Elizabethan Weddings By Alyssa and Yvonne Background Age

Elizabethan Weddings By Alyssa and Yvonne

Background • Age of consent: boys: 14, girls: 12 • One of the woman’s most important days in her • • life and brought prestige to their families Women had very little input in the wedding compared to current weddings Children of land owners were to marry to increase land area Couples would meet for the first time on their wedding day Weddings held at the local church

Background • Bridegroom: the man to be married • Bride: the woman to be married • Dowry: the money or goods the bride’s family • • • gave to the bridegroom The marriage had to be announced on 3 different holy days and Sundays, allowing time for objection Wife became husband’s property For custom, the bride’s family would give their future husband a picture of the bride

Background • No wedding invitations needed: people would • • just attend Gifts were occasional Marriage was not based on love, but more of a contract Marriage bond: contract of security and proved to the Bishop that the marriage was lawful Grooms father had to agree to marriage

Food • It was custom to celebrate with exotic foods such as peacock • Bread and sweet meats were served • People only drank ale or wine

Clothing: Bride • Didn’t wear white wedding dresses- they wore gowns which • • had to cover their entire body Cloak was worn as an outer garment Only nobility could afford velvet, satin and corduroy Wedding garments made from flax, cotton or wool Occasionally, a corset (woman’s tightly fitting undergarment extending from below the chest to the hips) was worn A chemise or a shift (dress hanging straight from the shoulders) was worn under the gown Necklaces were often worn to attract attention to the bride’s breasts Necks and cuffs were decorated with silk or linen ruffs Fresh flowers were essential to clothing and hair

Clothing: Bride • Girls were allowed to wear their hair loose, but once they were married it had to be kept under a bonnet • Wealthy brides wore garments with jewels, gold and silver thread • It was traditional to carry a bouquet • No one wore yellow because it was a sign of mourning

Clothing: Bride

Clothing: Bridegroom • Wore their best clothes • Doublet (high, tight collar), breeches (trousers), • • • hose (trousers), box pleated neck ruff (high, tight collar with ruffs), codpiece (pouch attached to man’s breeches) , cloaks, and boots Short shift (dress like undergarment) as undergarment Velvet, satin, and corduroy were worn by nobles No one wore yellow because it was a sign of mourning

Clothing: Bridegroom

Ceremony • There was a bridal procession made up of musicians • Ceremony was solemn • Families of the couple would sometimes celebrate with a feast • The couple was wished a long and happy life

Connection to Romeo and Juliet In the play, Romeo and Juliet, Lord Capulet was forcing Juliet to marry Paris, whom she didn’t want to marry or love. In the Elizabethan age, the daughter was the father’s property and didn’t have a choice in marriage. He wanted Juliet to marry Paris because he was a wealthy man which would bring prestige and wealth to her family. The marriage wouldn’t be based on love, but more of a contract. Juliet instead married Romeo, at the age of 13, almost 14 as Romeo was 16. For their wedding, they were expected to wear their best gowns. Lord Capulet gave Lord Montague a dowry after he found out that Juliet actually married Romeo, which was customary in their time.

Works Cited • Anderson, Liz. “History of Weddings” New Zealand • • Wedding Information. 2009. December 13 , 2012. http: //www. nz-wedding. info/index. php/history-ofweddings “Before the Clearances: 17 th and 18 th Century Scottish Costume” jimandsandi. December 17 , 2012. http: //www. jimandsandi. com/scotdress. html “Cartwheel Neck Ruff SCA Renaissance Custom ECW Elizabethan Fancy Dress faire” Ebay. October 1, 2012. December 18, 2012. < http: //www. ebay. com/itm/Cartwheel-Neck-Ruff. SCA-Renaissance-Custom-ECW-Elizabethan-Fancy. Dress-faire-/110743594855 >

Works Cited • “Chemises” renfairshoppe. December 17 , 2012. • • http: //renfairshoppe. com/chemises. html “Elizabethan Wedding Customs” williamshakespeare. info. 2005. December 13 , 2012. http: //www. william-shakespeare. info/elizabethan -wedding-customs. htm “Elizabethan Wedding Gown” deviantart. December 17 , 2012. <http: //miuchuu. deviantart. com/art/Elizabethan. Wedding-Gown-130151543 >

Works Cited • Etsy. 2012. December 18 , 2012. • • <http: //www. etsy. com/shop/firebugz 1? sold_listing _id=88881307 > “Hanging with the Locals_Rio Negro, Amazonas, Brazil. ” Hereandthere 40. November 17, 2011. December 17, 2012. http: //hereandthere 40. wordpress. com/2011/11/27/ hanging-with-the-locals_rio-negro-amazonas-brazil/ “Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup” livejournal. December 17 , 2012. http: //jamarattigan. livejournal. com/379982. html

Works Cited • “Leather Renaissance Doublet” houseofanoria. • • December 17 , 2004. December 17 , 2012. http: //www. houseofanoria. com/leather_renaissa nce_doublet. htm “Marriage Ceremonies in Elizabethan England” wikispaces. 2012. December 13 , 2012. http: //elizabethanengland. wikispaces. com/Marriage+ceremonies+i n+Elizabethan+England “Marriage Customs in Elizabethan Era. ” e. How. December 17, 2012. <http: //www. ehow. com/info_8707748_marriage -customs-elizabethan-era. html >

Works Cited • “Medieval Patterns For Men” longago. December • • 18 , 2012. http: //www. longago. com/medievalmen. html “Tasting Notes: Harveys Elizabethan Ale#Open. It. No. 2” Folk and Ale. December 7, 2010. December 17 , 2012. <res: //ieframe. dll/acr_error. htm#folkale. com, htt p: //www. folkale. com/blogobeer-archive/tastingnotes-harveys-elizabethan-ale-openit-no-2/ > “Women’s Medieval” longago. December 17 , 2012. http: //www. longago. com/medievalwomen. html