Wedding Belles
Love is in the air... or is it something more mercenary? Join us in the 1870s to discover how two very different brides prepare for their big day. An enchanting portrayal of the romance and reality of Victorian weddings.
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Gillian: It was enlightening to make the replica wedding dress from 1871, imagining myself in the position of a 19th C seamstress with her precious Florence sewing machine - six pounds to buy new. Certainly my working conditions are a lot more comfortable. There are some lovely traditions around the sewing of a bride's trousseau, and the dress in particular. Each seamstress working on the dress sews one of her hairs somewhere into the seams as a symbol of good fortune. No whistling is allowed, to avoid attracting evil spirits that could harm the bride. And as many people know something blue - a bow or rosette - is added to the dress, as blue is the luckiest colour for brides. The saying goes, Married in blue, love ever true. I take on the role of poor bride 'Mary Marston' - who has a blue wedding dress... |
Lucy: When I was a little girl I coveted a book called Costume Cavalcade with page after page of historic ensembles. On page 93 there was a picture of a purple gown from 1870. Years later I found a copy of the book. Last year I found the dress! (Well, as near as.) I saw it for sale in America and fell in love all over again. The gown is on display during this talk, as an example of the type of dress rich bride 'Felicia Graves' would go courting in. |
| - Mrs Sinclair, Castle Howard "Thank you so much for making the day special! Can't wait for the next one!" - St Clare's Hospice, South Shields
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