Venus. Still an influencer today?

I keep wondering how all these wedding traditions get started because I know in my own little world the way things have started, and it all seems to whip up out of the blue.  Like a bit of a kick! So, I was wondering if indeed that’s the case, why do some traditions stick after millennia, and some don’t?  Take “something blue” for instance.  It was a tradition I was aware of and certainly knew it was a wedding thing, but until my “Something Blue Luxe Satin Hanger” went viral, I really gave the details behind the something blue tradition, its origins and just how long we have been following it, little thought. 

Something new, and blue!

until my ‘something blue luxe satin hanger’ went viral, I really gave the details behind the something blue tradition, its origins and just how long we have been following it, little thought.

Those who know me will say, that doesn’t seem right since I tend to like the details, you see.  It’s my thing.  I’m pretty sure it stems back to the “go look it up” way I was raised.  This is very good!  I’m a bit of a bookworm these days and enjoy finding the details as much as possible whenever the occasion arises.  Lately, that seems to be often!  Between my newfound obsession with Chat GPT to answer all my questions on demand and direct me in new ways to research, and my library card, both are being utilized fully.

So now then. Let us focus.  We have all these traditions and things we do or say but why?  How does it all start?  How have things from a million years ago (okay I may exaggerate there) become viral?  There was no Tik Tok or Instagram yet hundreds of years go by, and we continue their bridal traditions. I had to see what I could find out. 

So, to guess at just how some of these things got started, we will have to go way back… way, way, way…  and I’m not talking the 70s.

It seems like going back to roman mythology is a good place to start when looking for many of our wedding traditions we use.  We can go back further (these timelines get me dizzy) but further back in time and it’s not as pretty a picture.  In my opinion anyway.

When Rome ruled there were legends and myths of gods and goddesses ruling the earth.  Immortals that were larger than life and breathtaking in their beauty.  We see their names to this day.  Venus, Apollo, Hercules, Cupid are a few of the most familiar. 

We all know Venus, of course!  She was said to have been a goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.  She was associated with gorgeous flowing fabrics, bountiful gardens, all things flowers, and springtime.   Having influence over matters of the heart, it is believed that mortals love and passion were inspired by her.   Im pretty sure theres a million products using her name and even Vegas has her statues standing today.  This sure sounds like todays “influencer”!  It is her association with roses that connect that particular flower to love and romance to this very day!  Per ChatGPT, the rose was sacred to Venus.  So much is making sense.  Over time it develops and morphs a bit but the general outline is still there.   If you look at what Venus represented and how great her influence was over people in those times, you  can see how a thing starts.

If we think about how we follow rock bands and movie stars and how they can influence millions of people with their stories; how followers literally change the way we do things because of the number of clicks or likes on something, I can only imagine an immortal goddesses’ stories being told over and over like a modern-day soap opera.  Instead of their story playing on TV or in movies, it was told verbally in villages, in living rooms and over campfires.  No telephone or internet to sweep a story around the world in minutes, instead stories were told, word by word and written down with actual pen and paper, then recited over hundreds of years, generation after generation.  I imagine these stories are embellished with each tellers own romantic twists and lavish details about the goddesses and their powers.  Who wouldn’t want to continue their ways or at least emulate them? Especially ones that create incredible imagery and imagination like today’s weddings and events require.

So back to Venus.  It would make sense that we then would relate love and romance to roses, and springtime with weddings… but what about something blue piece?  It is said that Venus was born from sea foam.  Could this be our love for that something blue?  I think we are onto something.

The something blue rhyme goes like this:

Obviously, this sixpence thing is not from Venus… so what the heck?  Where did this come from?  The author of the poem remains unknown to this day, but the tradition remains.  Said to have started in the 17th century (that’s over 400 years ago!!)

“Something old” (I feel at this point the poem itself works for the this), represents tradition, which is what we are discussing here, so I like that we are making some connections.  The thought is to bring from the past the happiness and prosperity from yesterday, into the new beginnings of today and tomorrow.

Did I mention?

The Luxe Personalized Satin Veil Hanger is PERFECT for pinning those little “something old” mementoes!

 “Something new” represents a bride’s hope and optimism for her new future.   This seems obvious but no doubt we have all been there... wondering if our futures will be bright and prosperous, especially when we are on the cusp of a big change.  “Something new” is likely to represent a new day with a new object to represent the occasion and to serve as a token. Over 90% of the wedding gowns are purchased as a new item and have become today’s biggest tradition.  Say yes to the dress!

 “Something borrowed” represents happiness.  They say to borrow something from someone that is or was happily married and the borrowed object will give them the happiness juju that sustained their love. 

And here we arrive at “Something blue”.   Blue has symbolized peace, purity, clarity, and fidelity since ancient times.   It has represented the sky and the sea in paintings, drawings and described in poetry with the same attributes since time began.  It makes sense then that blue would be one of the traditional colors to use on your wedding day and I gotta say if Venus represents the sea, well it feels like a pretty good guess.

Make your “Something Blue”, “Something New” with a silver flair!

The silver sixpence in her shoe part seems to have been mostly forgotten in the modern era but silver has always represented wealth and security.  The silver sixpence was a silver coin in Britain, where the poem originated all those many moons ago.

I’m not sure if Venus and the silver sixpence ever knew each other but their mystic paths have crossed over each other in history and no doubt the influence of Venus and modern day Tik Tokers alike, will continue to influence generations to come.  We won’t know exactly how it started, only to know that behind the scenes it is all meant to bring blessings and good will to the newly wed couple, and to bring them the best this world has to offer as they make their way along their paths of life together.