Category Archives: Weddings

Ideas for Unusual Ring Presentations

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Previously in the post the History of Wedding Rings I discussed the origin and history of the wedding custom.  That post was followed by a two part series about the British Royal Family Wedding Rings starting with Queen Victoria in Part One through to one of the most recent, Catherine Middleton the Duchess of Cambridge in Part Two.The ring bearer is traditionally a young boy between the ages of four and eight that carries the wedding rings during the ceremony procession.  In the Ring Bearer post I offered some ideas and suggestions for classic ring pillows.

In this post I will offer some very different and unusual ideas for the wedding ring presentation, such as the use of family heirlooms like a childhood teddy bear or an old sweater made into a ring pillow. Some of these items could add an interesting element to a wedding ceremony while other items will fit with a particular wedding theme, such as a seashell, or a bird’s nest.

Unusual Ring Presentation Ideas

Classic ring pillows are a wonderful option for the ring bearer to carry but for a bride looking for something different shown below are several unusual items for a ring bearer to carry on a wedding day.

Shown below are two examples of ring pillows made with sentimental items –
a father or grandfather’s shirt (left) and sweater (right)

A “something old” item for the ring bearer to carry would be a childhood teddy bear
(for additional security, attach the rings with a ribbon)

Another “something old” item for the ring bearer
to carry would be an old family bible (the wedding rings can be tied on with a ribbon)

Shown above is a heart-shaped hallowed out book to hold the wedding rings

Shown below are three examples of customized wooden boxes
for the ring bearer to carry the wedding rings
       

A childhood ballerina musical box could be used to hold the wedding ring

A toy truck could be used to hold the wedding rings
(after the wedding the ring bearer could keep it as a gift from the bridal couple)

Two examples for the ring bearer to carry the wedding rings for an outdoor wedding –
wood and moss “pillow” (left) and a bird’s nest (right)

      

 Three examples of seashell items to hold the wedding rings

A coconut used to hold the wedding rings (would be perfect for a Hawaiian wedding!)

Two whimsical items that could be used to attach the wedding rings
lock and key (top) and a bell (bottom)

      

Shown below are photos of a very special dog ring bearer,
this idea has become very popular and it is a wonderful way to include the family pet.

    

For More Unusual Ring Presentations, please click on the link

Weddings of the U.S. Presidents – Part One

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In this two part series to honor President’s Day this month I thought it would be interesting to discuss the weddings of the Presidents of the United States.  For practical and logistical reasons I will select just a few of the forty-five Presidents ranging from George Washington to John Kennedy in Part One.   Part Two will follow later and will include information about the weddings of our most recent Presidents.  (also, please click on the link to another interesting posts regarding White House Weddings – Part One and Part Two)

George Washington – First U.S. President (1789 – 1797)

George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis on January 6, 1759 at her home, interestingly the property was known as the White House plantation and is located in Virginia.  It was a grand ceremony as befitting the social status of the couple and afterwards they lived at Mount Vernon, an estate that George had recently inherited, which was also located in Virginia.  Martha had been previously married to Daniel Custis and, as was customary during the colonial period, women frequently remarried often for financial reasons but in this case Martha was left a wealthy widow.  The couple had no children together but Martha had a son and daughter from her previous marriage which George would consider as his children.

“The Marriage of Washington” painting by Junius Stearns

After the American Revolution, General Washington was unanimously elected the first President of the United States in 1789.  Martha did not attended his inauguration but would later host events during her husband’s term as President.  (Special Note:  Although she was known as Lady Washington, the title of First Lady used for Presidential wives came much later)

At the time that Washington was President, the U.S. Capitol was located briefly in New York City and then moved to Philadelphia, George and Martha Washington never lived in the White House in Washington, D.C.  (Special Note: The permanent U.S. Capitol would eventually be built on land located between Maryland and Virginia and the White House would be completed in 1800 when President John Adams, the successor of Washington, took up residency)

After retiring as President in 1797, George and Martha returned to Mount Vernon where they lived a relatively private life despite the fact that many political leaders and foreign representatives often visited his estate to seek his advice on all types of matters.  In December 1799, after a brief illness, George Washington died at his home in Virginia and his final resting place is located on the property.  Martha Washington died in May 1802 and she is interred beside her husband at Mount Vernon in the Washington vault located a short distance from the main house.

Abraham Lincoln – 16th U.S. President (1861 to 1865)

Abraham Lincoln met Mary Todd at a cotillion in Springfield, Illinois in 1839, he was a lawyer and sharing an office space with John Stuart who was Mary’s cousin and she had recently moved there from Lexington, Kentucky to live with her older sister.  The couple became engaged in 1841 but then Lincoln broke off the relationship and, after reconsidering his decision, a wedding date of November 4, 1842 was set and the ceremony took place at the home of Mary’s sister.

A photograph of Abraham and Mary Lincoln taken on their wedding day in 1842

In 1844, Abraham and Mary Lincoln moved into their home in Springfield which was conveniently located near the new Lincoln-Herndon Law Office.  From 1847 to 1849 Lincoln served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives, after losing re-election he returned to private practice for several years until he received the nomination from the newly formed Republication party as a presidential candidate.  Lincoln won the election in 1860 and became the sixteenth President of the United States.

Then, after his re-election for a second term, Lincoln was assassinated on April 12, 1865 while he and Mary were attending a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.  The nation mourned his death and his body was brought back to Springfield, Illinois for burial at the Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Abraham and Mary Lincoln had four sons – Robert, Edward or “Eddie”, William or “Willie” and Thomas or “Tad”.  After the death of her husband and three of her children, Mary became increasing depressed in her grief.  In 1875, when her behavior became extremely erratic her oldest son, Robert had her institutionalized.  She was eventually released in 1876 and she went to live with her sister.  In July 1882 Mary Lincoln died and she is buried alongside her husband in the Lincoln Tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, IL.

Grover Cleveland – 22nd & 24th U.S. President (1885-1889 & 1893-1897)

President Cleveland was the only U.S. President to serve two non-consecutive terms and he was also the only President to be married while he was in office.  During his first term President Cleveland married Frances Folsom, he was 49 and she was 21 years old.  The wedding ceremony took place on June 2, 1886 in the Blue Room of the White House. (Special Note: For more detailed information regarding their wedding ceremony, please click on the link to White House Wedding- Part One)

Lithograph of the wedding of Grover and Frances Cleveland

Grover and Frances Cleveland had a happy marriage and went on to have five children – Ruth, Esther, Marion, Richard and Frances. After retirement the family moved to Westland Mansion located in Princeton, New Jersey.  President Cleveland died in 1908 and is buried in Princeton, New Jersey.  Five years after his death Frances married Thomas Preston but when she died in 1947 she choose to be buried alongside her first husband, President Cleveland.

Theodore Roosevelt – 26th U.S. President (1901-1909)

Several years before becoming President, Theodore Roosevelt was married to Alice Lee in 1880 and they had a daughter, also named Alice, who was born in 1884.  Sadly, his wife died a few days after childbirth and his mother, Mittie, also died on the same day.  A distraught Roosevelt left his young daughter in the care of his sister and he concentrated on establishing his political career.

Two years later, Roosevelt married Edith Carow in December 2, 1886 at St. George Church in London, England.  After returning home from their honeymoon the couple sent up a home in Long Island, New York, and Roosevelt’s young daughter, Alice, came to live with them.  “Teddy” and Edith went on to have five children – Theodore, Kermit, Ethel, Archibald and Quentin.

After a career as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Governor of New York and Vice President under President McKinley, Roosevelt became President when McKinley died in 1901.  He won the 1904 election but lost a re-election bid in 1908 and then tired another bid in the 1912 presidential election but was unsuccessful.

The adventurous Roosevelt traveled the world after leaving office and he continued to be influential in politics in the years that followed.  Roosevelt died in 1919 at his home, Sagamore Hill, and he is buried at Youngs Memorial Cemetery in Oyster Bay, NY.  Edith, Roosevelt’s widow, also remained active in politics until her death in 1948 and she is buried alongside her husband.

Theodore and Edith Roosevelt

(Special Note: Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice married Nicholas Longworth III in 1906 while her father was President.  The grand ceremony held in the East Room of the White House was the social event of the Washington, D.C. season.  For more detailed information on this wedding, please click on the link to White House Wedding- Part Two)

Franklin Roosevelt – 32nd U.S. President (1933-1945)

Franklin Roosevelt was the fifth cousin of former President Teddy Roosevelt.  Also related to the former President was Eleanor Roosevelt, she was his niece.  Eleanor had an unhappy childhood after losing both her mother and father and then her brother at a young age, she was never considered a beauty and she was extremely shy and introverted.  Franklin had a very privileged childhood which was often dominated and controlled by his mother, his father had died when Franklin was a boy.  In many ways Franklin was the complete opposite of Eleanor; he was handsome and confident almost to the point of arrogance.

Franklin and Eleanor married on March 17, 1905 in New York City at the home of Eleanor’s grandmother, Eleanor’s uncle Teddy gave the bride away.  The couple had a difficult marriage with Franklin having numerous extra-marital affairs and then contracting polio 1921 which left him permanently paralyzed from the waist down.  Franklin and Eleanor had six children – Anna, James, Elliott, Franklin and John (another son, also named Franklin had died in infancy)

 The photographs above show Eleanor Roosevelt on her wedding day
and Franklin and Eleanor on their honeymoon

Franklin went on follow Teddy Roosevelt along a similar path into politics although they belonged to opposing political parties.  Franklin became a member of the New York Senate from 1911 to 1913, Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913 to 1920, Governor of New York from 1929-1932 and then President of the United States serving an unprecedented four terms from 1933 to 1945.

Over the later years of his presidency, Franklin’s health continued to decline from complications of years of smoking and possibly the stress of dealing with matters pertaining to World War II.  Only three months after his re-election to a historic fourth term, Franklin died in April 1945 while he was visiting Warm Springs, Georgia.  After her husband’s death Eleanor remained active in politics and later served from 1947 to 1953 as the United States Representative to the newly formed United Nations.  Eleanor died in November 1962 in New York City, NY.  Both Franklin and Eleanor are buried on the Springwood estate in Hyde Park which has now become the Franklin Roosevelt National Historic Site.  (For more information regarding the Springwood estate please click on the link.

John Kennedy – 35th U.S. President (1961-1963)

John Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier were married on September12, 1953 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Newport, Rhode Island followed by a huge reception held at Hammersmith Farm, the stepfather of the bride’s oceanfront estate.  At the time of the wedding, the groom was a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and destined to become the 35th President of the United States and the bride was a reporter/photographer for the Washington Times-Herald.  The couple had two children, Caroline and John, Jr.

The photograph above shows John and Jacqueline Kennedy on their wedding day

Kennedy’s presidential years were defined by the disastrous Bay of Pigs Invasion and then later the tense Cuban Missile Crisis.  During his term as President the Peace Corps was created and it was also the beginning of the turbulent Civil Rights Movement.  As First Lady, Jackie oversaw the White House restoration and brought a wonderful sense of style and glamour to State Dinners and Foreign Tours.

Sadly, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.  In the days that followed, Jackie showed strength and dignity as the nation and the world mourned the death of the young President.  Kennedy’s funeral was held at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington, D.C.

(For more detailed information, please click on the link to the Wedding of John Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier)

TV weddings – Sherlock’s John and Mary Watson

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The critically acclaimed and extremely popular Sherlock television series premiered on the BBC in England in 2010 and later it would be broadcast on PBS in the United States.  The crime drama series was created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and was based on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories but the clever twist was that it was set in modern times.  The series ran for four seasons for a total of thirteen episodes and starred Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Doctor John Watson.  In this post I would like to discuss the second episode of the third season when Watson marries Mary Morstan (played by Amanda Abbington who at the time was the real-life partner of Freeman).

The “Sign of Three” episode opens with Detective Lestrade (Rupert Graves) in the middle of making the arrest of some illusive bank robber only to be interrupted by Sherlock who is desperately asking for his help.  It seems that he is struggling not only in dealing with the upcoming marriage of his close friends but the more pressing matter of writing a speech for the wedding reception.  Mrs. Hudson (Una Stubbs), Sherlock’s landlady, doesn’t help Sherlock’s mood when she tells him that Watson’s marriage to Mary will change the personal and working relationship between the two flat mates.  This idea is repeated by Sherlock’s brother Mycroft (played by the co-creator of the series, Mark Gatiss)

In keeping with the main premise of the series, there are several crimes for Sherlock to solve during this episode and the first is the case of “the Bloody Guardsman”.  A guardsman is found presumable dead from a stab wound with no weapon to be found and no other evidence to indicate what happened.  Since Watson served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Afghanistan he would often offer Sherlock his medical option on criminal cases and in this instance the sharp-eyed Watson detects a pulse on the victim, requests an ambulance and thereby saves the man’s life.

The second case is “The Mayfly Man” in which a women comes to Sherlock for his help in a mysterious situation in which she returns to a man’s apartment a few days after a dinner date only to find out that the man in question had actually died several weeks earlier.  After further investigation Sherlock, has come to the possible conclusion that the case was actually one of a series of crimes involving an unknown man taking on the identity of several different deceased men.  The man meets and then seduces numerous women by luring them to the vacated homes of the dead men.  By the end of the episode both these cases will be linked and resolved.

Meanwhile, on the day of the wedding Watson is very excited to find out that that his friend Major James Sholto (Alistair Petrie) is able to attend.  After serving in Afghanistan, Sholto had come under intense scrutiny after he lost several soldiers under his command and the unwanted media coverage resulted in him receiving numerous death threats which sent him into seclusion.  Special Note: Since some extent the plotlines of the TV show “Sherlock” are loosely based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, the writers have used the name of Sholto in reference to a character in original story called “The Sign of Four”.

As the evening progresses Sherlock comes to the sudden realization that a serious crime is about to be committed and someone at the wedding will possibly die.  Through a process of elimination Sherlock deduces that the person is Sholto who has left the reception to return to his room.  Ultimately Sherlock solves the mystery by linking both the “Bloody Guardsman” and the “Mayfly Man” cases.  It seems that the wedding photographer was a brother of one of Sholto’s soldiers that were killed in Afghanistan.  He was the Mayfly man that used the women to gather information on Sholto and he was also involved in the guardsman case in which he “practiced” the method that he would ultimately use in his attempt to kill Sholto.

Then, as the episode comes to a close, Sherlock has also deduced that the new Mrs. Watson is expecting a child.  But as the reception continues Sherlock starts to feel uncomfortable, suddenly awkward and very alone as his friends and wedding guests seem to be enjoying themselves and the final scene shows him leaving building and walking into the night.

Ideas and suggestions inspired by John and Mary’s wedding

When planning a wedding there are many customs and traditions to include during the ceremony and reception.  In the Sherlock “Sign of Three” episode viewers got to see John and Sherlock at the stag party, the beautiful wedding ceremony and reception sites, Sherlock’s rather unusual toast to the newlyweds, the special first dance waltz that Sherlock composes for the bridal couple and Mary’s lovely wedding dress.

John Watson’s stag party

One of the more rambuctous traditions of a wedding is the stag party (known as the bachelor party in the United States).  Often the party is planned by the best man and usually takes place a few days before the wedding and will frequently involve drinking and entertainment.  In the “Sign of Three” episode, Sherlock consults his friend Molly Hooper (played by Louise Brealey), who is a pathologist at a local hospital in London.  She helps him to calculate the exact amount of alcohol that Sherlock and John should consume that would make them tipsy but not falling down drunk.  The night of the stag party Sherlock and Watson visit several bars where they drink 437 milliliters of beer at a time from special tall cylinders to keep track of their alcohol intake but despite these efforts to remain somewhat sober the pair becomes very intoxicated.  As luck would have it, that night they are called by Detective Lestrade to assist in a case and the results are rather hilarious as Sherlock and Watson try to solve it in their drunken state!

Sherlock television show wedding venues

Selecting the ceremony and reception sites is one of the most important decisions for a wedding since it will set the tone for entire event.  In the “Sign of Three” episode, the wedding ceremony of Doctor John and Mary Watson was filmed at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sneyd Park in Bristol and the wedding reception at the Orangery at Goldney Hall located at the University of Bristol in the village of Clifton.

St. Mary’s Church in Bristol was designed by the architect John Norton and built between 1858 and 1883.  In the Sherlock episode viewers will only see the exterior of the church and the bridal party is briefly shown exiting from the main entrance which is located at the base of the church tower.

The Orangery at Goldney Hall is located in Clifton Village was built in1724 and originally featured a glass roof which was later replaced with tile.  Perhaps the most charming aspect of the site is the long room with several French doors that open directly out to the gardens.  Nearby there is also a water canal and a grotto constructed with over 200 different types of shells and quartz crystals.  In 1953 the property was given by the Goldney estate to the University of Bristol.  The Orangery was used effectively as the setting for John and Mary’s wedding reception in the “Sign of Three” episode.

Sherlock’s best man speech

Customarily at the wedding reception, several members of the wedding party will give speeches honoring the bride and groom.  In the “Sign of Three” episode Sherlock begins his much anticipated best man speech.  He startles the guests with his rather harsh views on marriage, insulting many of his friends gathered in the room and then he finishes the speech in a surprising and sentimental way.

Sherlock’s special “Waltz for John and Mary” 

Often adding personalized elements to a wedding add character and interest to a wedding celebration.  As the “Sign of Three” episode comes to a close, Watson and Mary take to the floor for their first dance as a married couple as Sherlock picks up his violin and plays a special song written for the occasion, perhaps Sherlock really does have a bit of a romantic heart!

Mary’s wedding dress

Finally, one of the most important items that a bride will select is her wedding dress and once again the selection will reflect her personal style.  The dress worn by the character of Mary Watson (nee Morstan) was made by Jane Bourvis, a London designer that specializes in the style of the 1920-30s.  Mary’s dress features antique silk and satin embellished with lovely lace, tulle and beautiful embroidery.

A Purple Wedding – ideas and suggestions

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This post will be the first in a series on the annual Pantone color of the year.  The Pantone Color Institute selects a color every year which sets the trend not only for home decorations but also weddings.  The Pantonecolor of the year for 2018 is called Ultra Violet and it is a deep purple shade.  The color purple long been associated with royalty and the meaning behind the color represents wealth and dignity.     

The Pantone Ultra Violet color would be a great wedding color to use just about any time of year. Using the olor as inspiration, in this post I will include ideas and suggestions for creating lovely purple wedding decorations for the ceremony and reception as well as bridal accessories including beautiful bridal bouquets and other purple items that could be incorporated in the wedding design.      

Ceremony decorations

The color purple would be a wonderful color for both an indoor or outdoor wedding ceremony and would be especially pretty in the fall but could also be used during any other time of year. 

The photo below shows a lovely garden gazebo decorated with an abundance purple flowers, notice that the table placed inside the gazebo is a coordinating but complementary shade of a lighter purple.  Although this gazebo is used for an outdoor ceremony, it could be used for an indoor ceremony but the height of the ceiling and any other venue restrictions need to be taken into consideration.     

Shown in the photos below are two ideas for chair decorations to use at a wedding ceremony.  The first one shows several different shades of purple flowers attached to the chair with a ribbon, it would coordinate beautifully with the gazebo floral arrangement.  The second photo shows a round floral ball made from purple hydrangeas hung from the chair with a ribbon.   

Reception decorations

Purple reception decorations would beautifully contrast with the lush green colors of an outdoor wedding reception.  Shown below are two ideas for tall centerpieces using various shades of purple flowers for reception guest tables.  Notice the first photo features a centerpiece in a silver stand placed on a table with purple candles on a white tablecloth and the second photo features a centerpiece in a glass container placed on a table with a deep purple tablecloth.    

Here are several ideas and suggestions for purple food items for a wedding reception.  The first is the classic white wedding cake with purple ribbon accents and a purple hydrangea cake topper.    

The color purple can also be used when selecting the type of champagne flutes for the wedding toast at the reception, shown below is a lovely set of purple Waterford crystal glasses. 

The next two food items would be great to serve with the wedding cake or on a dessert table.  The first are purple cake pops and the second are purple macaroons. 

Bridal accessories and other wedding items

A subtle way to add a touch of purple would be a simple purple ribbon tied to the waist of a white wedding dress.

To compliment the purple sash used with the white wedding dress above, the perfect bridal accessory would be a lovely set of diamond and amethyst earrings.

Purple flowers can also be used for a bride’s bouquet and shown below are two variations of this idea.  The first features pale purple roses and other purple flowers incorporated into a traditional style bouquet and the second features a bouquet created with purple and white tulips with lilacs that could be used for a bridal bouquet or in a smaller version for the bridesmaids.

Shown below are several ideas for purple dresses for bridesmaids and flower girl.

Finally, shown below are two variations for purple ring pillows, the first is a white ring pillow with purple satin and a rhinestone pin and the second is a purple ring pillow with a white flower.

So, as you can see from the numerous examples given in this post there are is a large variety of items that can be used to create a beautiful purple wedding. 

A British Royal Wedding – Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten

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In this post, the fifth post in the series of British Royal Weddings, I will discuss the wedding of Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) and Philip Mountbatten (Duke of Edinburgh).  It is noted as the longest marriage of a British sovereign and on November 20, 2017 they will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary.

Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten
November 20, 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London, England

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip are third cousins through Queen Victoria, they are also second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark.  Princess Elizabeth is the eldest daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (formerly known as Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon).  Prince Philip is the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg.

Being from the same royal families, Princess Elizabeth and Philip had seen each other occasionally, once in 1934 and again in 1937.  The most significant meeting took place in July 1939 when Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, accompanied their parents on a visit to the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England.  At the time she was 13 years old and the heir apparent to the British throne and he was an 18 year old cadet assigned the task of entertaining the two princesses during their visit and clearly the young Princess became smitten with the handsome cadet.

Left to right – Philip, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, King George and
Princess Elizabeth at the Royal Naval Academy in 1939

Much like Prince Albert before him Philip had an ambitious uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, who wanted him to marry a (future) Queen and he encouraged him to develop a relationship with the young Elizabeth.  In the years that followed the two corresponded frequently as Philip continued his career in the Royal Navy by serving in the Mediterranean and the Far East.

By 1946 the couple was deeply in love and Philip secretly proposed to Princess Elizabeth while they were in Scotland and she happily accepted.  Unfortunately there was a four month Royal State Visit scheduled which required Princess Elizabeth to travel overseas with the King, the Queen and Princess Margaret.  Meanwhile under the guidance of his uncle, Philip became a British citizen, renounced his Greek and Danish titles and converted from the Greek Orthodox religion to Anglican Church of England.

When the Royal Family returned to England from South Africa Princess Elizabeth was now 21 years old and her parents finally consented to the marriage.  On July 9, 1947 the engagement of Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten was official announced at Buckingham Palace.

Princess Elizabeth and Philip at the time of their engagement

Since Philip was considered a poor European Royal and he could not afford an extravagant engagement ring. The story goes that Philip’s mother, Princess Andrew of Greece, had shunned royal life after their exile during the Greco-Turkish War.  Since that time she had joined an order of the Greek Orthodox Church and as a result she no longer possessed her royal jewelry.  So, to solve the problem of selecting an engagement ring that would be worthy of Princess Elizabeth, the heir presumptive and his future bride, Philip used the diamonds from one of his mother’s tiaras and designed a platinum ring with a 3 carat diamond in the center and additional diamonds on either side.

Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) engagement ring

At the time of the wedding England was still recovering from World War II which had ended just two years earlier.  The memories of the horror of the Blitz bombings as well as the damage and destruction within London and the surrounding countryside were still evident.  The hostilities toward Germany were also still strong and this affected the bridal couple directly.  Philip’s four older sisters had all married German princes; three of them had been a part of the Nazi party.  Needless to say Philip’s German relatives were not invited to the wedding.  Another person not invited was Princess Elizabeth’s uncle, the Duke of Windsor who had abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, which caused her father to become King George and thus made her heir to the throne.

On the day before the wedding, King George gave Philip the titles of His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Earl of Merioneth and the Baron of Greenwich.  Seemingly using the recent war with Germany as the reason, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary (the bride’s mother and grandmother) insisted that any children of the Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip would not bear the surname of Mountbatten (a name with German roots) and that it would the Royal family’s name of Windsor.  Historical Note: Prince Philip deeply resented that his children would not bear his last name.  It wasn’t until many years later after King George and Queen Mary had died and the Prime Minister Winston Churchill had resigned that Queen Elizabeth II (who had ascended to the throne in 1952 and her coronation took place in 1953) requested a change to finally honor her husband.  A compromise was decided that the Royal family would continue as the House of Windsor but that future descendants would bear the name Mountbatten-Windsor to finally honor her husband.

The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip took place on November 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London.  The Royal procession started from Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret in one carriage and another for Queen Mary.  Prince Philip dressed in his naval lieutenant uniform left Kensington Palace with his best man David Mountbatten, 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven, who was the groom’s first cousin.  Finally Princess Elizabeth and her father, King George, traveled in the Irish State Coach and were the last to arrive at the Abbey.  The streets of London were filled with thousands of people and millions listened to the radio broadcast of the wedding ceremony attended by 2,500 invited guests that included six kings and seven queens.

On her wedding day Princess Elizabeth wore an ivory silk dress designed by Norman Hartnell and embellished with embroidery and thousands of pearls.  The 13 foot bridal train featured a beautiful star pattern which was attached to her head by the diamond Queen Mary Fringe Tiara which had been “borrowed” from the bride’s grandmother.  Unfortunately before leaving for the Abbey the tiara broke but luckily the court jeweler was able to repair the damage.  (For more detailed information about Princess Elizabeth’s bridal dress and other accessories she wore on her wedding day, please click on the link to A Royal Bride – Princess Elizabeth)

Princess Elizabeth had eight bridesmaids in attendance.  They were Princess Margaret (her younger sister), Princess Alexandra of Kent (her first cousin), Margaret Elphinstone (her first cousin), Diana Bowes-Lyon (her first cousin), Lady Mary Cambridge (her second cousin), Pamela Mountbatten (the groom’s first cousin), Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott and Lady Elizabeth Lambart.  There were also two page boys that carried her bridal veil as she walked down the aisle of the Abbey, they were her cousins Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent.

Princess Elizabeth walking down the aisle of the Abbey
with her father, King George

The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York.  The director of music for the ceremony was William Neil McKie who was the Abbey’s Master of the Choristers; he also coordinated the music in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip at the altar of the Abbey

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip leaving the Abbey after the ceremony

After the ceremony, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip returned to Buckingham Palace for a wedding breakfast.  Served at the wedding reception were several wedding cakes and the main four tiered cake was nine feet tall and weighed 500 pounds, the cake was cut with Prince Philip’s military sword.  According to tradition, one tier of the wedding cake was saved and would be served at the christening of their first child.

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip wedding cake

After the wedding reception Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip departed for a honeymoon at the Broadlands, the home of the Earl of Mountbatten.  Later the couple spent the rest of their honeymoon at Birkhall on the Royal Estate of Balmoral located in Scotland.  Then, while Clarence House in London was being renovated the couple leased Windlesham Moor near Windsor Castle.

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip went onto have four children – Prince Charles born in 1948, Prince Anne born in 1950, Prince Andrew born in 1960 and Prince Edward born in 1964.

In 1952 Princess Elizabeth’s father, King George died and she ascended to the British throne.  In 1953 she was crowned in an elaborate coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

Most recently the public and personal lives of the Royal couple have come into focus with the popular Netflik series, “The Crown”.  Also earlier this year it was announced that Prince Philip would be retiring from his public engagements, he holds the record as the longest serving consort.  The 91 year old Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch in British history at over 65 years and still counting, this record was set in 2016 when she surpassed the length of Queen Victoria’s reign.

For more information about the previous posts in the British Royal Wedding series, just click on the links to the first post in the series about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The Ring Bearer

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Previously this month I featured a post about Flower Girls and this week I will discuss the role of the Ring Bearer.  The ring bearer is traditionally a young boy between the ages of four and eight that carries the wedding rings during the ceremony.  In other parts of the world a young boy can have another duty as part of the wedding party; a page boy would traditionally carry the train of the bride’s wedding dress.  Today the role of page boys is basically symbolic and most common in European weddings, such as the British Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011.  Most recently the couple’s son, Prince George, was one of the page boys at his Aunt Pippa’s wedding in 2017, as shown in the photo below.

Prince George (second from the right) with the other page boys and flower girls

In this post I will discuss the origin and history behind the role of the ring bearer.  I will also give some ideas and suggestions for classic ring pillows for a ring bearer to carry on a wedding day.  In a future post, Unusual Ring Presentations, I will offer ideas for some very different items for the ring bearer to hold the wedding rings.

The origin and history of the ring bearer / page boy

To find the origin of the ring bearer / page boy we need to look back centuries ago.  But first, let’s clarify the difference between a ring bearer and a page boy.  In general a ring bearer is a young boy that carries the rings in an American wedding.  A page boy is a young boy that is part a European weddings, usually multiple page boys will walk down the aisle together with several young girls.

The tradition of a ring bearer dates back centuries ago to the time of the Ancient Egypt when the jewels of the pharaohs would be carried on luxurious pillows during ceremonies.  Throughout the decades, the custom spread to parts of Europe and the royal crowns or scepters would be carried for the King or Queen in royal processions.  In the Renaissance period of Northern Europe during a wedding ceremony of a knight and his lady, the ring bearer would present the wedding ring on the tip of a sword which sounds like a very grand gesture!  Eventually the custom of a ring bearer changed and would be incorporated into the weddings of the upper and middle classes and a young boy would be chosen to carrying the wedding rings, this became very popular in Victorian England and later in the United States.

In regards to the origin of a page boy it can be traced back to medieval times when young boys were servants of noblemen.  One of the many duties of a page boy would be to carry the train of the nobleman during a procession so that it would not be soiled or damaged.  Today, page boys still hold important roles in royal ceremonies, such as the State Opening of Parliament in England every year when several page boys will hold the train of Queen Elizabeth II in the procession through the chambers.

Queen Elizabeth accompanied by Prince Philip during the State Opening of Parliament

The role of a ring bearer in today’s modern weddings

  • Ring bearers are generally related to either the bride or the groom and it is best if they are between the ages of four to eight years old. In the wedding procession, the ring bearer follows the bridesmaids and is positioned just in front of the flower girl, maid/matron of honor and the bride.
  • Traditionally, the ring bearer will carry a small pillow with the wedding rings securely attached by a ribbon. If concerned about the expensive rings being lost, an alternative is to attached inexpensive fake rings to the pillow instead.
  • If the ring bearer is too shy or nervous to walk alone in the wedding ceremony procession they can walk with the flower girl.
  • Another idea to make the ring bearer feel more comfortable is to position their parents near the front of the ceremony to “rescue” him if he get anxious or upset. If the wedding ceremony is too long, the ring bearer can sit with his parents after walking down the aisle.
  • If problems happen (like dropping the pillow, being fussy or crying) just stay calm and hopefully the ring bearer’s parents can step in to handle the situation.
  • It is a nice idea for the ring bearer and his parents to be invited to the rehearsal and the dinner that usually follows.  This would allow the ring bearer to meet the other people in the bridal party and it would make him feel more comfortable.

The ring pillow used at the wedding of Prince George and Princess May of Teck
(later known as King George VI & Queen Mary) which took place on July 6, 1893
photo from the royalcollection.org.uk

Ideas for traditional ring bearer pillows

In general, a ring bearer will carry the wedding rings securely attached to a pillow with ribbons during the wedding procession.  Most often the ring pillow is purchased specifically for the wedding and there are numerous styles available through bridal shops, retail stores or the internet.  Occasionally the bride or a relative will make a special ring pillow for the wedding.  The ring pillow selected should coordinate with the style, color or theme of the wedding.

So, here are some ideas for ring bearer pillows …

   

Two examples of classic ring pillows –
embellished square pillow (left) and round pillow (right)

An example of a lace fabric ring pillow with rhinestone initial pin attached
(I would suggest taking a look in the fabric section of a craft store for more ideas using bridal or other specialty material)

Two examples of crocheted ring pillows –
square pillow (left) and a romantic heart-shaped pillow (right)
 

Two examples of monogrammed ring pillow – machine embroidery (left) and needlepoint (right)

Another example of a needlepoint ring pillow

An example of a ring pillow used for “something blue”

An example of a ring pillow using a vintage cashmere sweater for “something old”

   

two examples using organic material for spring or summer ring pillows –
roses (left) and moss (right)

A ring pillow embellished with seashells for a beach wedding

Ideas for classic ring boxes

Instead of using a traditional ring pillow, might I suggested a classic ring box for the ring bearer to carry.  Some of the ring box examples are available in silver in a variety of shapes or unique vintage ones found in antique stores.

Two examples of silver ring boxes

An example of a vintage traditional bell-shaped ring box
Two more examples of vintage ring boxes

Two examples of vintage celluloid ring boxes
For more ideas for Unusual Ring Presentation, please click on the link.

A British Royal Wedding – Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer

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To continue the ongoing series about the British Royal Weddings, this post will be about the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer which took place on July 29, 1981 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England.  At the time it was called the “Wedding of the Century” and it seemed to be the fairytale of the Prince and heir to the British throne marrying the beautiful Lady of a noble birth from an aristocratic family that had been a part of English history for centuries. 

Prince Charles was born on November 14, 1948 at Buckingham Palace and he is the eldest son of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip (later to become Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh) He was born during the reign of his maternal grandfather King George VI and he would become very close to his maternal grandmother Queen Elizabeth (later to be known as the Queen Mother).  Upon the death of his grandfather in 1952, his mother became Queen Elizabeth II and he would attend her coronation in 1953 at Westminster Abbey.  Prince Charles was formally given the title of Prince of Wales in 1958 and his investiture would be held in 1969 as a grand televised ceremony from Caernarfon Castle located in north Wales, he holds the record of the longest serving heir apparent to the British throne in the history of England.    

Prince Charles received his formal education at Cheam and Gordonstoun, he then went onto the University of Cambridge and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree.  Later served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976, his naval career followed the Royal family tradition set by his great grandfather, grandfather and father.

Just prior to his military service, Charles took a seat in the House of Lords in 1970 and he would also go on to perform official duties on behalf of the Queen and the Commonwealth.  In 1976 he founded the Prince’s Trust which has become one of the most successful charitable organizations in the United Kingdom.  The Prince is also a dedicated environmentalist promoting organic farming and awareness of climate change.

Lady Diana Spencer was born on July 1, 1961 and she is the youngest daughter of John Spencer, the 8th Earl Spencer, and Frances Shand Kydd.  Diana received a traditional British education; she struggled academically but showed talent as a pianist, excelled at swimming and diving, and also studied ballet and tap dance.  After attending one term at a finishing school in Switzerland, Diana would later move to London to share a flat with several friends.  She worked numerous minimal jobs and eventually found work as a nanny and then as a nursery teacher’s assistant.

The Spencer ancestral home, Althorp, was located in Norfolk and Diana’s family would occasionally spend time at the Royal estate of Sandringham.  Diana was closer in age to Prince Andrew, Prince Charles’ younger brother, and Lady Sarah, Diana’s older sister, briefly dated Prince Charles in 1977.  But it was on a country weekend in 1980 that Diana came to the attention of Prince Charles when she graciously commented on the death of his favorite Uncle, Lord Mountbatten who had tragically died in an IRA bombing in 1979.  Touched by her acknowledgement of his recent loss, Prince Charles became interested in the charming and rather shy Diana as a potential wife.  Subsequently, the couple began a discreet courtship and Prince Charles proposed to Diana in February 1981.

At Buckingham Palace on February 24, 1981, Prince Charles and Diana appeared before the international press to officially announce their engagement. Diana’s large engagement ring was stunning, it was made by the Crown jewelers Garrard and featured a 12 carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire that was encircled by 14 diamonds and set in 18 carat white gold.  (Special Note: Thirty years later, in 2011, Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s son, Prince William, proposed to Catherine Middleton with the same sapphire and diamond engagement ring)

Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer on their engagement day

With the wedding date set for the summer, the media attention soon turned to Diana and for security reason she moved into Clarence House, the home of the Queen Mother, Prince Charles grandmother.  She stayed there for a short time before moving into Buckingham Palace where it was more convenient during the planning of the wedding.  Later she would return to Clarence House and this is from where she left on the morning of her wedding to travel by carriage to St. Paul’s Cathedral. (Special Note:  In a strange twist of fate, Prince Charles would later move into Clarence House after the death of the Queen Mother in 2002.  Then, in 2011 Prince William left Clarence House on the morning of his own wedding to travel by car to Westminster Abbey)

Since the number of invited wedding guests would be approximately 3,500 it was decided that St. Paul’s Cathedral would be the location for the ceremony instead of the smaller Westminster Abbey which had been the traditional site for previous British Royal weddings.  The location of St. Paul’s Cathedral would also provide a longer procession route, it was reported that approximately 600,000 people lined the streets of London to witness this historical event and security was increased with 4,000 police and 2,200 military officers to control the massive crowds.    

 St. Paul’s Cathedral

On the day of the wedding, notable International heads of state and the Commonwealth, members of the European Royal families and other invited guests had gathered at the Cathedral.  Precisely at the scheduled time members of the British Royal family left Buckingham Palace in a procession of eight carriages and were escorted by several different regiments from the Commonwealth.  The 1902 State Landau was used to transport Prince Charles and his brother Prince Andrew, the groom wore the full dress naval commander uniform, a full dress sword was attached to the uniform and tasseled in gold, a pair of gold Prince of Wales Royal ciphers attached to the epaulettes on both shoulders.  He also wore a trio of stars from the orders of the Garter, Thistle and Bath as well as the Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal.  (Special Note: The 1902 State Landau would also be used by Prince Charles and Princess Diana after the wedding ceremony to travel from the Cathedral back to Buckingham Palace.  Thirty years later the carriage was used for Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s wedding in 2011)         

Diana and her father traveled from Clarence House to the Cathedral in the Glass Coach which was built in 1881 and later purchased by the Crown in 1911 to be used throughout the years for various official events such as the State Opening of Parliament and various Royal Weddings.  Since the inside of the carriage is very small there was very little space for Diana, her father and the voluminous wedding dress and the large train.  So, as a result when Diana emerged from the carriage at the Cathedral the dress appeared to be winkled but was quickly smoothed out before she would proceed down the aisle.  Diana’s much anticipated wedding dress was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel and was made of ivory silk which featured a full voluminous skirt, fitted bodice with full 3/4 length sleeves trimmed with antique lace, hand embroidery, sequins and pearls.  The massive 25 foot train, the longest to be worn by a British Royal bride, featured ivory silk taffeta and antique lace.  The 153 yards of silk tulle were used to make the wedding veil that was secured with the Spencer tiara.  (For more information regarding the wedding dress and other items worn on the wedding day, please click on the link to Lady Diana Spencer – A British Royal Bride)    

As Diana took the arm of her father to begin the 31/2 minute walk up the aisle, the choir sang “Trumpet Voluntary” by Jeremiah Clarke.  Following them down the aisle were the bridal couple’s seven attendants: Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones (the groom’s cousin), India Hicks (the granddaughter of the Earl of Mountbatten), Catheringe Cemeron, Sarah Jane Gaselee and Clementine Hambro, the two page boys were Lord Nicholas Windsor (son othe Duke and Duchess of Kent) and Edward van Cutsem (godson of the groom).  Waiting at the main altar with Prince Charles were his two younger brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, who were supporters (the English version of a best man).

The Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, Alan Webster, presided over the traditional Church of England wedding service and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, would conduct the marriage ceremony.  In regards to the vows, it was the first time in recent British Royal history that the word “obey” was omitted.  In keeping with a tradition set at the 1923 wedding of Prince George and Lady Elizabeth (the groom’s grandparents), Diana’s wedding ring was made Welsh gold. 

Performing at the wedding service were the Choir of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Choir the Chapel Royal, the Bach Choir, the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra with a fanfare performed the Royal Military School.  The musical selection included the “Prince of Denmark’s March”, “I Vow to Thee, My Country”, “Pomp and Circumstance No. 4” and the British National Anthem.  The New Zealand soprano, Kiri te Kanawa sang “Let the Bright Seraphim” by Handel.

At the conclusion of the wedding service, the bridal couple and 120 invited guests returned to Buckingham Palace for a four course wedding luncheon.  The menu included quenelle of brill in lobster sauce, Princess of Wales chicken (an entrée especially created to honor Diana, chicken stuffed with lamb mousse), served with new potatoes, butter beans and cream of corn, also served were strawberries with clotted cream.

As customary at Royal wedding, several wedding cakes were served (there was a total of 27 cakes).  The main wedding cake featured a five foot tall multi-tiered fruitcake weighed 225 pounds and was created by David Avery, the head baker at the Royal Naval cooking school.  The traditional wedding cake was covered with white icing and featured with the coat of arms of Prince Charles, the Spencer family crest and fondant flowers including roses, lilies of the valley and orchids.   

Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding cake

During the day Prince Charles and Princess Diana (now known as the Princess of Wales) made the traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.  This was the first time a British Royal Couple would publically kiss on the balcony on their wedding day.  (In 2011, Prince William and Catherine Middleton also made history when they kissed not once but twice on their wedding day!)

Prince Charles and Princess Diana would travel by train from Waterloo Station in London to the Broadlands, the private estate which was owned by the Earl of Mountbatten.  After spending three days there, the couple flew to Gibraltar to board the Royal Yacht, Britannia, for an eleven day cruise of the Mediterranean Sea.  Later they flew to Scotland to spend time with the Royal family on during their annual holiday at Balmoral Castle.       

Prince Charles and Princess Diana on their honeymoon at Balmoral

The couple would go on to have two children, Prince William born in 1982 and Prince Harry born in 1984.  Unfortunately, the future would not be kind to Prince Charles and Princess Diana and they would endure an unhappy marriage that included infidelities on the part of the Prince and Princess as well as malicious and very public gossip involving both of them.  The Royal couple would ultimately divorce in 1996 and sadly the Princess would die in a tragic car accident in Paris in 1997.   

Prince Charles and Princess Diana with Prince William and Prince Harry at Highgrove

Movie Wedding – “Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves”

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There have been many movies based on the English legend of Robin Hood throughout the years and in this post I will feature the 1991 movie “Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves” which starred Kevin Costner as Robin of Locksley and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Maid Marian.  The film was the second highest grossing film of the year in which it premiered and also won a Grammy Award for the Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or Television, “Everything I Do I Do it for You” by Bryan Adams.

At the end of the movie there is a scene when Robin and Marian get married in Sherwood Forest.  The scene is relatively short but it offers some wonderful inspiration for a rustic wedding and at the end of this post I will feature ideas and suggestions for creating a special wedding in the forest.  But first …

A brief synopsis of “Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves” movie

The film begins during the time of the Crusades when Robin escapes a prison in Jerusalem with a Moorish companion named Azeem (Morgan Freeman).  The pair arrives back in England to find that King Richard the Lionheart is in France and in his absence the evil Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) rules over the land.  Robin also learns that when he is gone fighting in the Crusades the Sheriff had demanded that Robin’s father plead his allegiance to him and when he refused Lord Locksley was killed and his castle destroyed.

After hearing this devastating news Robin visits his childhood friend, Maid Marian, and to his surprise she has turned into a beautiful and spirited woman.  Robin and Marian at first fight their attraction for one another but soon they fall in love.  Meanwhile, when the Sheriff hears that Robin has returned to claim his father’s inheritance he pursues him to the edge of Sherwood Forest where Robin has fled to avoid being captured.

While in Sherwood Forest he encounters a group of outlaws (Little John, Will Scarlet and later Friar Tuck) that have joined together to fight back against the unjust payments that have been demanded by the Sheriff of Nottingham.  Robin decides he will lead the group in their pursuit and he organizes them “to rob from the rich to give to the poor”.

When the “band of merry men” succeeds in bringing justice against the Sheriff, Nottingham is furious.  He orders an attack and destroys their hideout in the forest taking several of them prisoner.  Ultimately, Robin gathers the remaining men that were not captured and plans to save the prisoners from the evil Sheriff.  They are successful in freeing the prisoners and this makes Nottingham even more determined to defeat Robin.

Next, Nottingham sets his sights on Marian (the cousin of King Richard) and tries to force her into marriage to gain the throne of King.  When she strongly resists his offer he forces her but just before the ceremony can be completed Robin comes to her rescue and after a brief fight Robin kills the Sheriff!  Robin and Marian are reunited and peace returns to this part of England.

At the end of the movie Robin and Marian are married in a beautiful ceremony held in the Sherwood Forest.  The wedding is interrupted by King Richard who has returned to England.  The King compliments Marian on how beautiful she looks and thanks Robin for his efforts in defeating the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.  Then after the King gives his blessing on the marriage the ceremony proceeds and Robin and Marian are pronounced husband and wife.

Wedding ideas inspired by “Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves” movie

The brief scene at the end of the movie visually offers many ideas and suggestions for a rustic forest wedding.  The following is a description of the scene which starts as the camera panes down from the tree tops to reveal an arrangement of twigs formed into a rustic “stain glassed window” with large cross below.  An altar is constructed from tree branches and is decorated with berries, fruit and leaves.  Placed on top the altar at either end are two wooden candelabras.  Maid Marian wears a beautiful wreath of wheat, berries, fruit and leaves.  Then, at the end of the ceremony, a flock of white birds are released as Robin and Marian seal their marriage with a kiss.

  

  

A rustic forest wedding in defined by the setting and the elements used for decoration.  Everything should to kept simple using only items generally found in the forest, such as leaves and twigs, flowers, berries and nuts (acorns or pinecones) and then supplement the decorations with an abundance or flowers to create a beautiful natural setting for the cememony.

Below is a list of ideas and suggestions for a rustic forest wedding:

  • A rustic style wedding ceremony can take place in a forest setting similar to the location of Robin’s Sherwood Forest. Check with the local National or State Parks in the area for the perfect forest setting but always ask about permits and restrictions that might be required which will take some advanced planning.  Local city parks with large trees could also be a great alternative and will probably be more cost effective eliminating a destination wedding.   Even better still is if you live on a property with a forest area or perhaps known a relative or friend that has a similar setting.

 

photo from pinterest

  • Decorations for the wedding ceremony site should be relatively simple so as not to distract from the forest setting but should compliment the beauty of the location. An example as shown in the above photo uses ferns and white flowers lining the aisle.   Another example shown below is wooden stumps placed on both sides of the aisle with candles inside glass containers for fire safety (bettery operated candles could also be used)  Still another suggestion would be to wrap floral garlands around the trunks of the trees.

  

photos from pinterest

  • Some decorations for the wedding reception are shown in the photos below. The first photo picnic tables are covered with simple white tablecloths.  The second photo shows a more elaborate table covering of sheet moss and flowers.  Another alternative to table decorations is shown in the third photo with a candelabra completely covered with Spanish moss and flowers.  The fourth photo shows a simple buffet table with a beautiful floral arrangement.

  

  

photos from pinterest

  • In keeping with a rustic theme, for the wedding cake display I would suggest using a tree stump to elevate the cake, the table top can be embellished with sheet moss and the cake can be decorated with fresh flowers as shown in the first photo. The second photo shows an example of a rustic style cake topper which features a moss base, a pair of “love birds” and a heart made from twigs.

photos from pinterest

  • Shown below are two examples for the bride or the bridesmaid bouquets. The first is a large cascading bouquet and the second is a smaller bouquet for the bride or perhaps the bridesmaids.  Both bouquets are accented with leaves and berries.

photos from pinterest

  • Shown below are some examples for bridal accessories for the bride and bridesmaids using flowers, berries and leaves. Any of these floral hair accessories would look wonderful with hair styled in soft curls or more elaborate “updos”.

photos from pinterest

  • Finally, shown below are two examples for the ringpresentations, the first features a bird’s nest lined with Spanish moss and the second shows a moss covered square.  (Important Tip: be sure to secure the rings and tie them with ribbon)

photos from pinterest

A British Royal Wedding – Prince William and Catherine Middleton

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To continue the ongoing British Royal Wedding series, in this post I will feature the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton that took place on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England. I will discuss details about the wedding ceremony and reception while also including a description of the bridal dress and accessories.

Prince William was born on June 21, 1982; he is the eldest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. At present, he is the second in line of succession to the British throne after his father. Although he was given all the privileges and advantages that were granted to him with his Royal birth, his mother made a conscious effort to give both Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry, the experiences of a normal childhood.

Prince William with his parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana

When Prince William was a teenager, several events happened in his young life that would affect him for years to come. In 1996, after many years of an unhappy marriage, his parents divorced and then in 1997 Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car accident in Paris, France. A few years later his father remarried and the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles took place in 2005.

In 2001, Prince William went on to attend the University of St. Andrews located in Scotland where he met Catherine Middleton, known as Kate to her family and friends. Kate was born on January 9, 1982 to Michael and Carole Middleton, she has two younger siblings. Although Kate was defined as a “commoner” by birth, her parents owned a successful and lucrative business positioning the family within the wealthy upper middle class. Prince William and Kate’s friendship soon turned to romance and it has been reported that the couple began dating in 2004.

After the couple graduated from St. Andrews, Prince William started his military career by attending the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. After service in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, Prince William would train as a helicopter pilot working with the RAF Search and Rescue and he later took on a full time position with the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Then, while on a holiday in Kenya in October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate and their engagement was officially announced on November 16, 2010. In a very sentimental gesture, Prince William presented Kate with the large sapphire and diamond engagement ring that had once belonged to his mother, Princess Diana. (For more information regarding the engagement ring, please click on the link to British Royal Engagement and Wedding Rings – Part Two)

Prince William and Catherine Middleton at the time of their engagement

Catherine Middleton wearing the sapphire and diamond engagement ring

So, in befitting Prince William’s Royal status, a grand wedding ceremony and two receptions were planned with a date set for the following year. A list of approximately 1,900 people would be invited to attend the ceremony, about 600 people would be invited to a luncheon reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth (the groom’s grandmother) at Buckingham Palace and about 300 were invited to a more private dinner reception hosted by Prince Charles later that in the evening which would also take place at the Palace. (Special Note: Ultimately the wedding would be viewed by tens of millions of people around the world with seemingly endless television coverage which would rival Prince William’s parents wedding which took place 30 years before in 1981)

After months of preparation, on April 29, 2011 the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place in Westminster Abbey in London, England. Westminster Abbey has been the site of British Royal coronations since 1066, the most recent was the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. In regards to British Royal weddings, prior to 1918, most took place privately in places such as the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace and St. George’s Chapel at Windsor. When Royal weddings changed to large public events filled with British pomp and circumstance, Westminster Abbey was frequently used for Royal weddings, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947. Sadly, Westminster Abbey was also the location of Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.

For the wedding of Prince William and Catherine, the inside of Westminster Abbey was decorated with large arrangements of traditional English flowers. The couple had stipulated that the flowers needed to be in season at the time of the wedding and that the flowers and the plants had to be grown in England, preferably on one of the Royal estates. Eight 20 foot high English field maple trees were arranged on either side of the main aisle and, at the special request of the couple, after the wedding the trees would be taken to Prince Charles’ Highgrove Estate in Tetbury in Gloucestershire and planted in the garden as a lasting memorial.  (For more information on the Wedding Flowers of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, please click on the link)

On the morning of the wedding day the guests, including governors and prime ministers of the Commonwealth, foreign diplomats and other invited guests were the first to arrive at the Abbey. Then, Prince William accompanied by Prince Harry (the groom’s best man) left Clarence House proceeding along the route in a Bentley State Limousine. The next to arrive were Carole Middleton accompanied by her son, James, and then members of the British Royal Family, including Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, were traditionally the last members of the Royal Family to arrive at the Abbey.

Prince William arriving at the Abbey with his brother, Prince Harry

Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall
followed by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip arriving for the wedding

The bridal party, including Pippa (the bride’s sister), four young bridesmaids and two page boys arrived just before the bride. Catherine traveled to the Abbey accompanied by her father riding in the State Rolls-Royce Phantom VI; they had left the Goring Hotel where the Middleton family had stayed in the days before the wedding.  (Special Note: If the bride had been a Royal instead of a commoner she would have traveled to the Abbey in one of the Royal carriages)

Catherine arriving at the Abbey with her father, Michael Middleton

With the arrival of the bride, the choir was cued to begin the processional song, “I Was Glad”, which was originally written by Sir Hubert Parry for the coronation of King Edward VI in 1902. It would take the bride and her father over three minutes to proceed through the Abbey’s Nave through the Quire and to the Sanctuary to meet Prince William.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has traditionally been the senior officiate presiding over the wedding of English monarchs (and in this case a future monarch) and he was assisted by the Dean of Westminster. The wedding vows were followed by the ring exchange in which Catherine would receive a wedding ring that has been traditionally made from Welsh gold since 1923 for Royal brides; Prince William had chosen not to wear a wedding ring. (For more information about the Welsh gold used to make Royal wedding rings, please click on the link to Royal Engagement and Wedding Rings – Part One)

After a reading from the Epistle to the Romans by James Middleton (the bride’s brother), a sermon was given by the Bishop of London. Then, during a musical interlude, Prince William and Catherine moved into an area adjacent to the Sanctuary to sign the wedding register accompanied by Prince Harry and Pippa to sign the wedding registry in private. Upon returning, the couple paused to bow and curtsy to Queen Elizabeth. Then, with a great fanfare the recessional music started, “Crown Imperial” by William Walton written for the coronation of King George VI and this orchestral march had also been performed at the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana. Prince William and Catherine, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, began the long walk through the Abbey and were followed by the bridal party and the parents of the groom and bride.

Upon exiting the Abbey, Prince William and Catherine were greeted with cheers from the crowds waiting outside on the streets of London. The couple then traveled in the 1902 State Landau from the Abbey along the Mall passing Horse Guards Arch and Whitehall before ending their procession at Buckingham Palace. After arriving, Prince William and Catherine made the traditional Royal appearance on the balcony and the cheering crowds were rewarded with not one but two kisses!

As previously mentioned, the Queen hosted a luncheon reception at Buckingham Palace.  The wedding cake served was created by Fiona Cairns and it was a beautiful multi-tiered traditional fruit cake covered with white fondant with beautiful piping and scrollwork that incorporated many historical and symbolic decorations. There were the traditional gum paste flowers including the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, daffodils for Wales and shamrocks for Ireland. As a special touch the Sweet William flowers, symbolizing gallantry, were also used to honor the groom. (For more detailed information about the Wedding Cake of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, please click on the link.  Also for information about other British Royal Wedding Cakes throughout the years, please click on the link)

Later, that evening the Prince of Wales hosted a private elegant dinner reception at Buckingham Palace. After dinner Ellie Goulding performed her rendition of “Your Song” for the couple’s first dance. The evening’s wedding reception continued with more dancing and ended with a spectacular fireworks display.

With Prince William’s work commitment as a search and rescue pilot, the couple celebrated a delayed honeymoon on a private island in the Seychelles. Upon their return to England, the couple would soon leave on their first official tour to Canada and the United States.

For more information about Catherine – An British Royal Bride, Wedding Flowers of Prince William and Catherine Middleton or the Wedding Cake of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, please click on the links.  

Beauty and the Beast – “A Tale as Old as Time”

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BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – A TALE AS OLD AS TIME

Since the Disney live-action version of Beauty and the Beast movie is set for a March 17, 2017 release date, I thought it would be the perfect time to discuss the classic fairytale.  European fairytales, such as Beauty and the Beast, were often verbal stories passed down from one generation to the next.  Later the stories were written into short stories or books and the narration featured fanciful characters, sometimes with magical powers, with some sort of moral lesson to learn.  In this post, I will discuss the origin of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, the various versions both in print and cinematic form.  Then, I will the end the post with a section offering wedding ideas inspired by the classic fairytale.  

In 1740, the first published version released was a French story, La Belle et la Bete, written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuv, it was a rather lengthy version of the fairytale.  Then in 1756, a writer by the name of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont rewrote the story into a shorter version and it was published in Magasin des enfants.  Although there have been various interpretations of the Beauty and the Beast story throughout the years, the Leprince de Beaumont version is the one that has most often been retold. 

Magasin des enfants

In the Leprince de Beaumont version, the story centers on a widowed merchant, he is the father of six children.  His youngest daughter, named Beauty, is beautiful, kind and gentle, an avid book reader but her siblings are jealous of her and treat her very poorly.  Unfortunately the father loses his fortune and the family is forced to move to a smaller home and live a much more modest life.  Before the father leaves on an extended trip at sea in which he will be away for several months, he asks his children what they would like him to bring back from his voyage.  The children selfishly ask for rather expensive gifts but Beauty asks only for a simple rose.

When the father returns from the sea, he starts his journey home traveling across the countryside but during an unexpected storm he becomes lost in the forest.  Trying to seek shelter from the bad weather, he comes upon a magnificent castle.  Mysteriously the doors open into the seemingly unoccupied castle and in the dining room a bountiful feast is laid out on the table and  the father gladly sits down to eat.  After hungrily devouring the delicious meal, the father falls asleep.

The next morning, the father awakes and he starts to explore the castle.  In the garden he finds a beautiful rose garden.  He takes one of the roses and in an instant a hideous Beast confronts him and in a fit of anger he takes the father prisoner for taking his personal property after enjoying his hospitality.  The father begs the Beast for mercy and explains that he only picked the rose to give to his daughter.  The Beast agrees to release the father to return home and give Beauty the rose but on the condition that the daughter exchange places with the father as his prisoner.

The father arrives back home, although he tries to keep the problem from Beauty, but ultimately because she feels responsible for the situation.  She agrees to return to the Beast’s castle.  During her stay the Beast takes good care of Beauty, he serves her lavish meals and has long conversations with her and after a period of time she begins to let her guard down.  But even with all the luxuries she has received from the Beast she misses her father and pleads to go back home to see her family one more time.  The Beast finally agrees but on the condition that she returns to the castle afterwards.  Before leaving the Beast gives her an enchanted mirror which allows her to see what is going on at the castle and a magical ring that when turned three times on her finger it will to return to the castle in the blink of an eye. 

While home, Beauty’s siblings beg her to stay and she is torn between remaining home and breaking her promise to the Beast or returning to the castle because she misses the Beast and realizes that she has fallen in love with him.  To solve her dilemma she uses the mirror to see the Beast and finds that he is desperately heartbroken and has fallen ill so she uses the ring to immediately return to the castle.  As Beauty weeps at his bedside, her tears fallen onto the Beast who is transformed into a handsome prince.  Regaining consciousness, he explains to Beauty that a long time ago a women visited the castle and when she was denied entry she turned him into a hideous beast and the curse could only be broken by finding true love.  At the conclusion of the story, Beauty marries him and “they lived happily ever after”.

Throughout the years the story of Beauty and the Beast has been told in various versions such as books, movies and even a Broadway show.  Perhaps the most popular version has been the 1991 Disney animated film with the voices of Paige O’Hara as Belle and Robby Benson as the Beast.  Besides the Beauty and the Beast there are several other characters; such as Belle’s father Maurice (Rex Everhart), Gaston (Richard White), Lumiere (Jerry Orbach), Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers), Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury) and Chip (Bradley Pierce). 

The popularity of the Beauty and the Beast feature film lead Disney to adapt the story into a Broadway musical in 1994.  The production initially received mixed reviews but proved to be as successful as the movie and the show ran on Broadway until 2007 and grossed more than $1.4 billons worldwide sales with various productions in thirteen countries.

Most recently, in 2017 Disney will release the highly anticipated live action “Beauty and the Beast” movie starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast.  The notable cast also includes Kevin Kline (Belle’s father Maurice), Luke Evans (Gaston), Ewan McGregor (Lumiere), Ian McKellen (Cogsworth), and Emma Thompson (Mrs. Potts). 

Wedding ideas inspired by the Beauty and the Beast fairytale

The following is a list of wedding ideas and suggestions inspired by the Beauty and the Beast fairytale:

Invitations – Consider wedding invitations printed in a beautiful font, perhaps edged in deep blue and embellished with a lovely gold satin ribbon.

Wedding ceremony and reception site – Since the Disney version has a storyline involving Belle’s love of books, might I suggest a beautiful library as the venue for the ceremony or reception.  Another idea suggestion is based on one of the most memorable scenes in the animated film and it is when the Beauty and the Beast dance and a hotel ballroom that features large crystal or golden chandeliers would be the perfect venue for a wedding reception.  Maybe for the bridal couple’s first dance they can waltz to the song from the movie.  

Bridal gown and accessories – In the Beauty and the Beast animated film, Belle wears a classic golden yellow ball gown in the dance scene maybe consider a similar style in a traditional bridal white or ivory.  Instead of the blue suit that the Beast wears in the movie consider a classic black tuxedo with tails for the groom.     

Wedding flowers – One of the most iconic symbols in the Disney Beauty and the Beast animated film is the red rose under glass.  A bridal bouquet of red roses would look beautiful against a white wedding dress and a matching red rose boutonniere for the groom. 

Reception decorations – At the welcome table there can be a display incorporating elements from the Disney animated film; such as a few stack of books arranged at various heights displayed with several antique clocks (Cogsworth) and silver or porcelain teapots (Mrs. Potts).  In keeping with the idea of red roses, consider large gold candelabra (Lumiere) with roses cascading down.  For the place setting consider gold charger plates used under the dinner plate and gold utensils instead of the normal silverware.     

reception guest table idea – dark blue tablecloth and cascading rose centerpiece

reception place setting idea – gold plate chargers and dark blue napkin

Cake decorations – Carrying over the idea of the red roses, consider an arrangement of cascading fondant roses.  Maybe consider adding a porcelain cake topper of Beauty and the Beast. 

white wedding cake with cascading red fondant roses

Beauty and the Beast cake topper

These are just a few simple ideas but I would suggest taking the time to research the internet and there are endless ideas for a Beauty and the Beast inspired wedding.