Wedding Gifts

[iwccc]

I need some ideas of what would have been given as wedding gifts in London in 1918 for a working class family. Also what would they have done for a wedding reception/breakfast?  Were there florists or did you make your own bouquet?  Would love some ideas of what a wedding was like back then.Thank you

[dawnsh]

Had the war finished? I imagine it could have been a low-key affair if the war was still on.

Household goods would have been the norm if at all. Some wedding announcements in local papers list the guests and their gifts.

As to the wedding reception, what day of the week did the wedding take place? Not all happened at the weekend.

Refreshments at home or drinks at the local pub.

A florist would have made a bouquet if the family didn't grow their own flowers.

[iwccc]

Hi dawnsh, Thanks for the ideas.  They were married on 22nd June, 1918 so it was before the war ended 11th November, 1918.  The wedding was on a Saturday.
Do you know what would have been included in ' refreshments'?
I know they were given two chairs for the family who were chair makers.  Would like some ideas of 'household' goods.  Would it had been crockery, cutlery, linen or ?  I know people used to have a 'glory box' - was that in the 1918 era?
Would be interested to know more about "Florists" of this era also
Thanks again for your help

[Lily M]

Afraid I can't help much with this.  Except that my grandparents were married 1906 in east London.  One of their gifts (maybe their only gift) was a blue and white willow pattern carver plate.  This was handed down to a grandchild.   My guess would be that the plate was made around 1890s, so 2nd hand at the time.

I also have a photo of an east London family wedding of 1920.  Photo taken in back yard.  Bride has a bouquet, with three young bridesmaids holding posies in baskets.  Hard to be sure, but they look like asters or chrysanthemums.

[iwccc]

Thanks Lily M,
I hadn't thought of hand me down gifts before....but this was and continues to be done today.
I'm thinking that flowers would have been bought - probably at markets, as my family lived in a tenement type building - not much space to grow your own ..but I could be wrong.
thanks for your help.

[Viktoria]

 The vast majority of weddings took place in church and many people were still churchgoers so if there was a reception it would very often be in the church hall.
Local bakeries often did  catering and a typical "sit down tea " would be ham   tongue, or tinned salmon ,with a bit of lettuce and a tomato and cucumber as salad. Bread and butter, trifle and fancy cakes.Pots and pots of tea,seldom wine especially in the church hall.
I`m speaking of the average family but of course some just married quietly in their best clothes no white dress for the bride.It was a time of austerity.
Often the reception was at the bride`s parent`s home if it was a "quiet family wedding"
In towns bouquets were done by the local florist but in the country it would be a bunch of garden flowers.
Things were done more simply, money dictated !!!No spending the vast sums today`s weddings can cost.
A nice posh tea set was high on the list of presents, vases,cutlery, bed linen and clocks were very
welcome.Settee sets(  fancy cloths for the back of the  settee and armchairs with  matching pieces for the arms), they were called antimaccasser sets.
Towels and tablecloths.
I`ve still got some of my wedding presents from 1956, cutlery, antimaccasser set,and I only got rid of a nice bedspread when I moved house last December.Viktoria.


My parents married in 1933, in church in the morning, had a wedding breakfast at her parent`s home and then Mum &dad went to their home which was a shop and opened up for business!!!!Things were done simply and without all the fuss todays weddings entail.

[iwccc]

Thanks Viktoria, You have given me lots to think about.  Much appreciated.

[iwccc]

New thought....just thinking what about glory boxes (hope chests, bottom drawer) Does anyone know when this tradition started and where?

[dawnsh]

I started a 'bottom drawer' for my own wedding in the mid 1980's. I used to collect souvenir teatowels for it on our travels. As we didn't live together before marriage, everything was on our wedding list and catered for all budgets. I'm still using the dustpan and brush and cutlery and our dinner service (several people bought bits of it to make up the set) is in daily use but I got upset a few weeks back when the first dinner plate broke.

I remember my brother saving coupons from the petrol station and he gave us a full set of matching glasses, 6 of everything.