by Claudine Zap As far as wedding traditions go, we ve all heard of something old, something new. Just in time for the royal wedding, princess-to-be Kate Middleton got herself something old and new: a coat of arms for the Middleton family. The tradition dates back to the 12th century, when the emblems were worn over armor in battle and in tournaments so that opponents could identify each other, according to Thomas Woodcock, the Garter Principal King of Arms .