Victorian Wedding Traditions and Gifts
The Victorian era lasted from 1837 to 1901, during the reign of Queen Victoria in England. A good number of Western wedding traditions stem from that era. For example, Victoria was the first to wear a white dress and a veil during her 1840 wedding to Prince Albert, a tradition that continues into modern times.
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Time and Location
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Before Queen Victoria's wedding, most ceremonies were held in the evening. Victoria and Albert's wedding happened in the mid-afternoon. After their wedding, marrying couples were legally required to hold a morning wedding, until the 1880s, when weddings were permitted to be held until 3 p.m. Victorians considered Wednesday the best day to hold a wedding. Most Victorian weddings were held in a church, usually the bride's home church, though some couples chose to hold their weddings at home.
Flowers
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A Victorian bride didn't choose her flowers based on whether or not she thought they were pretty. Victorian wedding flowers were chosen for their meaning. Queen Victoria carried orange blossoms, which represented bounty and fertility. Other traditional flowers include orchids, which represent true love, daisies for innocence and mums for wealth. A Victorian bride and groom typically walked to the ceremony together on a path strewn with flower petals, which represented a happy life's journey.
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Tea and Cake
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When she wanted to ask her friends to be in the bridal party, a Victorian bride would host a tea at her home. During the tea, she would invite her friends to be bridesmaids. The meal after the ceremony was usually a breakfast, as weddings were held early in the day. At the reception, Victorian couples typically had three cakes. The fancy cake was usually a fruit cake covered in a thick, white icing. The bride and groom each had an individual cake as well. The bride's cake was cut and a slice given to each bridesmaid to take home.
Gifts and Favors
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Usually, favors would be baked into the bride's cake. If a bridesmaid received a slice with a ring in it, she would be married within a year. A penny meant she would become rich and a thimble meant she would be an old maid. Guests at Victorian weddings were expected to send gifts. Usually, the gifts would be put on display during the ceremony. Victorian wedding gifts were expected to be elaborate and not necessarily items the couple would actually ever use.
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