Ceremony, Reception, Cake, Favors
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The marriage ceremony of a Victorian wedding, in the 1850s, was almost always held in church (very occasionally at home), usually in the bride's parish, and any number of guests were invited. The clergyman and parish clerk were in attendance. The church was decorated with flowers, more and more elaborately as the years past.
The wedding ring was usually a plain gold band, engraved with the initials of the couple and the date of their wedding. Double ring ceremonies had not yet come into their own in the Victorian era. A superstition held that it was good luck for the ring to be dropped during the ceremony. It was "believed" that the noise would shake out the evil spirits.
When the couple left the church, nuts were thrown at them. This custom dated back to Roman times. The wedding carriage that awaited the bride and groom was traditionally drawn by four white horses.
If the ceremony was at home, decorations were simpler. White and one other color were used to adorn doorways, balustrades, windows and fireplaces. Americans, during the Victorian era, hung a good luck symbol hung over the spot where the couple exchanged their vows. A bell, dove, or a wishbone, were most commonly used.
In early Victorian times, three wedding cakes were the norm, one very fancy one and two others (one for the bride and one for the groom). The fancy cake was cut into pieces, put into boxes and tied with a ribbon. Each guest received a box as a parting gift, to "dream on." Typically, the cake was a dark, rich fruitcake with ornate white frostings of scrolls and orange blossoms. The bride and groom's cakes were simpler. Hers was a white cake, his a dark cake. The groom's cake was cut into pieces and given to the attendants. The pieces sometimes had party favors baked inside for good luck. Each of the good luck favors had its own meaning.
The penny for wealth, my dear;
The thimble for an old maid or bachelor born;
The button for sweethearts all forlorn.
The party favor tradition last only until the end of the century and is believed to have died out because the bridesmaids did not want to get their gloves dirty searching for the favor. The bride's cake was packed away to be eaten by the couple on their 25th wedding anniversary.
Theme weddings give couples the opportunity to choose their degree of "compliance" which can range from an authentic, historically correct wedding, or "bits and pieces" that will give their wedding a flavor Victorian customs.
Click Here to Part I The Elegance of a Victorian Wedding: Setting, Attire and Flowers
Click Here to Victorian Rules of Etiquette
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