Vintage Weddings: Edwardian

The Edwardian era was a time of great excess and wealth. King Edward believed that high society belonged to the rich, rather than the aristocratic and therefore anybody who was seen to have money could be accepted into the exclusive circle of society.

This caused families to spend, spend, spend, flaunting every bit of cash they had and throwing lavish parties to show just how well off they were.  As you can imagine, weddings were certainly no exception.  So if you fancy an extravagant vintage wedding,  read on.

The Dress

Fashions had changed since the modest Victorian era. Now women, although still corseted, were expected to flaunt their curves into an “S” shape, with breasts jutting out and hips thrust back. Skirts became straighter. This fashion was reflected in wedding dresses.

In this photo, you can see the bridesmaids have a high waistline, sitting just under the bust. This was highly fashionable at the time. They wear a high lacy collar, similar to that of the bride’s dress. The bride has long sleeves, and a floor-length dress.

The hats are decorated with flowers- another highly fashionable accessory in Edwardian society.

For brides to be who are looking for an authentic Edwardian dress www.tias.com has stunning vintage Edwardian dresses.

They are American-based, which is something to look out for when ordering, and there is understandably only a small range, but the quality of dresses are all fantastic, and price from $199- $275 (roughly £120- £170).

If you’re nervous about the possibility of wearing an authentic dress, or would prefer a brand new one, Carmela Sutera creates stunningly beautiful dresses with more than a hint of Edwardian society.

This dress in particular features many Edwardian fashions- the high neckline and waistline, the long sleeves with big shoulders, and all covered in lace.

The Reception
Edwardian society was all about showing off. There were elegant balls and luxurious dinner parties held all year round. What better way to incorporate the era into your wedding than having an Edwardian reception?

Start with a dinner party, serving up such delicacies as game, chocolates and champagne. These were the very height of sophistication, especially when served on elegant and dainty chinaware. Scour charity shops for such vintage-inspired pieces, or even hire them at www.theenglishteaparty.co.uk for affordable beauty.

Afterwards, create a lavish Edwardian ball in a large room. You could even go the whole hog and use an Edwardian venue with a ballroom. Frensham Heights in Surrey is one such venue. Decorate the venue with pastel colours and sweet peas or lilac.

Or for something a bit different, how about a shooting party? These were highly popular in the country scene of society and were held as competitions between land owners. Gorse Lodge in Nottinghamshire holds wedding receptions in beautiful countryside and has facilities for clay pigeon shooting: An Edwardian feel without the cruelty.

Celebrity Wedding

In 1916, future president of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower married Mamie Doud. They had a very simple ceremony in her parent’s house, as they did not have a lot of time to plan the wedding; Eisenhower was an officer in the army.

She wore an elegant white tiered dress with a brooch at the sweetheart neckline. A white bolero covered her arms, whilst her hair was neatly tied up into a bun. Eisenhower wore his officer’s uniform.

Wedding Traditions

It was in the Edwardian era that the white wedding dress had really taken off. Previously, Queen Victoria had worn white so people were wary of imitating her. Now however, it became a symbol of purity and innocence. In fact, there was a poem to help women make a choice about their wedding dresses, which seemed to show white as the best choice:

Marry in white, you have chosen right.
Marry in green, ashamed to be seen.
Marry in red, you will wish yourself dead.
Marry in blue, you will always be true.
Marry in yellow, ashamed of your fellow.
Marry in black, you will wish yourself back.
Marry in pink, your spirits will sink.

Wedding bands were often engraved with intwined flowers or hearts to encourage unity between the married couple.

The Edwardian era was a time of excess, expense and excitement. It was sophisticated and elegant; Everything was done by way of showing off wealth to the world. This makes the perfect setting for a wedding. Before the wild, roaring 1920′s come along and turn everything upside down…