Tips for Planning a Renaissance Themed Wedding
A renaissance wedding is one that is not only original, but also beautiful, chivalrous, and romantic, everything that a wedding should be. The renaissance wedding ceremony dates back to the middle ages, when wedding customs and fashions began to develop as foreign trade presented new ideas to Europe and other far away places. During this time most brides would hold their weddings in their house, while the upper class people would hold them in castles, until the later part of this time in age when the Catholic Church became a huge part of their culture, and most weddings began to take part there. This era of the distant past provides an historical theme for current day weddings. When planning your own renaissance wedding there are a few key tips to keep in mind to help not only make your even a successful and memorable one, but to depict the era and tradition to your best ability.
Choosing the Right Location:Not all locations will suit this type of wedding, and finding one that does can be a little bit of a challenge, so its best to start looking as soon as possible. You will want a place, preferably, with a historical look and feel. Very old churches are great places to start looking, particularly those that have not been modernized but kept their original appearance. Stone structures, colored glass windows, and wooden trims and accents are all things to look for when searching for the ideal location. Old libraries, historical buildings, and some hotels may also be great places to check out in search of the perfect place for your renaissance wedding.
Decorating to Suit the Theme:Decorations are very important in any theme wedding, and with an original theme such as this it is even more so, especially if the location is not what you had hoped to find. There are several decorating ideas that are key to this theme including ivy, which was traditional to this type of wedding and should be used in excess to pull of the theme. Iron candles are also perfect, and can be placed anywhere around the location including in the church aisles, on reception tables, and at the alter. Again, use plenty of them in varying sizes and shapes. Wooden candles, an iron arch, scrolls, and crests are also all great additions to the decorating scheme for a renaissance wedding.
Dressing for the Occasion:Fashion is essential to this type of wedding, and you will need to do a little work to acquire the right look for yourself, your spouse to be, and your wedding party. The traditional white wedding dress will not work with this theme, as brides during the middle ages wore dark, velvet gowns for the weddings, in shades or red, wine, purple and green. These gowns were generally low cut, trimmed in gold or silver, and had large, puffy sleeves and long, flowing tails. Most bridal shops will not have this style gown, but some shops, such as a themed bridal shop, may have what you are looking for. Otherwise you can try other venues such as online shopping.The groom's attire will also be unique and stray far from the standard tuxedo. Grooms during the renaissance time wore tights with pirate style tops, laced up vests, velvet jackets, and high boots in similar colors to the brides. In addition, the bridal party will also want to be dressed in similar styles, colors, and fabrics. Finding all of this can be tough, but not impossible. Try costume shops, online venues, and if you are really stuck you may even want to consider having the clothing made for you.
The Final Details:The final details of your renaissance wedding would include flowers, invitations, and wedding favors. Invitations should be in a scroll fashion, and aged paper would be ideal. Flowers should also be in dark, rich colors and could include red roses, birch twigs, holly branches, and lilies. Bouquets should be large, appear natural and be hand tied with ribbon. Lastly, wedding favors which will adorn the reception tables can include small, iron candles with the bride and grooms name and the wedding date attached with a card in the same fashion as the invitations, which suits the theme to perfection.
A renaissance wedding is one that is unique and original and will certainly not be played out within your social circle. With a little effort, research, and time, yours can be one that is rememberd for years and years to come.
