Antique Weddings Revived

Many people plan, or dream of planning, a June wedding. Many believe that summer is the season for weddings and perhaps that’s part of the reason that many celebrities are married in June—Ben Affleck, Nicole Kidman, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Garner, Keith Urban, Rush Limbaugh, and the list goes on. 

Historically, weddings were arranged during the new moon to symbolize new beginnings, and contemporary brides and grooms are tying the knot with history in mind. Antique wedding traditions and vintage accessories have taken center stage at today’s wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Few knew more about tradition and love than Queen Victoria of England. When it came to trend setting, Victoria was, well, the Queen. Today’s wedding accessories recall some Victorian traditions.  

Long ago, a bride's shoes were transferred, along with responsibility for her well-being, from her father to her new husband at the wedding. This ancient wedding custom grew into the Victorian tradition of tossing shoes at the couple’s wedding carriage as they departed after the wedding. Guests aimed shoes at the open wedding carriage and honked horns. The noise distracted evil spirits from the newlyweds—easy targets in open carriages—and the shoes symbolized good fortune. If a tossed shoe landed inside the wedding carriage with the couple, the couple would enjoy a lifetime of wealth.

Today, the contemporary wedding trend of tying shoes and tin cans to a car’s fender addresses two wedding traditions. A size 8 slingback serves as a symbol of prosperity, and a few Campbell soup cans act as noisemakers.  

Purity in White

White is still the color of choice for contemporary weddings, as the color references the bride’s purity. For instance, Kate Middleton’s wedding caused a global stir, and the ceremony in which she and His Royal Highness Prince William wed ushered in an old time wedding custom. Many people noticed that not only was the bride wearing white, but the entire bridal party wore white, as well, including Middleton’s sister and maid of honor, Pippa. The purity of white dates back centuries and is a common color associated with the bride and her attendants.

Bridal bouquets of calla lilies and white roses actually replaced something else—garlic. That’s right, brides once wore garlic down the aisle to ward off evil spirits. The smelly garlic was later replaced with flowers like lilies that symbolized purity.  

Simple but elegant wedding bouquets of mini callas, gerbera daisies and roses recall Victorian-style wedding florals that were accompanied by flowing ribbons and flower holders called tussy mussies. Victorian tussy mussies have returned with enthusiasm for today's brides as the antique bouquet holders are now in vogue.

If you have your great grandmother’s tussy mussie from her 19^th-century wedding, it could range in value from $250 to $750 depending on market, condition and type.