How to prepare well for a Victorian-themed wedding in Hertfordshire
You might not have realised that
many customs of modern weddings can be traced as far back as the reign of Queen
Victoria, which ran from 1837 until 1901. Well, okay, you might have had an
inkling – especially given recent publicity surrounding the bicentenary of
Victoria's birth.
Last year, TV historian Lucy Worsley
even staged, as screened on BBC Two, a historically authentic recreation of Victoria's
wedding to Prince Albert. If you are enchanted by the Victorian era, you can
bring much of its magic to your own nuptials right here in Hertfordshire.
Prepare the bridal dress carefully
Royal weddings tend to inspire
wedding attire nationwide – and our Victorian ancestors were likely similarly
influenced by their Queen marrying in a white gown.
The classic white wedding gown grew
in popularity as a status symbol during her reign. Although this type of gown
was usually deemed expensive, it became less so for the middle class by the
1870s. The more lace, the better for the Victorians, so you might not want to skimp
in that area!
Consider a suitably intimate setting
Whereas weddings tended to be public
events for the whole community in the Georgian era, they were comparatively
small and private during Victoria's reign. It's fitting, then, that we offer
our Manor House, itself dating from 1853, for small and intimate weddings.
For any number of day guests ranging
from 20 to 96, the Manor House is ready and waiting – but if you'd prefer a larger
wedding, that's possible too, in our Apsley Suite. This air-conditioned space can
accommodate 100 to 320 day guests, while also leaving you free to use a caterer
of your choice.
All in all, Shendish Manor is a beautiful example of Victorian
architecture – and everyone at the wedding will be able to appreciate its
architecture in even more of its glory when they head out into the 160 acres of
parkland and formal gardens circling the property.
Attention to detail is crucial when preparing a Victorian wedding; the
Victorians deemed flowers, for example, to be symbolic as wedding decor. However,
Shendish Manor is well-suited to hosting a wide range of Hertfordshire
weddings, Victorian-themed or otherwise.
For this reason, calling +44(0)1442 232220 or emailing enquiries@shendish-manor.com to hire our venue could help you to get everything else falling quickly into
place.