Something Old, Something New . . .

Even for the bride who wants to be a little non-traditional this simple rhyme of the essentials needed for a wedding day is too tender and endearing to want to do without. In other words its a tradition that just cant be skipped. Thats because it isnt just a tradition; its a ritual. Its sacred. It is a chance for the bride to carry more than just herself down the aisle. She walks with history in her bouquet and sisterhood draped over her shoulders. She carries her family and her fiancés family and she joins them together. Asking to borrow an item from the future mother-in-law or future sister-in-law is a great way to achieve this symbolic union. Just as wearing something old that once belonged to a mother or grandmother or the childhood friend ties the present to the past. Not everyone needs to know what the artifacts are, and not everyone needs to see them: a piece of cloth cut from the underskirt of her mothers wedding dress that is pinned to the inside of hers; the future mother in laws broach tucked into the bouquet; the blue shoes hidden under layers of tulle. Because these items can be tucked away, and because they do not need to be shown or explained brides should take the opportunity to think about what is really special and important to them. Lockets, photographs, rings, phrases painted on the bottom of her shoes. So as wedding tasks pile up and the days go by faster and faster, brides should all take a minute - it wont take long - to remember these special items.