Things You'll Need:
- Parchment-style paper for invitations
- Church or other venue
- Wedding officiant
- Renaissance-type costumes for bride and groom
- Candles, fresh flowers and herbs
- Caterer
- Cake
- Friends willing to wear theme garb
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Step 1
First, choose your date and location. Remember that many venues are booked months in advance, so when you know when you want to marry, decide on a location. Make sure it can accommodate all your guests and will let you decorate with a medieval or Renaissance theme. Many churches and cathedrals have beautiful stained glass and other architecture that will enhance your Renaissance wedding. If you have the wedding outside, check rules or regulations at the site; some venues such as parks do not allow candles or open flames.
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Step 2
Send invitations. To create Renaissance-style invitations, use parchment-style paper. Using your computer and printer, design the invitations in a Gothic-style or Old English font, and print them onto the parchment. If possible, roll the parchment into a scroll-like tube and tie it with a ribbon. Fold mailed invitations neatly and seal with wax before putting them into envelopes. Suggest that guests wear period costumes.
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Step 3
Find Renaissance garb for the bride and groom. If you're planning on a fancy wedding of the nobility, you'll want more elaborate fabrics such as silks, satins, and brocades. For a peasant-style wedding, simple cottons and wools are perfect. You can buy the costumes commercially, but if you have the time, it's worth the investment to make your own. For information, read How to Make a Men's Renaissance Festival Costume and How to Make a Woman's Renaissance Festival Costume in the links below.
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Step 4
Find a clergy member willing to participate; several specialize in theme weddings. Check online or in the yellow pages. If you are marrying in a church, ask the pastor to officiate. If the clergy member does not have a Renaissance festival costume, the bride and groom should offer to help pay for one.
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Step 5
Hire a group to perform madrigals and other Renaissance-era music. If this isn't an option, dozens of CDs have Renaissance music suitable for a wedding.
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Step 6
On the wedding day, decorate with Renaissance themed items. Hang heraldic banners representing the bride's and groom's families. Use lots of candles in wrought-iron holders. Spread fresh flowers and herbs around. In some cultures, it's traditional to hang symbols of fertility.
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Step 7
Exchange vows. During the medieval and Renaissance periods, this was usually done on the church steps, then guests went inside for a blessing of the union and a full Mass. If this isn't an option, have the entire ceremony in the hall or church.
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Step 8
If you have a caterer, ask in advance for Renaissance-style foods with a contemporary twist. Large turkey legs, roast mutton, breads and cheeses were popular during the period. If you're cooking, a number of excellent books on Renaissance and medieval cuisine are available.
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Step 9
Enjoy your party. Consider hiring wandering minstrels. A bard can recite poetry, and jugglers and acrobats can perform. If your friends can do these things, ask if they'd be willing. Provide party favors with a Renaissance or medieval theme, and your guests will talk about your wedding for years.
Comments
theshop1012 said
on 3/15/2009 HI! I just read your article and I think that it has a lot of good ideas. I would like to make one comment though. Not all festivals are alike and some may be quite expensive for the wedding package, but I got married at the Colorado Renaissance Festival and the entire package was only $3000 and that included catering. Now there were some add ons that I could do, but I chose to do them myself as it was a little bit cheaper. They provided all the entertainment for the day, the catering, and that price also included 50 guests. So, in my opinion, I thought the price I paid was extremely fair. You had a lot of good ideas in this article and it was really good, but I just wanted to mention that little tid bit.