Former Essex schoolgirl and staff writer at England’s oldest women’s magazine, the Lady, Melonie Clarke is a vintage aficionado. Here she shares her love of all things retro...

SATURDAY I was head bridesmaid at my best friend’s wedding, which quite frankly was one of the nicest ways to spend a weekend.

After putting together orders of service sheets, helping to find a wedding band, organising the hen party, and more I was so excited to see the big day finally come.

With vintage themes running through the ceremony; the vintage engagement ring, the vintage style photo booth, my reproduction dress, and the band (Doolally Tap – check them out they are fab!), I wanted to look into some of the wedding traditions we have adopted here in the UK.

The tradition of wearing something old, new, borrowed and blue comes from the rhyme (believed to be of Victorian origin) “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe.”

As head bridesmaid I sourced the silver sixpence, which is then supposed to be placed in the bride’s left shoe by her father as a gesture of good luck, a symbol of him wishing her prosperity, love and happiness in the marriage.

Traditionally, bridesmaids were used to help ward off evil spirits, dressing similarly to the bride to confuse evil spirits as to who was the bride.

Not one that we partook in but one that made me chuckle nonetheless, the garter worn by the bride should be removed by the groom and tossed to his male friends.

Whoever catches it is then supposed to put it on the left leg of the girl who caught the bouquet.

Like with the bouquet, the chap that catches it is said to be next to marry.