Rhiannon Hendricks
Wedding receptions in 1835 were often held at the bride's home, with close neighbours, friends, and relatives in attendance. The wedding ceremony itself was usually followed by a breakfast reception, where the couple would receive their guests and accept congratulations. While there was little to no entertainment provided at the reception, the core values symbolised in wedding ceremonies, such as love, lifelong commitment, and new beginnings, remain unchanged. In terms of decorations, flowers and petals scattered on the aisle were a common feature of Victorian weddings, a tradition that has endured to the present day. Additionally, in home weddings, it was customary to hang symbols of good luck, such as wishbones, horseshoes, or bells, over the place where the couple exchanged their vows.
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What You'll Learn
Wedding receptions were usually held at the bride's home
Wedding receptions in 1835 were usually held at the bride's home, with close neighbours, friends, and relatives in attendance. The wedding ceremony would typically take place around noon and would include an exchange of vows, followed by a dinner feast and dancing.
The bride's family hosted the reception, and gatherings were often small and intimate. The wedding dress was usually made by a reputable dressmaker known to the family, and it was common for the bride to wear her best dress or travelling dress, especially if the wedding was an intimate affair or the couple was travelling after the reception. The colour of the dress was typically brown or black, and it was advised that the bride should not wear something conspicuously new out of respect for her husband, who might not want people to know he was just married.
The bride's home would be decorated elaborately, with a profusion of white and another colour according to the theme. Symbols of good luck, such as wishbones, horseshoes, or bells, were often hung over the place where the couple exchanged their vows. Flowers were also used to decorate the venue, with petals scattered down the aisle.
The reception was usually a breakfast held at the bride's home after the ceremony. The couple received the guests and accepted congratulations, with guests addressing the bride first unless they did not know her. It was considered a major faux pas to offer congratulations to the bride directly, as it implied that she was "lucky" to have received a proposal.
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Flowers were used to decorate the venue
In the Middle Ages, fragrant herbs and flowers were used to mask body odours, with brides wearing flower garlands and carrying garlic stems. During the Elizabethan era, flowers became more abundant, with posies, nosegays, and sachets added to the existing floral arrangements.
By the 19th century, weddings were often held at the bride's home, with smaller guest lists and simpler decorations. It is likely that flowers were used to decorate the venue, as they were a common feature of wedding ceremonies and receptions. For example, a bride might wear flowers in her hair or carry a bouquet of flowers, and these flowers could also be used to decorate the reception venue.
Flowers are a popular choice for wedding decorations due to their natural beauty and fragrance. They can be used to create a romantic and intimate atmosphere, and certain types of flowers may hold symbolic meanings for the couple. When planning a wedding, couples may choose specific types of flowers or colours to fit a particular theme or style.
While fresh flowers are traditional, some couples may opt for artificial flowers, especially if the wedding is outdoors. Artificial flowers can be more cost-effective and weather-resistant, ensuring that the decorations remain intact throughout the event.
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Symbols of good luck were hung at home weddings
In the 19th century, weddings were simpler affairs, with fewer guests and less extravagance. The ceremony was usually held at the bride's home, though sometimes it took place in a church, and weddings were often held in the morning, between 10 am and noon.
For home weddings, symbols of good luck were hung over the place where the couple would exchange their vows. These could include wishbones, horseshoes, or bells. The home would also be decorated with an abundance of white flowers, adorning doorways, balustrades, windows, and fireplaces.
The wedding dress was usually the bride's best dress or a travelling dress, in colours such as brown, black, purple, dark blue, red, or gold. The bride's family hosted the reception, which was usually a breakfast held at the bride's home after the ceremony. There was typically no entertainment provided at the reception, and only the bridal party would eat sitting down due to limited space.
The wedding cake was usually a single-layer, rich dark fruitcake covered in almond paste and hard, white sugar icing. It was often decorated simply with fresh flowers and placed on a rectangular table covered with a white cloth.
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Breakfast was served at the reception
In the early 19th century, weddings were simpler affairs, often taking place in the bride's home, with close neighbours, friends, and relatives in attendance. The wedding dress was usually the bride's best dress or her travelling dress, and the wedding reception was typically a breakfast held at the bride's home after the ceremony.
The breakfast served at the reception was likely a feast, with dancing afterwards. In the bride's home, a special and elaborately decorated corner was reserved for receiving her guests. The bridal party would eat sitting down, while the other guests would not be seated. There would be no entertainment provided at the reception, as it was considered an honour just to be invited.
The wedding cake, usually a single-layered dark fruitcake, was brought out at the reception. It was decorated simply with fresh flowers and placed on a rectangular table covered with a white cloth.
The bride and groom would receive their guests and accept congratulations. It was customary for guests to address the bride first, unless they did not know her, in which case the groom would introduce them.
The wedding ceremony and reception reflected the simplicity of the wedding form and required minimal advance planning.
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There was no entertainment at the reception
In the early 19th century, weddings were simpler affairs, with fewer guests and less extravagance. The wedding ceremony usually took place at the bride's home or in church, typically around noon. The reception was often held at the bride's home, where the couple would receive guests and accept congratulations.
At this time, there was no wedding "industry", and weddings were smaller and more intimate. The bride's family hosted the reception, and there were rarely any decorations or entertainment provided. It was understood that the guests did not need entertainment as it was an honour to be invited to share the day.
The wedding dress was usually the bride's best dress or a travelling dress, especially if the wedding was an intimate affair or the couple was travelling for their honeymoon immediately after the reception. The dress was often brown or black, and brides were advised to avoid wearing anything conspicuously new out of respect for the sensitivity of their husbands, who might not want people to know they were newly married.
The wedding ceremony included the exchange of vows and a dinner feast, followed by dancing. The bride's family provided the food, and many of the items in the bride's trousseau were handmade by family members. The wedding dress was typically made by a reputable dressmaker known to the family.
While there may not have been specific entertainment at the reception, the wedding ceremony and celebration as a whole were likely to have included music, dancing, and well-wishes from guests.
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Frequently asked questions
In the early 19th century, weddings were usually held at the bride's home, though they could also be held in a church, usually the bride's parish.
In the early 19th century, weddings were simpler affairs with fewer guests. The wedding industry did not exist yet, so decorations were likely to be homemade. In home weddings, it was traditional to hang symbols of good luck, such as wishbones, horseshoes, or bells, over the place where the couple exchanged their vows. Flowers were also used to decorate the venue, with petals scattered down the aisle.
In the early 19th century, the bride's wedding dress was often her best dress, as it was impractical to spend money on a dress that would only be worn once. Brides typically wore colours such as purple, dark blue, brown, red, and gold, as white dresses were too expensive and impractical without modern bleaching techniques. Grooms wore their best clothes.
