Something borrowed...
Today, however, the something borrowed is likely to be a wad of cash in the form of a personal loan to help pay for the whole shebang.
Tradition has it that it's the bride's poor old father who had to stump up for the wedding.
Today, however, the average wedding costs around £17,000 so it tends not just to be dad who has to dig deep when it comes to paying for the nuptials.
And, as not too many dads have that kind of cash lying around spare, many couples are opting to take loans to pay for the wedding of their dreams.
A recently survey showed those who need a little extra cash for their wedding ceremonies on average borrow more than £10,000.
Figures also showed that the tradition of the father of the bride footing the bill is a reality in fewer ceremonies than ever before.
And, indeed, when it does happen, he too may have to take out a loan. Most applications to borrow money for a
wedding - 42 per cent - come from couples in their 20s and 30s.
This figure does decrease when the betrothed are in their 40s but rises again for second-timers in their 50s and 60s.
A spokesman for GE Money said: "The overall number of wedding loans is up on corresponding years and we believe this is likely to increase, as many couples are aiming high to ensure their wedding day is unforgettable."
Some of the cash goes on exotic locations and amazing themes, with wedding taking place on ships, castles, at the tops of mountains and even during the London Marathon, to name but a few.
And why not? If you want a wedding day of a lifetime, surely it's up to you?
While that maybe true, it's only fair to spare a thought for the intended guests.
Fiona Thompson is due to be a guest at a wedding abroad later this year and said: "My best friend is getting married this summer in Cyprus and has invited 80 guests, most of whom come from Scotland. Her parents are retired and rent an apartment out there for six weeks of the year, so they're fine.
"But the rest of us either save up and make it part of our summer holiday, or we can't go."
Fiona's a hairdresser and not that long qualified so, as she points out, it's been a real struggle for her to make sure she can even be at the wedding, never mind buying an outfit and paying for a present.
"I know I sound a bit mean but I honestly don't think she's realised how bad this is for most of us," she explains.
"She's having the wedding of her dreams and a couple of our crowd have even taken out a loan to be there."
While most of us wouldn't go to the lengths that Posh 'n' Becks, or Peter and Jordan went to when it comes to adding bling to weddings, there's little doubt there's a definite trend away from the 'less is more' approach.
Getting the balance right between family and friends can be tricky as many parents would still like to have some input but simply cannot cope with the enormous bills.
Some couples prefer to foot the bill themselves so they can control the guest list - an exercise which can be fraught in terms of family politics.
Some parents, though pleased to have been relieved of the financial burden, feel aggrieved at their lack of involvement.
It's not the best way to start off wedding preparations and neither is a massive debt, so taking stock at the outset is always wise.
The cost of stag and hen celebrations can also bump the price up considerably, especially if they involve going away for a weekend.
These are the areas where savings can be made, if you consider that what you really want is a good night with your closest friends and siblings - a wild weekend in Dublin or Barcelona may have appeal, but is it an absolute necessity?
Even more expensive for the guests is the wedding abroad, an increasingly popular option.
For the bride and groom, a marriage on a tropical beach in South Africa, St Lucia, Mauritius or Antigua can actually cost a lot less than at home, especially if they merge wedding and honeymoon into a single holiday.
However, like Fiona and friends, the guests are the ones who are out of pocket.
Whatever your final choice for your wedding budget, it must be something you can cope with, either in saving up for it, servicing a loan thereafter or accepting a bit of give and take with the parents in return for their help.
Or, as bride-to-be Linda Turner did recently, come at it from a slightly different angle.
"We decided to sell my car," she says cheerfully. I kept getting parking tickets taking it into work, so I'm using the train now and we share David's at the weekend.
"We got £7000 for it and that covered nearly the entire wedding and put a stop to all the arguments.
"We paid for everything so we picked everything - the ideal solution."
