Something borrowed is arguably the hardest of the four "somethings" to find for your big day. On the one hand, you'd like the item you borrow to be meaningful, but you also don't want to borrow something that's so valuable to the person you're getting it from that you spend your wedding worried about losing it.
Plus, you also have so many other planning tasks to think about that you probably don't want to think about this one for too long. So, to help you brainstorm, here are some idea starters for your borrowed item.
Your dress
Yes, seriously! If you decide to follow the new trend of renting your wedding gown (from a company like RenttheRunway.com) well, your "something borrowed" is all taken care of. If not, you might consider renting a statement necklace from this site (or others like it) as opposed to buying one that you might not have the chance to wear again.
Your veil
More than likely, you know a few ladies who have already gotten hitched. And, chances are, their veils are just sitting in their closets (or stored away somewhere) collecting dust. Instead of buying your own, borrow a veil--and then pass it on to another friend or family member when its her turn, if that's a possibility.
Your clutch
Many brides opt to have a small purse or clutch on the big day, even though they might not actually carry it much. Since you won't be toting it around, a clutch is a great item to borrow--most likely, it will stay safe at your table for most of the night.
Your accessories
This is another great opportunity for borrowing, since your female family members will be all-too-pleased to have you wear a special heirloom on your big day. However, have a jeweler check out whatever pieces you plan to wear before the wedding--you'll want to make sure all stones are secure and any clasps are in good working order.
Something special that you can fasten to your bouquet
If you're not planning on tossing your flowers into the crowd, consider pinning or tying a special item to your bouquet. You might borrow a brooch from your grandmother or a vintage pin from your aunt, to give some examples. (At my own wedding, I borrowed my grandmother's father's wedding ring from my dad and tied it around my bouquet with twine. At the end of the night, it was easy to untie and give back!)
Something totally out-of-the-box
If heirlooms just aren't an option--and for a complete spin on this tradition--you might consider broadening the idea of "something borrowed" to include items that go beyond what you wear or carry. For instance, you might "borrow" a friend's dog to serve as your ring bearer, or ask your mom if you can use her vintage cake plates for your dessert table. You could even borrow a friend's iPad to read your vows or thank you speech from--anything goes!
Something necessary on the day-of
If the day of your wedding is drawing near and you still don't have anything to borrow, don't worry. Chances are, you're going to forget a key item (or realize you need something you don't have) on the big day. Personally, I've heard of brides borrowing everything from a bobby pin to underwear to earrings from one of their attendants.
A version of this post originally appeared on Robbins Brothers' Engaged Blog