By: Caroline Thomas
Have you heard this saying before? Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe. It remains one of the most well-known wedding traditions, stemming from an English rhyme. Many brides round up items for each of these categories for good luck on the biggest day of their life. If you can believe it, in an office staffed with approximately thirty people, four of us are getting married within two months of each other this coming spring.. I am learning so much throughout the process that I want to share how you can utilize these concepts at your next association event, whether you consider yourself to be superstitious or not!
Something Old: I plan to wear my mom’s cathedral length veil for my old. Yes, her wedding may have been in 1982, but some classics never go out of style. What can you do as something old at your next event? Delve into photos archives from previous meetings and pick a few gems to display during the current meeting The photos will create conversation between attendees and allow for reminiscing, in addition to creating new memories.
Something New: My new last name will begin with the letter “J” so we plan to incorporate it in many aspects of our wedding. As wedding planning has progressed, I have learned the importance of personalization. Little touches can go a long way! This BuzzFeed article I read a few months ago has helped me put together some cool ideas for our big day: http://goo.gl/wl1cuA.
For your next event, think about creating customized napkins with the event date or the company logo. It’s an easy personal touch that won’t break the bank. Start simple and build around the idea. You may be surprised by how something so small can set the tone!
Something Borrowed: This is a tough one and I honestly have not decided what my something borrowed will be yet. In the wedding world, this item represents “borrowed happiness”, but what does it mean in the association world? Think about borrowed ideas. We’ve all heard the quote stating “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Instead of feeling that you are “copying someone’s ideas”, entertain the opposite. It is ok to borrow great ideas from other association professionals as a base; just remember to make it your own at your next meeting.
Something Blue: Over the holidays, I plan to gather my family to go through some of my grandmother’s items. I am certain this is where we will find my something blue. I think of the blue as standing for loyalty. How can you be loyal to your attendees? Try to not get so wrapped up in the meeting details that you forget to enjoy it bit too (the attendees will notice). There will always be people you can delegate tasks to during a meeting, but nothing beats the personal touch of making time to converse with the attendees yourself. They may give you helpful feedback or just enjoy a good conversation.
The last part of this English tradition is a sixpence in your shoe. The sixpence is meant to represent prosperity and good fortune. Take an opportunity during your event to share any scholarship winners or major foundation donors to educate others on how your organization is helping.
How would you implement these bridal concepts into your next event? Would you carry on an existing tradition or start your own? From this bride-to-be, best wishes and good luck at your next event!
