My friend wore blue nail polish, and I borrowed a diamond bracelet from my mom–but why do we follow these traditions, and what does this traditional poem even mean? Something old symbolizes the passing down of things from family, and something new signifies a hopeful future. Something borrowed is a reminder that the bride has friends and family near her for support.  And the something blue? Well it was used to symbolize fidelity in Rome and has symbolized purity in Christianity.

Here are some beautiful blue ways to help bring luck to your wedding day.

Photo: Turquoise jewelry from Brides.com

Crystal hair pin by Erica Bapst on Etsy

It’s hard to believe, but long before rice and rose petals, wedding guests threw shoes at newlyweds for good luck. One theory is the bride’s shoes were considered a symbol of ownership. The bride’s father gave the groom her shoes to represent the transfer of dominance and, consequently, making it difficult for her to run away. The groom then tapped his bride on the forehead with her sandal to assert his new role.

Another wedding shoe tradition variation was the bride tossing one over her shoulder, which later transformed into the bouquet. In Tudor times guests threw shoes at the couple after the ceremony and if they were hit it was considered fortuitous. Most popular and still in practice is the tradition of tying shoes to the back of the newlyweds’ getaway car.

Sources:

http://www.weddings.co.uk/info/tradsupe.htm#shoes
http://www.koco.com/wedding/2399764/detail.html