Today on Bride Vs Groom we are going to do things a little differently… It has come to my attention that there is something I have forgotten about in my Bridal Boutique quest; the infamous words that I have heard so many times at the bridal preparations as a photographer: what are your Something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new?! After these simple words the bride always replies with an impressive list of found and collected items that would make David Dickinson proud.
To those who are unsure of the name David Dickinson he was the presenter of Bargain Hunters, a tv program where the contestants fought it out to find the best antiques at the market. Find, haggle, barter … it strikes me that these traits are important for the bride to be as well! After all everyone likes a good bargain and it can be a necessity when attempting to keep to ye olde budget or in creating a vintage inspired wedding!
Now, don’t get me wrong. I know that not all brides keep to the old traditions. Heck, I have no intention to have a formal, traditional wedding but it’s actually one of the formalities that I’m really fond of and I think it should be preserved. I also really like the idea of having a small part of my Grandma & Great Grandma there with me on the day. Sadly, all my grandparents have long past so for sentimental reasons an item from their lives would be special to me.
I just need to decide which one. To help me choose and gather inspiration I have hunted down my favourite “something old, something borrowed” from past weddings and blogs.
If any of you had a special something old or borrowed please drop me an email or write a comment in the box I would love to hear all about it. Equally, if you can’t stand the old traditions and wouldn’t dream of using a item passed on for generations and think it is codswallop then don’t be afraid to comment, I would love to hear your views! Or if you are like me, not yet married and trying to come up with a special item then feel free to share your frustration! 😉
One of my 2010 brides but a perfect example of a “something borrowed!”
This beautiful, vintage pearl necklace was her Grandmothers and looked absolutely stunning on her wedding day.
A wedding with a similar thought was Sarah & Tom’s epic Teepee wedding.
Sarah says “My pearl necklace was my late Grandmothers and my bracelet was very kindly leant to me by a wonderful friend. They made up my “something old” and my “something borrowed”…”
Or what about Shoes for your something borrowed?!
This nifty pair of shoes were the bride’s Billies something ‘borrowed’ – from her sister-in-law, Jane…
You can see the whole classy wedding right here on lovemydress.net
Image by Celine Chaplin
This groovy wedding didn’t have any something old, something borrowed but the bride did have a six pence in her shoe…
you can read the story on the fabulous Snippet and Ink Blog here
Image by pinwheelcollective
This Charming Backyard Texas Wedding was pretty much all “borrowed”
All of the centerpieces, decor items, floral arrangements, etc. from found, borrowed, or thrift objects.
To see this inventive wedding in it’s entirety go to the ever amazing Ruffled blog.
Image by Abiq photography
Oh wow, check out this stunning bride! Emily, the bride said this about choosing traditions…
Being a traditionalist at heart, I had to have something old, new, borrowed and blue. I wore my late Nanna’s engagement ring as something old.
Unfortunately she died a few months before the wedding, but having the ring so close to me all day made me feel like she was there. For something borrowed, I borrowed a lace hanky from my Auntie that she had on her wedding day.
To see the full luscious wedding go to stylemepretty.com
Image by eventimaging
Loving this bouquet made by the bride herself (how talented!)
Tina used vintage brooches; surrounded them with roses and used an antique Lace collar as a frill and on the handle added her Nana’s wedding ring as her something borrowed and her children’s hand and footprint cast into silver.
How clever! So ingenious in fact that she launched her own business from it called the The Haberdashery Bride, for more information go to her facebook page.
Her complete wedding can be seen at one of my favourite wedding blogs Whimsical Wonderland Weddings.
Image by ctiphotography.co.uk
Wow what a smiley bride! 🙂 This happy creature wore her Grandmother’s three diamond engagement ring that her mum kindly lent for her something borrowed.
You can view this laid back cool wedding at Rock My Wedding.
Image by Claire Stelle
And finally fabulous Sara from Under The Vintage Veil is going to be wearing her great grandmother’s veil.. which I can’t wait to see! Hurry up Sara! 😉
(There is no wedding picture because the wedding hasn’t happened yet!)
All of these items and ideas are simply dripping with sentiment and so personal to each of the brides that it’s even more clear to me that this really is an important tradition and one that should be considered carefully. I’d be proud to wear an old heirloom or a personal item loaned from a friend; the idea of this tradition has so much inherent beauty, and emotion. But if I’m going to have something old and something borrowed then there’s no point doing things by halves! And so in an upcoming Bridal Boutique I’ll be investigating perhaps the more fun rather than emotional side of the rhyme: something new and something blue; I can’t wait to see what I find! Hmm… not so sure about this silver sixpence in her shoe bit though… I have problems walking in heels at the best of times! – Is that why Brides traditionally have to be carried over the threshold – they’ve been walking around on a blooming great coin all day? And come to think of it where the heck do I find a sixpence in this day and age? Will a 5p and a 1p do? How about we round it up to a fiver? – Notes sound far more comfy on the heels!!
Anyway…new and blue, new and blue…Sapphires are blue right? Excellent…
Now where did I put Matt’s wallet?
