by Catalogs.com Info Guru Angela K. Van Winkle
The big date has been set, the caterer nailed down, the location reserved.
You probably even have your beautiful Victorian-styled wedding dress picked out. Now it’s time to bring together all those little elements you’ll need to really make your theme come to life.
10. Embroidered Handkerchief
Victorian ladies and gentlemen never left home without a clean handkerchief, and having some embroidered for your special day can put that little finishing touch on the theme. Incidentally, they also make great wedding party gifts.
9. Parasol
Lacy white parasols keep the sun out of a lady’s eyes, and are a showy way to accessorize your bride’s maids’ dresses.
8. Bridal Gloves
Gloves were an essential part of a Victorian woman’s wardrobe, and were given as gifts to suitors and wedding guests. They can be lacy and long, wrist-length, or even made of fine kid leather.
7. Pocket Watch
A personalized pocket watch, engraved with a token of your love, is a wedding day keepsake the groom will cherish for years to come. Opt for a skeleton-style fob watch which shows the clockwork inside to give it special period touch.
6. Lace Fan
Keep your guests and wedding party cool and in-theme with pretty lacy fans. Let’s face it, air conditioning as we know it didn’t exist in Victorian times, and the flutter of some fresh air could help immensely if the lady had a case of the vapours.
5. Bridal Boots
Sure, you could go with standard white pumps, and that would be fine. But if you really want to add some true period flair, don a pair of Victorian bridal boots. You know you’ll be looking for all kinds of excuses to wear them long after the nuptials are exchanged.
4. Top Hat
Ensure your groom’s men look dapper with their own canes and top hats to complete their ensemble. True class.
3. Lace Garter
Don’t forget that essential piece of wedding tradition, the lace garter. According to history, the male wedding guests used to rush the bride at the end of the ceremony in order to forcibly remove the garter from her leg. Eventually, the tradition changed so that the groom himself would remove it and toss it to the crowd, to satisfy the masses without anyone getting hurt in the shuffle. Don’t forget the garter. It’s for your safety.
2. Cameos and Charm Bracelets
There is nothing more Victorian than cameo necklaces and charm bracelets. Popularized by Queen Victoria herself, these era-appropriate pieces of jewelry make wonderful bride’s maid gifts.
1. Tiara
Victorian weddings were all about pomp and circumstance. The bride wore the most elaborate dress and jewelry she could afford, and the wedding itself was a grand affair. Thankfully, you don’t have to be royalty these days to get all decked out. Complete your lavish look with a tiara fit for a queen, and leave your wedding guests breathless.