Victorian Valentine's Day Wedding

So, why pick a Victorian theme for your Valentine's Day wedding celebration? Well, since "the day of love" reached its height of popularity in the late 1800's, the Victorians created many of our current wedding and Valentine's day traditions; Queen Victoria even picked the Valentine's day celebration for her own wedding day - - they are both the perfect marriage for your celebration! From location, service, color scheme, invitations, décor, favors, entertainment, and cake - - here are some ideas fit for a queen!

Where to have your celebration? Well, it depends upon where you live! If you live, in a warmer climate, I recommend an outdoor garden wedding. A traditional formal English garden has geometric patterned manicured hedges or mazes, rose gardens, fountains, sculptures, and topiaries. If it's snowing, in your area? Have your event inside! Seek out a Victorian mansion, home, castle, or a grand ballroom. When picking a ballroom, find rooms with jeweled tones, elaborate moldings or wainscoting, antiques, and elegant crystal chandeliers and sconces.

What type of reception would fit your needs, budget, and the theme? During this time period, there were three types of wedding receptions: breakfast, afternoon tea, or a formal dinner. The most popular was a breakfast reception. The reason? The ceremony was an early morning affair! Then, the English changed the tradition, by having a noon wedding ceremony! The guests would leave the noon ceremony and then continue the festivities at the bride's house, exactly half- an- hour later. At the reception, a formal breakfast buffet was served. During the spring and summer months, when the weather was nicer, the event would resume outside, usually, in the garden. Since the climate was warmer, couples served an informal afternoon tea, which included: finger sandwiches, scones, currents, jam, chutney, petit fours, and hot tea. Could you have a sit down dinner and stay true to the theme? Yes, the Victorian's did have a formal sit down dinner! However, only the wealthy had an evening or formal affair. Usually, it was a ten course meal, followed by dancing. The menu consisted of: hors d'oeuvres; soup; seafood, beef, and lamb; three courses of salads; pastries and desserts. And what did they imbibe? They paired wine with each serving! As you can see, you have many reception options with a Victorian theme. However, in February, it depends on where you live. Of course, you can always bring your tea inside! Have a tight budget? I recommend a breakfast or an afternoon tea. These menu items are usually less expensive! And, if you want to serve dinner, our traditional three course meal would suit this theme perfectly!

What colors would be appropriate for this theme? I attained my color inspiration from vintage Victorian Valentines! Colors that appeared in these cards are: pink, red, white, cream, purple, blue, burgundy, and gold. Remember the rule of thumb of wedding design - - pick only three colors, when creating a color scheme! Of course, red, pink, and off white would be a perfect Valentine's day wedding color scheme!

Need wedding stationary ideas? Well, since the now popular lacey Valentines have become a tradition, a Victorian Valentine would be a perfect choice! Carriage House Gift's Bride and Groom Embossed vintage invitations are my favorite choice for this theme. Don't want a vintage invitation? Wedding Paper Divas has two invitations that are perfect for this theme. Victorian Lace, in ballet or begonia pink, or Vintage Profile, in Fuchsia. If you are a DIY (Do It Yourself) bride, you can create your own Valentine invites!

Need décor ideas? Remember - - Victorian design is fussy! So, layer your design, when creating your space. Still need assistance on decorating your room? Layer your room, as if you where putting together a home made Valentine's day card! Layer the table lines with a table cloth to the ground, then add over lays, and finish with lace dollies. Choose fabrics of the era, such as lace, satin, or velvet. If you are having a sit down dinner, pick all round tables! This era is very formal, balanced, and uniformed. Candles are essential for your theme! Choose either gold, antique, ornate candle sticks with taper candles or candle holders with shades, for your table design. Need examples? The website, Lantern Nights, has an excellent selection of candle holders for this theme! Pick mix-and-match English china and tea cups, as your dinnerware. Find ornate gold, white, or glass vases and add romantic blooms. What flowers to pick for your centerpieces? Well, flowers had a lot of meaning and importance, during the Victorian era. The most important flower was the orange blossom, which symbolized fertility. It was so important, even the queen included this flower in her wedding head piece! Other flowers that were symbolic and used in their wedding centerpieces, bouquets, and head pieces were: the daisy, freesia, and gardenias, which represented purity and innocence; the stephanotis expressed a happy marriage; orchids symbolized true love; mums granted wealth and abundance; and we can't forget the rose - - especially the red rose, which represented true love! As you can see, not only was the type of flower important, the color as well! Speaking of color! Not only did Queen Victoria introduce the tradition of the pure white wedding dress, she also started the trend of using white flowers - - representing purity! From that time on, brides added white flowers to their designs! To replicate the floral designs of this era, add any of these flower choices in shades of pink, red, white or off-white. Then, for a finishing touch, sprinkle rose petals in the center of your tables.

Need favor ideas? Traditionally, the wedding cake was the wedding favor! You could have a custom mini cake prepared, set them in small boxes, tie them with a pretty satin bow, and then set the boxes at each place setting. Other traditions were: fans; boxes of chocolates; truffles; petit fours; silver frames; teacups; or rose petal potpourri. Of course, boxes of chocolates would be appropriate for a "Valentine's Day Wedding!"

Need entertainment ideas? In the late 1800s, they didn't have entertainment at an event, unless it was a formal evening dinner. What type of entertainment? Usually a string quartet played, as the guests waltzed late into the night! For your celebration, hire a string quartet for your ceremony, cocktail, and dinner hour. Unless your fiancée, your guests, and you are waltz aficionados, hire a DJ for your evening festivities!

What to serve for cake? Traditionally, three cakes were served, during the late 1800's. A large elaborate wedding cake that consisted of: a fruit cake, decorated with white frosting, topped with symbolic flowers, and decorated with white scrolls. Then, two simple, smaller cakes were served - - a bride's and groom's cake. In fact, this period of time is when the groom's cake became a wedding tradition! In the bride's cake, the baker would add symbolic charms within the batter. Then, when the guests were leaving, the couple would present a piece of wedding cake, in a box, as a wedding favor. When the women received the cake, they would search for their good luck charm! The tradition ended, when the ladies didn't like how the frosting would ruin their white gloves! Need wedding cake ideas, for your wedding? I recommend a chocolate cake filled with fruit, for example strawberries. Or, if you want to keep with tradition, a fruit cake could be served. Top the cake with a white butter cream frosting, gum paste scrolls, and white, red, and pink flowers. If you want something unique, have the baker add charms! However, do have your host warn your guests about the charms. All you need is a happy occasion turning into a scary event! If you do have the budget, surprise your groom with a dark chocolate cake filled with fruit and liquor! That would make him feel very special!

If you want a very romantic wedding fit for a queen, then a Valentine's Day Victorian Wedding is for you! From location, service, color scheme, invitations, décor, favors, entertainment, and cake - - these ideas will make your event flawless and proper. All you have to do now - - sign up for your waltz and etiquette lesson!

Sources:

"Modern Victorian Wedding Cake Designs," www.perfect-wedding-day.com
M Hoppe, " The Victorian Wedding Part Two--The Ceremony and Reception," www.literary-liaisons.com
Martha Stewart, "Groom's Cake," www.marthastewartweddings.com
"Wedding Details: Victorian Wedding Favors?" wedding.theknot.com
Allison Micarelli, "Wedding Style: A Victorian Event," wedding.theknot.com