehearsals
- Pay for her own wedding day attire
- Host a bridal shower
- Arrange a bachelorette party
- Assist the bride with dressing on the wedding day
- Talk to and calm the bride’s nerves
- Give a toast at the wedding reception.
Kick up your heels, and get excited! Get ready to have some fun with your leading ladies while you prepare for your wedding. Your wedding is a day you will cherish forever, what better way to celebrate that day then having your best friends by your side.
Montage Features: Top Left : J Mark Photography, Right (3): Creative Inspirations, Bottom Left: Alamo Photographic, Bottom Center: The Mill Photography Studio
Posted in Advice, Articles, First Steps | No Comments »
Why do brides have bridesmaids?
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009The custom of having bridesmaids and groomsmen began in ancient Rome. Roman law mandated that there be ten witnesses to make a wedding legal. All the wedding attendants dressed alike in order to fool evil spirits who supposedly showed up at weddings to cause mischief. If everyone looked alike, the evil spirits wouldn’t know who was actually getting married. It was only in the last century that bridesmaids began to dress differently than the bride.
Tags: bridesmaid, traditions, Wedding Traditions, wedding triviaPosted in Wedding Traditions | No Comments »
Did you know…
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008…As part of an old English ritual, on the day of her wedding, a bride would pass our mugs of ale to family and friends who would then give her money to set up housekeeping? Hence, the “bride’s ale” became “bridal.”
Tags: bride's ale, traditions, weddingPosted in Flowers, Wedding Traditions | No Comments »
More Wedding Traditions
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008Who hasn’t shed a tear or two watching a beaming father walking his daughter down the aisle.
Maybe if we stop and look at where that tradition comes from, we’d watch the procession with more of a smile than a tear.
Once upon a time, fathers used their daughters as currency (sometimes not as highly valued as the livestock, but that is another discussion for another forum). Daughters were married off to pay off a debt to a wealthier landowner; to establish a treaty/peace with a warring clan or tribe; or to buy their way into a higher social strata. The dowries the fathers sent with their daughters were intended to ensure the groom and his family kept the bride.
Thinking on it, maybe all that much hasn’t changed…. father-of-the-bride still look at weddings with dollar signs only now, instead of that being the price of their daughters, it is often the price of the wedding.
Tags: brides, budgets, costs, dowries, traditions, weddingPosted in Wedding Traditions | No Comments »
Something Old, Something New….
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008Ever wonder what the meaning behind the verse is? Here’s the breakdown:
- Something Old… Meant to tie the bride to her family
- Something New…. Meant to tie the bride to her new family (husband)
- Something Borrowed…. Meant for the bride to borrow something from another happily married woman (thus bringing the new bride the same kind of happiness)
- Something Blue… In various cultures this color stands for faithfulness, loyalty and purity. (Which is why wedding dresses used to be blue, but that’s for another posting one day.)
- And A Sixpence in Her Shoe… To bring the new couple financial success
Posted in Wedding Traditions | No Comments »