How to Decorate a Victorian Christmas Wedding

Using jewel tones and gold accents lends richness and authenticity to a Victorian Christmas wedding.

Planning a Christmas wedding comes with its own unique challenges, but it can make your wedding day especially memorable. Because people are already very busy and stressed during the holiday season, Christmas weddings require more advanced planning than other weddings. Organizing a Victorian Christmas wedding can be fun for everyone involved, and is relatively easy to do -- as long as you plan well in advance.

Things You'll Need

• Pine wreaths
• Pine boughs
• Victorian era clothing
• Candles
• Lace trimming
• Old-fashioned paper and invitations
• Glass ornaments
• Horse and buggy (optional)
• Carolers (optional)
• String quartet (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose a combination of jewel tone colors and an array of shades of white, to give an old-fashioned appearance to your event. This color scheme will help you to give an authentic and rich appearance to your wedding. Using gold colored accents helps to give a more luxurious feel to the decorations. Popular color choices include crimson, royal and navy blues, forest greens, light tan and bright whites.

2. Use lace and old paper or treated paper for your decorations, place settings and invitations. Sending out your invitations with old-fashioned Victorian cards will give an immediate impression regarding the wedding theme. Using lace and old-fashioned paper for place settings, menus, and programs will give an extra touch of authenticity and romance to the decorations. Use candles and old fashioned indoor lampposts, to light and accent your lace and paper decorations.

3. Decorate with glass and old-fashioned Christmas ornaments, wreaths, boughs and winter flowers. Place small Christmas lights with the wreaths and hang them with the boughs throughout the reception and ceremony areas. This provides a classic Victorian Christmas touch, while also perfuming the air with the scent of pine and spruce. Using glass ornaments to accent place settings, pews, or other furniture gives a gentle sparkle to the proceedings -- while also staying true to the theme.

4. Choose a Victorian style wedding dress and authentic Victorian suit. Your clothing will go a long way towards having an authentic Victorian wedding. If you can find an antique or vintage gown that can be altered to your fit, that is an excellent option. Otherwise, choose a more demure gown to stay consistent with the theme. Good choices for a Victorian wedding dress includes long sleeves, high necks, a full skirt and train, and plenty of lace. For men, depending on the time of day, a classic grey morning suit or a three piece tuxedo with tails, would be suitable. Also, a top hat, a bow tie, and gloves are part of traditional Victorian dress.

5. Hire extra help to give your wedding added Victorian details -- such as a horse and buggy -- a string quartet -- or a group of carolers. Hiring a string quartet or carolers to perform traditional Victorian pieces during your wedding and at the reception is a way of further underlining the Victorian theme. Music for the Victorian era is particularly well-suited for wedding events as it is acoustic, quiet, and romantic. The carolers could even serenade guests during the wedding reception.

Tips & Warnings

• You can let your guests know in advance that there is a Victorian theme to your wedding, and to request that they dress appropriately for the event.

References

• Victorain Wedding
• Christmas Wedding Ideas