A brief history of wedding gifts

In Renaissance Itay, a marriage chest would have usually helped the bride’s dowry and would symbolise the joining of the couple. Designed to compliment furnishings in the couple’s bedchamber they would be repurposed to hold the bride’s linens and household goods. Dowries are a lot less common now but a place to store linen is still ever useful!

1850s in Southern US, a gift of a leather key basket was symbolic of the wife becoming mistress of the house. It would hold the household keys. Today we are repurposing this archaic gendered tradition with a personalised coin tray or magazine basket suitable for everyone.

In 1924 the well known New York department store Macy’s created the first gift registry. You can list your Life of Riley gifts through online wedding shops The Wedding Shop and Wedding Present Direct. u

Originating from Lancashire in Victorian England, this rhyme was about the five charms a bride should wear on her wedding day to help towards a successful marriage.

Something old

Symbolising continuity, this needed to be a gift that represented life before marriage which developed into an heirloom gift from a family member, for example, a piece of jewellery handed down from mother to daughter. Ideally, it should come from someone who has had a long prosperous marriage.

Something new

This represents the new life that the couple will start together. Traditionally this gift would be from the groom or his family. It signifies optimism for the future and welcoming the bride to her new family.

Something borrowed

A gift from a happily married friend or relative, it will transfer their luck to you.

Something blue

It signifies fidelity, love and purity. Before the traditional white wedding dress came into fashion in the Victorian era, it was more common to wear blue. Blue was used to baffle the evil eye; this can still be seen today in countries like Turkey. Today, you can use the blue through two grooms wearing blue bow ties or the bridesmaid wearing blue dresses.

A Sixpence in the shoe

The bride’s father would put a sixpence in her shoe to give the happy couple good luck and prosperity. This fifth line to this rhyme has not stood the test of time, although you can replace the sixpence with a penny. Another new way of incorporating this tradition is to have the penny tied to the ring bearer’s pillow or part of the groom’s cufflinks. u