Weddings; Til Godey's Do Us Part, An Inarguable Evolution

[JPK Huson 1863]

Prints like this, currently on LoC were wildly popular as the white wedding sold romance. Well, to women. We have no record on what men felt on he topic.

With a wedding Saturday and 16 cupcake bouquet centerpieces ( buttercream... ) to finish, little distracted. A gazillion details and it's an offspring, not mine! You know. Florist, seating chart, picking up suits, not forgetting who is flying in- the usual. I can't say said bride is unenthusiastic- grading papers and with That Degree in sight, well, have a feeling she'd rather be playing with beakers. It's a lot.

How'd we all get here, is what I want to know. Well- we do know and it's dear to our hearts- and wallets. A caterpillar of a wedding ceremony crawled into Time somewhere early in the 1800's. By the Civil War, a Monarch Butterfly in full regalia was unfurling new, glorious and expensive wings.

Suspect this is a bride, very prewar. The white shawl, best dress and frills her best representation of a new ambition- the 'white ' wedding.

Two threads on it ( 2nd because I'd missed someone else's efforts ), white was not THE color for wedding dresses.

"Many nineteenth century brides had only one best dress and, as a matter of course, they were generally married in that dress. Thus, it was not uncommon for brides to be married in black or other dark colors, as this best dress could also double as suitable funeral attire "
http://www.randomhistory.com/1-50/009wedding.html

Don't you love them?

You could see this dress as a mourning dress, too.

Then the royals took a hand. Then as now, goodness- all Kate Middleton has to do is chip a nail and American women rush to salons insisting manicurists replicate it as a fashion statement. ( Although I do love Kate- I'd be in line if nails were a thing here. Own clippers. ) Serious news rags covered Victoria's 1840 wedding to her legendary prince. WITH pictures. To die-and pay-for.

Bridesmaids were encouraged to outshine brides if they could- same regalia, please note. White, veil, lace and train. Little risky in this case, no? Not too far in the past were not the Brits offing heads? Weddings were just warming up as sources of tension.

Romance!

By 1850 the well inlaid of society were following suit. It was considered a shocking waste by some- genuinely shocked anyone would use a dress for merely one purpose.

Godey's Lady's Book made queens of all women. This war era centerfold was typical. It helped begin the dash for the cash and white sweepstakes. It would take another 80 years for ' white ' to be so exclusive but Godey's was responsible for spreading the word. Go bridal or go home.

1863, smack in the middle of the war

1861

And meanwhile, back at the ranch...

One of my all-time favorites. His hair being wrassled into condition for a wedding photo- one of the proudest grooms ever recorded, I'm sorry.

Read somewhere, on wedding traditions. But. Have yet to find anything definitive so will refrain-meaning there are so many conflicting accounts and a lo which seems myth I won't post them. For instance, read that flowers were just not used- but.....

Several more of these, honest. Two suffice. Having discovered this fallacy, am disinclined to indulge in any myth v fact when I'm clueless which is where? Also read where men did not wear wedding bands and have seen a few men wearing rings.

Honestly? By the 1860's ' rules ' and ' weddings ' were incredibly varied but swiftly being encouraged towards what we see today. Finances seem the main obstacle although some societal resistance can be seen against what was thought sheer waste, show, glitz and unwonted extravagance. Finances seem also a huge motivator in encouraging this new trend towards show, glitz and unwonted extravagance. Aka, romance.

Earlier, pre-war, admiring looks cast at the glowing bride post- Victoria's wedding caused a disruption in the Feminine Force called ' Wedding Industry '. Thank you, Sarah Hale. Sigh.

We fell for it, and hard. By the time everyone has their hand out, today's average wedding? 30K. *snorkel*. ( I'm sorry. My Scottish genes short circuited ) Not this one's- all my offspring inherited those, too. Mom, by great fortune and insistence does one of the major expenses; we can sit on chairs shockingly naked. ( Did you know there are veritable wedding dresses for chairs? ) I showed the bride, generally fantastically unimpressed with History, one of these. She thought it looked lovely.

And here we go.

Photos Ebay, LoC Google Archives, Pinterest

 

[donna]

Best to you all with the Wedding. Know you have been very busy. Know everything will be beautiful. Please post photo of the cupcakes.

 

[Jimklag]

View attachment 138959
Prints like this, currently on LoC were wildly popular as the white wedding sold romance. Well, to women. We have no record on what men felt on he topic.

With a wedding Saturday and 16 cupcake bouquet centerpieces ( buttercream... ) to finish, little distracted. A gazillion details and it's an offspring, not mine! You know. Florist, seating chart, picking up suits, not forgetting who is flying in- the usual. I can't say said bride is unenthusiastic- grading papers and with That Degree in sight, well, have a feeling she'd rather be playing with beakers. It's a lot.

How'd we all get here, is what I want to know. Well- we do know and it's dear to our hearts- and wallets. A caterpillar of a wedding ceremony crawled into Time somewhere early in the 1800's. By the Civil War, a Monarch Butterfly in full regalia was unfurling new, glorious and expensive wings.
View attachment 138976
Suspect this is a bride, very prewar. The white shawl, best dress and frills her best representation of a new ambition- the 'white ' wedding.

Two threads on it ( 2nd because I'd missed someone else's efforts ), white was not THE color for wedding dresses.

"Many nineteenth century brides had only one best dress and, as a matter of course, they were generally married in that dress. Thus, it was not uncommon for brides to be married in black or other dark colors, as this best dress could also double as suitable funeral attire "
http://www.randomhistory.com/1-50/009wedding.html

View attachment 138958
Don't you love them?

View attachment 138964
You could see this dress as a mourning dress, too.

Then the royals took a hand. Then as now, goodness- all Kate Middleton has to do is chip a nail and American women rush to salons insisting manicurists replicate it as a fashion statement. ( Although I do love Kate- I'd be in line if nails were a thing here. Own clippers. ) Serious news rags covered Victoria's 1840 wedding to her legendary prince. WITH pictures. To die-and pay-for.

View attachment 138962
Bridesmaids were encouraged to outshine brides if they could- same regalia, please note. White, veil, lace and train. Little risky in this case, no? Not too far in the past were not the Brits offing heads? Weddings were just warming up as sources of tension.
View attachment 138972
Romance!

View attachment 138967
By 1850 the well inlaid of society were following suit. It was considered a shocking waste by some- genuinely shocked anyone would use a dress for merely one purpose.

View attachment 138966
Godey's Lady's Book made queens of all women. This war era centerfold was typical. It helped begin the dash for the cash and white sweepstakes. It would take another 80 years for ' white ' to be so exclusive but Godey's was responsible for spreading the word. Go bridal or go home.

View attachment 138970
1863, smack in the middle of the war

View attachment 138969
1861

View attachment 138968

And meanwhile, back at the ranch...

View attachment 138965
One of my all-time favorites. His hair being wrassled into condition for a wedding photo- one of the proudest grooms ever recorded, I'm sorry.

Read somewhere, on wedding traditions. But. Have yet to find anything definitive so will refrain-meaning there are so many conflicting accounts and a lo which seems myth I won't post them. For instance, read that flowers were just not used- but.....

View attachment 138960

View attachment 138963

Several more of these, honest. Two suffice. Having discovered this fallacy, am disinclined to indulge in any myth v fact when I'm clueless which is where? Also read where men did not wear wedding bands and have seen a few men wearing rings.

Honestly? By the 1860's ' rules ' and ' weddings ' were incredibly varied but swiftly being encouraged towards what we see today. Finances seem the main obstacle although some societal resistance can be seen against what was thought sheer waste, show, glitz and unwonted extravagance. Finances seem also a huge motivator in encouraging this new trend towards show, glitz and unwonted extravagance. Aka, romance.
View attachment 138974
Earlier, pre-war, admiring looks cast at the glowing bride post- Victoria's wedding caused a disruption in the Feminine Force called ' Wedding Industry '. Thank you, Sarah Hale. Sigh.

We fell for it, and hard. By the time everyone has their hand out, today's average wedding? 30K. *snorkel*. ( I'm sorry. My Scottish genes short circuited ) Not this one's- all my offspring inherited those, too. Mom, by great fortune and insistence does one of the major expenses; we can sit on chairs shockingly naked. ( Did you know there are veritable wedding dresses for chairs? ) I showed the bride, generally fantastically unimpressed with History, one of these. She thought it looked lovely.
View attachment 138973

View attachment 138977
And here we go.

Photos Ebay, LoC Google Archives, Pinterest

That first pic is Victoria and Albert, isn't it?

 

[captaindrew]

As always a very interesting thread, a couple of those grooms need to be in the best hair contest

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Your posts always tug at my feminine heartstrings, @JPK Huson 1863 . You know we girls LOVE weddings! Some beautiful images, as per usual, and I love the info about bridesmaids trying to outdo brides with their attire once upon a time . That would be a real 'knock down, drag out' fight these days . Thanks for sharing, and hope the wedding goes well, btw

 

[Blessmag]

and gloves!

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Whenever I think of love (and weddings), I always think of Emily Dickinson. She is one of my favorite poets and she happened to live and write during the Civil War era. I'm sure the wedding you are planning @JPK Huson 1863 will be a beautiful celebration of love.

Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality.
Emily Dickinson
​

I think that sentiment alone is cause to celebrate!

​

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

That first pic is Victoria and Albert, isn't it?

That first print while very similar in look to Victoria and Albert is I believe a generic engraving of a happy newlywed couple. No doubt an advertisement for the business of wedding dresses or something else associated with weddings.

Most of our modern day wedding traditions actually spring out of not only the Victorian era, but from Queen Victoria herself and her famous wedding to her beloved Prince Albert. The white dress, the something blue - a blue sapphire brooch from Albert and even the belief that rain on your wedding day was good luck came from her wedding. It rained on her wedding day, and while I think managing to have 9 healthy children make it to adulthood in a time that 60% of women died in childbirth is very lucky, I wouldn't say being a widow at 41 to be lucky, but given life expectancy in the era, maybe being married for about 20 years was lucky indeed!

 

[Mrs. V]

Wow. White may have been more practical than one would think. If cotton, it could be bleached, or dyed abd redyed later. The silks or wools would have just been dyed later on. If you were related to me anyway. Scottish/Brits on one side, paired with frugal Slavs and German..and a whisper of French..oheah, Spanish, but English..Gibralter Island. Yep. I am a happy mutt...anyway, my slavic Great Aunt, who was married in the 20's, dyed her white gown blue, so that she could wear it after the wedding. She always said she regretted that.

 

[Mrs. V]

And this is different from today, how? I am told that my Great Step Grandpa had to be forced to bathe, trim his nails, and cut his hair. (Not really a love match as we would define it). Definitely a marriage of his convenience..and the land was mighty attractive!

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Whenever I think of love (and weddings), I always think of Emily Dickinson. She is one of my favorite poets and she happened to live and write during the Civil War era. I'm sure the wedding you are planning @JPK Huson 1863 will be a beautiful celebration of love.

Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality.
Emily Dickinson
​

View attachment 139077 I think that sentiment alone is cause to celebrate!

​

Love your post @Eleanor Rose . Where on earth did you get the butterflies? Beautiful...especially the quote from Emily Dickinson . We're just romantics at heart, I guess

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

That first print while very similar in look to Victoria and Albert is I believe a generic engraving of a happy newlywed couple. No doubt an advertisement for the business of wedding dresses or something else associated with weddings.

Most of our modern day wedding traditions actually spring out of not only the Victorian era, but from Queen Victoria herself and her famous wedding to her beloved Prince Albert. The white dress, the something blue - a blue sapphire brooch from Albert and even the belief that rain on your wedding day was good luck came from her wedding. It rained on her wedding day, and while I think managing to have 9 healthy children make it to adulthood in a time that 60% of women died in childbirth is very lucky, I wouldn't say being a widow at 41 to be lucky, but given life expectancy in the era, maybe being married for about 20 years was lucky indeed!

So odd. My daughter and I were discussing Victoria the other day. Albert was a peach. They were indeed extremely happy- if ever a fairy tale, idyllic marriage well, it was theirs. I'd mourn it long and hard, too, gee whiz. She was considered to have gone off the deep end for it. But- looking at British history and how single queens faired, alone- hmmmm. Having struck gold, with Albert, it's possible she knew perfectly well how unlikely it was, finding anything but plated nickel afterwards. Hallmarks, like genuine honor, are rare.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Wow. White may have been more practical than one would think. If cotton, it could be bleached, or dyed abd redyed later. The silks or wools would have just been dyed later on. If you were related to me anyway. Scottish/Brits on one side, paired with frugal Slavs and German..and a whisper of French..oheah, Spanish, but English..Gibralter Island. Yep. I am a happy mutt...anyway, my slavic Great Aunt, who was married in the 20's, dyed her white gown blue, so that she could wear it after the wedding. She always said she regretted that.

Yes but the old ones would have approved! Scotts to boot, although my Russian husband assures me his uber frugal grandmother lived this way. There was strong sentiment on wasteful habits- a dress to be worn once? Goodness. In a day when you replaced cuffs, collars, bodices, lace- buttons- it was beyond wasteful. It was shocking. Well, my Scott genes disallow watching some bride dress programs, true story! The delighted, feminine genes are at war with 50K price tags- much less 5K. Goodness- just thinking of these prices, you need benadryl. Gives me hives.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Best to you all with the Wedding. Know you have been very busy. Know everything will be beautiful. Please post photo of the cupcakes.

Thanks as always, my good friend! Honest, will be ' back ' and more engaged after the weekend. With photos, swear! That's for the Food Forum- and if the dogs swipe any, the 4-Footed Forum, too!