We all know the tradition that a bride needs to marry with something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue for good luck in her marriage – here are some creative ideas!
Something old
- Vintage jewellery works perfectly for this part of the tradition. Investigate the family jewellery boxes to see if there’s anything that would work with your bridal look – it also means you can add sentimental value to your wedding accessories.
- Why not add an heirloom brooch to your bouquet? You could even make your bouquet entirely with vintage brooches for added sparkle!
- Another sentimental idea is to wear an old family photo in a locket necklace, or attach it to your bouquet.
- Wear a hand-me-down veil, or repurpose a part of your mother or grandmother’s wedding dress to attach to your own.
- Buy a vintage wedding ring so that you receive your something old as part of your ceremony.
Something new
- This is the easiest part of the tradition to fulfil, as your dress will be new! However, there are plenty of other sweet ideas too.
- If your h2b bought you wedding jewellery as a gift for the morning, wear it as your ‘something new’.
- Plenty of brides purchase a new wedding perfume for the big day, and the scent will always remind you of happy memories when you wear it.
- Treat yourself to a new pair of shoes for the wedding – if you choose a style that you love, you can wear them for your 1st anniversary meal, too.
- You’re getting a new name on your wedding day, so why not have them embroidered somewhere on your dress? Do it in blue thread for a bonus ‘something blue’!
Something borrowed
- This tradition can often tie in with your ‘something old’, as it’s the perfect way to borrow an heirloom from a family member. Borrowed jewellery or veils can easily double up.
- Borrow a hankerchief from your dad to wipe any happy tears away on the day – it’ll easily tuck into your a dress or a bridal bag.
- If you have friends who recently married, borrow something from them like a garter or a bag. Not only does it fulfil the tradition, but it saves you money too!
- Beauty works too – borrow a nailpolish, hair pin or perfume for your big day for a subtle nod to the rhyme.

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Something blue
- Sapphires work wonderfully for this trend. Incorporate it into your wedding jewellery (even your ring if it’s a favourite stone of yours), or something subtle like a hair pin.
- If you’d rather not have any blue on show but still want to honour the tradition, garters work wonderfully for this purpose.
- Plenty of brides are opting for blue shoes for their wedding day. Whether you choose sky blue, rich navy or simply ivory with a blue sole, we think this is a thoroughly modern way to wear blue.
- If you’re feeling daring, a blue manicure can look fabulous in photos! Keep it pale or just on your ring finger for a more subtle touch.
- Wrap a blue ribbon around your bouquet, or even add some blue blooms in if it matches your colour scheme!
For more inspiring ideas, visit our Details and Themes section!