Something old, something borrowed...

Did you have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue when you were married?

With Chuck and Kim's upcoming wedding, that rhyme popped into my head and I offered Kim a few things from my wedding day.

My parents were married in 1935 and according to them, didn't have two nickels to rub together. They were married on Thanksgiving Day as my dad had the day off from work and the tailor shop where my mom worked was closed for the holiday. Mom was married in a dress, not a bridal gown. She wore a small pin on that dress which I in turn wore on my wedding day. My dress had a high neckline with a lace neckband. I wore the pin there, off to the side. It wasn't noticed by many, but I knew it was there. When our niece on Bill's side of the family was married 13 years ago, she wore it too, also in a non obvious spot on her gown. Kim's gown is strapless so it presents more of a challenge, but she is thinking of either wearing it on her grandmother's hankie or pinned inside the skirt of her dress. She and I will know where it is, and I'd like to think my mom will know too.

The other item from my wedding which might be used again is a Bridal Cup. 16th century legend has it that the daughter of a wealthy nobleman fell in love with a lowly goldsmith. Her father was furious that she turned down suitable suitors and pined away for her true love. He thought himself ingenious when he said he would agree to their union if the goldsmith were clever enough to design a cup that two people could drink from at the same time. Surely such a thing was impossible....but true love conquers all.

The goldsmith created a chalice similar to this one, a woman holding a cup that swivels. Her skirt, when inverted,  becomes another vessel to hold liquid. The bridal couple toasts with this cup, the bride drinking from the small cup, the groom from the skirt.

Here are front, back and toasting position views of my cup. 

I recently read that a newer tradition associated with this cup says that whoever finishes their portion of the drink first becomes the "ruler of the nest". With the bride's portion being so small, guess who wins?