Wedding Rings

Victorian/Edwardian themes??

Question:

Sharon, Congratulations on your recent engagement.  I am also marrying a Robert and I will be wearing an Edwardian gown. I bought my dress at a vintage dress shop. It is dated between 1890-1904 but the style suggests the latter date. It is not a wedding dress. It is a white linen garden dress. Edwardian women did not wear white at weddings. My dress is not high necked, it has a square neckline with handmade lace accents. The bodice and skirt are hand embroidered white on white. My wedding is in June 1997 and I intend to sell the dress afterwards. I had it restored so it is quite white and beutiful. My fiance has not picked out a tux yet, but it will probably be a grey mourning coat. His cousin is a costum designer (nominated for an Academy award for the English Patient) and tells us that he should wear a blue gaberdine suit. I will carry a small round boquet of ivory and peach and tulle accents. Other posters have given you great ideas for decorations. Rexcraft has some lovely ivory invitations with a Victorian feel, one of which we are using.  My point is, you do not have to have a high necked dress to be authentic Edwardian. I suggest looking in Vintage stores maybe not at wedding dresses but at garden and morning dresses from that period. If you are interested in purchasing my dress, email me. Best of luck and have fun. Suzanne (and Bob) 6/21/97 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Robert and I just got engaged this past Friday night! > I’ve been anticipating this for a few months and already > have lots of thoughts and info.  I’ve been reading the > groups for a few months as well. > We’re planning on having the reception at a historic > inn (haven’t picked on yet) and I’m wondering if anyone > has ideas about incorporating Victorian/Edwardian styles. > I don’t want to do a full theme wedding in costume or > anything, just some elegent touches here and there. > Our house is from ~1875, my diamond is an heirloom from > around 1890 and the setting is a platinum Edwardian style. > And so…the reason for the thought of continuing the theme > a little more. > Anyone have ideas on styles of gowns that would "fit" the > era (although I’m not into high neck Victorian gowns, I > have no idea if there are other styles or what an Edwardian > style would look like?) flower types, decorations?? > Thanks for any information you can provide! > Sharon (& Robert) > Autumn 1997

Response:

>We’re planning on having the reception at a historic >inn (haven’t picked on yet) and I’m wondering if anyone >has ideas about incorporating Victorian/Edwardian styles. >I don’t want to do a full theme wedding in costume or >anything, just some elegent touches here and there.

Hi Sharon, First of all, congratulations on your recent engagement! If you are really interested in getting some ideas about clothing styles from the Edwardian period (1901-1910…although it can be stretched to include pre-WWI years of 1911-1914 if you’re not a purist) I would suggest watching movies that are set in that period, specifically "A Room With A View," "Howard’s End," and "Somewhere In Time."  This will give you an idea of the different sillouhettes (oh DARN, I don’t have spell check!) in fashion back then. While many wedding gowns of that time did have a high neck, there are other styles to consider.  An off the shoulder, ball-gown style gown would be perfect to suggest the Victorian or Edwardian eras.   Also, "lingerie dresses" were quite in fashion in the Edwardian era and can sometimes be found in vintage clothing stores.  While a bride probably wouldn’t have worn one, they make great wedding dresses now. Two companies that I know of that make very romantic, vintage-appearing wedding dresses are Country Elegance and Jessica McClintock. Weddings during the Victorian/Edwardian periods were often fairly simple, at-home affairs taking place in the late morning/early afternoon.  Weddings at high noon were quite popular for a time, my grandmother married at noon in 1905.  The reception was often called the wedding breakfast, although it would be more like a lunch buffet with chicken salad, tea sandwiches, maybe a carved meat or two, ice cream and nuts.  Another tradition would be to have a brides cake and a grooms cake.  One of those was usually the "dreaded" fruitcake of today.  :-)   Often one of the cakes was cut up and boxed so that each guest could take a piece home…..or maybe that was only that the female, single guests took a piece home so they could sleep with it under their pillow and dream of their future husband. One thing a Victorian-style wedding wouldn’t be without is flowers. Bouquets were often huge during the Edwardian era with lots of ribbon streamers hanging down with tiny rosebuds knotted every few inches. You could also get a reproduction silver bouquet holder from the 1920’s.  I know they have them in the Beverly Clark catalog. In decorating, to evoke a Victorian feel (although probably not authentic) use lots of lace, tulle and baby’s breath or other dried flowers.  These things all look very old-fashioned and delicate and are what people usually associate with a Victorian wedding. If you have any questions or want more ideas (I’m restraining myself!) or want the phone numbers of any of the companies I’ve mentioned, just e-mail me.  Researching historic wedding traditions is my passion, for some strange reason.  :-) Good luck and have fun with the whole Victorian thing.  It will make your wedding uniquely yours. Jonni (who is happily planning her Victorian renewal of vows to Taz for the spring of 1998!!!)

Response:

Robert and I just got engaged this past Friday night! I’ve been anticipating this for a few months and already have lots of thoughts and info.  I’ve been reading the groups for a few months as well. We’re planning on having the reception at a historic inn (haven’t picked on yet) and I’m wondering if anyone has ideas about incorporating Victorian/Edwardian styles. I don’t want to do a full theme wedding in costume or anything, just some elegent touches here and there. Our house is from ~1875, my diamond is an heirloom from around 1890 and the setting is a platinum Edwardian style. And so…the reason for the thought of continuing the theme a little more. Anyone have ideas on styles of gowns that would "fit" the era (although I’m not into high neck Victorian gowns, I have no idea if there are other styles or what an Edwardian style would look like?) flower types, decorations?? Thanks for any information you can provide! Sharon (& Robert) Autumn 1997

Response:

My wedding is turning into a Victorian wedding without being costumey.  I started with the dress, which is ivory, off the shoulder with a lace bodice and sleeves and lace insets around the skirt.  It’s more lace than I thought that I had originally wanted, but it’s "the dress".  Last week’s People magazine had a huge wedding section, and it just happens that Candice Cameron has my dress (minus the 8 foot train). Anyway, the reception is in a historical house in nice condition.  I am slowly buying and borrowing candlesticks for 12" ivory tapers.  Hopefully I’ll get enough to put 4 or 5 on each table and several on the mantles and food tables.  The goal is to have it look like we gathered all of the candles in the house for this grand party. The invitations will continue with the ivory color, though I haven’t settled on one yet.  The groomsman will be wearing 3 button tuxes, with the high button vests.  This should help them look a little more old fashioned without getting into tailcoats and top hats. (Doug will be in his Army dress blues, which is another reason for the high button tuxes). I haven’t picked flowers yet, but am leaning towards ivory and burgandy roses.  The lace on my dress is roses, so I want the flowers to echo this.  We’ll have to see what’s affordable in October Sorry this is so long, but hopefully it will give you some ideas. Trisha (& Doug) October 4, 1997 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Robert and I just got engaged this past Friday night! >I’ve been anticipating this for a few months and already >have lots of thoughts and info.  I’ve been reading the >groups for a few months as well. >We’re planning on having the reception at a historic >inn (haven’t picked on yet) and I’m wondering if anyone >has ideas about incorporating Victorian/Edwardian styles. >I don’t want to do a full theme wedding in costume or >anything, just some elegent touches here and there. >Our house is from ~1875, my diamond is an heirloom from >around 1890 and the setting is a platinum Edwardian style. >And so…the reason for the thought of continuing the theme >a little more. >Anyone have ideas on styles of gowns that would "fit" the >era (although I’m not into high neck Victorian gowns, I >have no idea if there are other styles or what an Edwardian >style would look like?) flower types, decorations?? >Thanks for any information you can provide! >Sharon (& Robert) >Autumn 1997

Response:

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