19th century weddings

[suttontrust]

I'm struck by the fact that families who were desparately poor and couldn't have had any savings, had church weddings, often in magnificent churches.  Am I right to assume that weddings cost a lot less in the 19th century?  I can't remember seeing any accounts or pictures of working class weddings in this period.  While I accept that families probably went into debt for a marriage, I'd love to know what went on.  Anyone with knowledge?

[kerryb]

From reading a lot of 19th century fiction - Thomas Hardy etc it seems for a start they would wear their sunday best which suggests maybe they didn't buy something new and certainly not at the vast costs that get spent on dresses etc nowadays.

I imagine too they would probably do their own reception, as they did in Under the Greenwood Tree, doing all the food themselves.

I guess it is a very modern concept to splash out ridiculous amounts of money on one day in the hope it might lead a life of bliss!!!??

Kerry

[GordonD]

I don't know what happened in England. In Scotland church weddings in the sense that we know them  were not the norm at this time. This been posted somewhere before on here (I'm about to head out so no time to search for the thread!)  and from certificates in my family it was the case for them. The ceremonies would still be conducted by the minister but after the banns being read out in church they often took place at the bride's home or at the manse (the minister's house). Obviously the law is different in Scotland and I don't think that this could be the case in England.

Certainly would have kept the costs down for my ancestors.

Gordon

[GordonD]

When I said this has been posted before I mean my explanation about Scotland not a topic about 19th century weddings!

[suey]

I knew I'd seen something somewhere    Have a look at this from Channel 4 History
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/t-z/wedding.html

I have to say though it's a bit 'Through rose tinted glasses'.  I would imagine most of my Ag Labs just nipped off to the church when the baby began to show had a piece of cake and a beer and went back to work!

Suey

[jaywit]

I don't know whether you have noticed but many weddings ( if not too obviously shotgun) and christenings took place at Christmas. If you think about it, no paid holidays, the one time of the years the poor families might be able to put on a bit of a spread, the family having at least one day off work, what better time to get married or have the children christened.

[suey]

I don't know whether you have noticed but many weddings ( if not too obviously shotgun) and christenings took place at Christmas. If you think about it, no paid holidays, the one time of the years the poor families might be able to put on a bit of a spread, the family having at least one day off work, what better time to get married or have the children christened.

Both my husband and I have ancestors who married on Christmas Day!

[suttontrust]

Thanks for the link, interesting but a mite romanticized, I think.  What about the urban poor?  I suspect, as people have said, that they married on an existing holiday where possible and didn't wear special outfits.  When did the wedding reception become the norm?

[kerryb]

About the time hotels etc realised they could make a mint out of them I should think!! 

Seriously though I know that many weddings and christenings happened on days which were already holidays so that people didn't have to take time off work.

Kerry