Something Blue!
The Incorporation of Blue into Wedding Flowers:
We have all heard that age old saying, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” And despite its 16 century origins (see bottom for more information) it seems to be one of the only wedding traditions that is still followed today. And a more recent way of incorporating this something blue into a bride’s attire/ general décor of the wedding is in the flowers. And though blue is a beautiful color to use, it can be a very hard to find in nature. And on top of that most of those naturally blue flowers are either too fragile to be used as a cut flower, or are so seasonal that their window of use is so small that very few brides fall within that time period.
So what is one to do if they really want some blue?
Well luckily between the growth of the South American flower market and the innovation of the Dutch scientists brides are beginning to have more options available to them. And now there are primarily two cut flowers in various shades of blue that are currently available for weddings all year round.
Hydrangea: This flower is one of my personal favorite it is great for bouquets and centerpieces and gives a real voluminous look to pieces, it is available all year round from either the South American market (more of the lighter blue) and the Dutch market (depending on the time of year, this can range from a midnight deep blue to a medium tone.)
South American Hydrangea
Dutch Hydrangea
Bridal Bouquet using the Dutch Blue Hydrangea
Delphinium: This flower is more of an accent flower, but can also be used in centerpieces or bouquets. Similar to a snap dragon or a stock flower and is actually named for the “dolphin nose” the flowers resemble. It comes in a wide range of colors from pale blue, to a hybrid blue and white color, to a deep blue tone and is available in any color all year round.
Light Blue Delphinium
Dark Blue Delphinium
Centerpiece using Pale Blue Delphinium
***Hybrid Delphinium: Basically the same as regular delphinium but on steroids
Hybrid Pale Blue Delphinium
Hybrid Dark Blue Delphinium
Card Table Piece with Hybrid Blue Delphinium
Wedding Designer's Note:
Blue flowers mix well with other colors depending on the shade. For example both pale blue and dark blue mixes nicely with white and green but colors like red and orange will only mix well with the darker blue while softer shades of pinks and yellows mix nicely with the lighter blue.
- Erin Rose Matkowski
The History of “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue”:
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.
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.
"Something Blue" 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.
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