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Traditions of the Renaissance bring Romance to
Today’s Weddings
Aimee Massaro,
WISHES Concierge
Services Corp.
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The honour of thy presence is
hereby requested at the marriage ceremony of…
Renaissance Wedding Theme
With today’s brides and grooms looking to put a
twist on traditional weddings, many search for a way
to express their own personality or creativity and
reflect it in their special day. Not every couple is
looking for the traditions of a white Cinderella
dress, the formality of a tuxedo, and bridesmaids in
matching dresses. Instead, there is a growing trend
to individualize each wedding and set it apart from
the half-dozen or so others that guests may have
recently attended.
To this end, the idea of living the past…an era of
romance, rich in beauty and history appeals to a
growing number of brides and grooms. A Renaissance
Wedding can be a grand production that transports
guests back in time for an evening of romance and
merriment.
Looking to plan a
Renaissance
Wedding? The most important thing is
to have fun with it. Make the biggest day of your
life one you and your guests will remember for a
long time. There are no rules, but here are some
hints to help achieve the look and feel:
Renaissance Wedding Locations
Location, Location Location…
The ambiance of a Stone Castle, or a Tudor style
residence can be an ideal location. For a late
spring, summer, or early fall wedding…outdoor
settings are perfect. Imagine a vineyard and/or a
tent decorated with garland and banners. A
well-timed fog rolling in can create just the
perfect touch of authenticity. For church
ceremonies, Gothic style stone with stained glass
lends itself perfectly.
Renaissance Wedding Invitations
Who to Invite and How to Invite Them…
Invitations are instrumental in setting the tone of
a Renaissance Wedding. Some ideas include parchment
paper (ivory or beige) with calligraphic font,
jeweled tones with gold accents, or perhaps flowered
fancy scrolls tied with satin ribbons. Invites can
also be folded into thirds and sealed with hot wax.
Renaissance Wedding Attire
What to Wear, What to wear…
The styles can vary from tight bustiers and full
skirts or peasant attire for women, to tights and
pirate like shirts a la the three musketeers (don’t
forget the swords) for men.
Bride’s dresses often lace up the sides or back and
are tastefully low-cut. Hair can be worn long and in
a wreath of ivy and maybe ribbon. Bridesmaids and
Groomsmen can wear a variety of different costumes
of the period for variety and authenticity. In lieu
of custom made attire; many websites and costume
shops offer a wide variety of options to suit
personal preferences. Keep in mind that not all
Renaissance attire is comfortable – some are quite
heavy (beware in summer months) and/or restricting.
Invite guests to participate in the festivities and
attend dressed in period costumes. Your pictures
will be life-long treasures.
Renaissance Wedding Food & Drink
Shall we Feast?
While tradition was to eat with your fingers, it
would not be suggested to impose this tradition upon
your guests. Menus today have become more
sophisticated and elaborate; guests have come to
expect a certain quality and types of fare. Although
a Renaissance Wedding may bring to mind quests
walking around with a leg of lamb in their fist, a
quality caterer/chef should be able to incorporate
elements of typical Renaissance foods into your
menu. Game, such as goose, venison, quail or roasted
boar, were common meats of the period; along with
hearty vegetables, such as carrots, lettuce, onions
and asparagus. Cheeses, nuts, strawberries and
raspberries, along with tarts and custards, provide
nice accompaniments and finishing touches.
Celebratory drinks of the period included ale, beer,
wine and fruit juices. These can easily be
incorporated into a wedding of today.
Renaissance Wedding Decorating
Décor and Flowers…
Dried flowers and herbs were often used in this
period and can be used in conjunction with the
preferred flowers. Flowers should appear as natural
as possible – and include a touch of ivy and rich
dark shades. Candlelight and grapevines can add a
mystical touch. Bouquets should be on the larger
side and hand tied.
Renaissance Wedding Music
Sing a Song…
Music is a crucial component to any wedding, and a
Renaissance wedding can offer both music styles of
the past interspersed with today. (This will depend
how in line with the period the wedding will
remain.) One idea is incorporate a
Renaissance
minstrel to play during the ceremony
and cocktail hour…enhancing the atmosphere through
music, and then switching to a more updated band or
DJ for dinner and dancing. This will provide a more
inviting dancing atmosphere for many of the guests.
Check out your local Renaissance Faire…you are sure to find musicians and entertainers for hire.
Renaissance Wedding Special Touches
Added touches:
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Guest book with Quill pen
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Parchment scrolls with the printed menu tied with
velvet ribbons at each place setting
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Addressing guests as Ladies and Lords
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Traveling Court Jester/Juggler during cocktail hour
Personal touches modify each and every wedding. A
Renaissance Wedding can be carried
out following in extensive detail, or simply adding
preferred touches here and there. Whatever the case
may be, it will be one to remember and will have
family and friends talking for years to come.
Renaissance Wedding Resources
Venues:
Whitby Castle, Rye
The Castle at Tarrytown, Tarrytown
Lyndhurst Castle, Tarrytown
Oheka Castle, Huntington, Long Island
Pellegrini Vineyards, Cutchogue, Long Island
Costumes:
Westchester Costumes, Yonkers
www.lords-n-ladies.com
Music:
Arcona Reel Band 717.234.0842
Coordination:
WISHES Concierge
Services Corp., Scarsdale
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