A brief history of the wedding ceremony
The marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton caused us to reflect on what led to the wedding ceremony, why it became what it is today, and how royalty plays into a number of our wedding day plans and ideals of that perfect day.
On February 10, 1840 at Chapel Royal in St. James’ Palace in London, England, the face of wedding ceremonies changed forever. A number of items we consider important to the “traditional wedding ceremony” started with the marriage of Prince Albert to Queen Victoria. Although not intending to start an industry trend, their marriage made popular the following items:
diamond engagement rings
white gowns
net veils
ring bearers
flower girls
bridesmaids
The young couple also broke royal custom with their ceremony, being the first marriage to take place during the day – 1:00pm – with the intention of public interest and involvement. The public gathered to see the royal wedding procession, despite the wet weather, but luckily the rain ended just as the newlyweds left the chapel for Buckingham Palace.
Until their ceremony, most couples merely adorned their Sunday best for their wedding day, but once the world saw Victoria’s incredible white gown and veil, the fashion industry could barely keep up with the demand. She also wore a veil that covered her face, another tradition that took hold once Victoria was seen in it.
Queen Victoria was amazingly popular already at the age of 20, and her love affair with Prince Albert only solidified her status among the British elite. Their love story has astonished people for years and continues to be recounted in Hollywood, most recently in the movie “The Young Victoria.”
Victoria broke a number of royal traditions and chose her day to be a celebration of her love for Albert, which is a lesson for today’s engaged couples. Let your day be a reflection of the two of you, chose your wedding ceremony to be one that showcases your love of one another, and let your friends share in the celebration of your love, and your new life together.
The Mackey House is one of the premier Savannah wedding venues, located just minutes from Downtown. For more information, please visit our Savannah wedding page, as well as join our conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
