𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑿𝑰𝑿

Most of us are hooked on the new Netflix series based on the 19th century Brigedton, I personally got super hooked, since my favorite time in decoration, montages and parties is the late 18th and 19th centuries. Which brings me to the post I have information for today.

Weddings in the XIX:

* The best time to marry in the fall, as it was the time of harvest, which augured a marriage full of wealth and benefits. It must also be borne in mind that for the aristocracy this was very convenient, since the social season used to end in mid-August.

* The ceremony was held in the most absolute privacy, that is, the spouses and their family and closest friends. The rest of the guests joined the banquet and after party that was normally held in the house of one of the bride and groom, usually the one that was more ostentatious.

* The reprimands had to be published three weeks before the wedding, but the aristocracy had, as in everything, certain privileges and could request in Doctor’s Common a special license that enabled them to marry without respecting these periods established by the Anglican church.

* The bride and groom had to enter the church separately and at that time the bride was the first to cross the church door, accompanied by the maid of honor, who was a girl under 12 years old (she had to be a relative by consanguinity direct) who was in charge of opening the entourage carrying the flowers with which she asks for the fertility of the bride. This is a medieval custom. In 19th century England, the maid of honor became a grown woman, a close friend and confidant of the bride.

* The bride was always located to the left of the groom and this tradition does have an incredible origin: men should be able to freely use their right arm to wield the weapon against a possible attack in which they had to defend their beloved. It must be remembered that, on many occasions, the brides were kidnapped, and it could be the case that the relatives tried to recover her and the groom had to fight while the priest gave them the blessing.

* One of the most popular and that is still carried out today is the groom’s custom of picking up the bride to walk through the door of her new home. The explanation is that it was unlucky for the bride to set foot near the threshold of the door because evil spirits lived there and could bring misfortune to the marriage. Another theory is that it was bad luck that the bride fell when crossing the threshold and to avoid this her boyfriend carried her in her arms.

* Curiously, another current custom, that the groom cannot see the bride before the wedding, comes from that era of arranged marriages. The bride and groom did not see each other before the appointment with the parish priest at the altar so that they would not back down if they disliked their future husband / wife.

* One of the ones I like the most is the origin of white for the wedding dress. It was Queen Victoria of England who made it fashionable, wearing a dress of this tone in her royal link. Before, pastel colors were used, especially yellow, green or pink. Be careful with this! A bride would not have married in white in England in the Regency.