The Middle Ages have always been described romantically in books and films. It was then that ballads about love and exploits, about faithful ladies and valiant knights appeared. These noble defenders of the fatherland and beautiful ladies, although we no longer meet in life, remind us of themselves from the pages of books and from the TV screen.
After such beautiful novels, many would like to plunge into this romantic period in their lives. But even in the absence of real knights, dashingly galloping on horses and rattling their armor, no one will stop you from holding a wedding ceremony in the knightly style.
Such a wedding will be remembered by all the guests and will certainly delight the newlyweds themselves. Just to begin with, you will have to decide whether it will be just a small production, similar to a wedding in a knightly style, or whether you will follow all the canons to the end. If the second option is chosen, then it is worth not only making some efforts, but also using your imagination.
Where to celebrate a wedding
The ideal place for a wedding in a medieval style would be a real medieval castle. Where can I get it, you ask? If you have the desire and financial capabilities, you will always find a castle!
This could be one of the beautiful castles in the Czech Republic, Italy, France, Latvia, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine or other countries.
Many of them provide medieval-style wedding services.
The castles have everything you need to create the right atmosphere: antique goblets, real knight's armor, heavy medieval candlesticks, tapestries, thrones for the newlyweds and much more.
Based on the number of invited guests, one of the castle halls can become a venue for a wedding feast.
The banquet can be held in the courtyard with a beautiful view of the majestic castle.
And what spectacular wedding photos the newlyweds can take against the backdrop of the ancient castle and its surroundings!
If you can’t afford to rent a castle for a wedding, you can create a medieval ambiance in a restaurant, the interior of which at least slightly echoes the medieval theme.
To create a medieval atmosphere, long wooden tables that do not necessarily need to be covered with a tablecloth, benches or chairs with high backs would be appropriate. Rough stone or brick walls can be decorated with shiny armor, weapons, and coats of arms.
The interior in this theme will be complemented by various “medieval” features: lots of candles, massive candelabra, goblets, homemade thrones for the newlyweds and, of course, beautiful ancient music.
Outfits of young people and guests of the event
Medieval style bride
The attention of everyone present at the wedding will undoubtedly be focused on the newlyweds. Therefore, it is necessary to take care in advance that the images of the newlyweds correspond to the atmosphere of a medieval wedding.
When choosing a wedding dress, the bride is given the opportunity to determine the style and direction of the dress herself. If the choice is a classic white dress, then it should be decorated with medieval elements: contrasting lacing, a pronounced bodice and an elongated silhouette, which is achieved thanks to smooth folds flowing into a train of any length.
However, it should be remembered that medieval ladies got married in their most elegant and beautiful dress. It was not always snow-white. In those days, girls wore bright clothes with contrasting trim and long, flared sleeves. The fabric was decorated with embroidery and precious stones. The richer the bride was, the more luxurious her wedding dress was.
Light natural makeup should only highlight the natural beauty of the girl. Hair tied up with ribbons and decorated with flowers, flowing smoothly down to the shoulders is the ideal hairstyle for a medieval beautiful lady.
Groom image in medieval style
The groom's image must also correspond to the given style. I would, of course, like to put armor on the young man, but it is very heavy, so you shouldn’t subject the groom to such torture.
An elongated tunic over tight trousers and a bright cloak thrown over the shoulders will transform any man into a real knight.
Image of guests at a knight's wedding
Guests warned in advance about the wedding theme can rent outfits. In the costume department of any theater, there will undoubtedly be a couple of clothes corresponding to a given era.
Massive jewelry for ladies and their gentlemen is welcome. In addition to necklaces and beads, use large brooches, pendants, rings, etc. Fake spears, shields and swords, bright capes, hats and veils, and much more are suitable as additional accessories for each outfit.
A wedding in the style of medieval chivalry is an extremely exciting adventure for all its participants. The preparation and the wedding ceremony itself, decorated in the spirit of that time, will forever remain in the memory.
Not all brides and grooms like the idea of a conventional wedding with a ransom, a limousine and drunken competitions. Natalia and Maxim were just one of them, so they chose a costume themed wedding in a medieval style.
The newlyweds' love story is full of accidents and signs of fate. They met at a party, thanks to the fact that Maxim’s sister came with him and not with her husband. And a day after meeting and exchanging phone numbers, the future bride and groom met by chance in the elevator of a huge shopping center. As if their meeting was destined by fate. Less than a month later, Natalia and Maxim began to live together, and two years later they went on a trip to Dahab. There, on Mount Moses, meeting the dawn at the very top, Maxim proposed to his beloved and she agreed.
The bride and groom initially did not want to have a traditional wedding; they were just going to run into the registry office in jeans and sign. And so it happened, though not in jeans, but in beautiful outfits, but this was only the first part of the main celebration.
The future newlyweds really liked the castle in Geneva and they wanted to celebrate their wedding there, but then they weighed everything and realized that it would be difficult to transport guests there, and it would be quite expensive. Quite by accident, they learned about Nesvizh Castle, which is located in the Minsk region, and without even having ever been there, they chose it. And after the future newlyweds watched “Game of Thrones,” they were even more convinced that a wedding in a castle was their dream.
After watching several videos about the castle, Natalia and Maxim decided that all guests should wear medieval-style costumes. The bride and groom themselves found an atelier that makes costumes for the Bolshoi Theater and rents them out, and ordered outfits there for all the guests. At first, the guests were not happy with this idea, but after the wedding, everyone thanked the newlyweds for this fairy tale. Really, when else will you be able to walk around in such a suit? And even at the banquet, when it was already possible to change into their usual clothes, many were not happy about this.
Since the bride and groom lived in Moscow, and the wedding was to take place in Belarus, they could not solve organizational issues on their own and decided to hire a wedding planner. It was Lyubov Shibarshina from Minsk, who made all the fairy-tale dreams of Natalia and Maxim come true.
To prevent the guests from getting bored from the very morning, a theatrical performance was organized for them: the Black Lady of Nesvizh planned to disrupt the holiday and kidnap the bride, and to prevent this from happening, the invitees had to perform special tasks. They shot archery, learned medieval dance, and posed for a portrait artist. For the little guests there was an animator dressed as a pirate, with whom the children “went on a search” for a treasure chest. It was possible to take part in competitions only in medieval outfits. By the way, all the contractors were also in suits: organizers and coordinators, presenter, restaurant workers, photographers and cameramen.
The ceremonial registration of the marriage was carried out by workers of the castle complex. It was a theatrical performance in the Old Belarusian language, with a romance, to the accompaniment of a chamber orchestra.
The wedding decor was also created in the style of the celebration. Specialist Victoria German decorated the restaurant with floral arrangements, thanks to which all guests felt the atmosphere of a medieval feast. Also at the wedding there was an original photo zone with the family coat of arms, which was created by illustrator Irra Sukova.
Natalia and Maxim's wedding cake was decorated in the colors of the wedding. It was made by pastry chef Raisa Savkova, based on the photographs sent by the bride. Instead of the classic cutting of the cake, the newlyweds decided to cut it with a sword, this thought suddenly came to the groom, and that’s how he got used to the role.
The medieval style wedding of Natalia and Maxim was truly very beautiful and unusual. Wedding specialists were able to create a luxurious holiday that was memorable not only for the bride and groom, but also for all the guests. And the newlyweds themselves realized their dream - they became the main characters of a real medieval fairy tale!
Wedding in a medieval style - the spirit of a knight's tournament
There is almost no place for romance in modern life; it is full of haste and bustle. A standard painting in the registry office, a photo against the backdrop of a beautiful landscape, a traditional gala banquet with a toastmaster have long become boring and uninteresting for newlyweds. In order to plunge into the world of unforgettable, mesmerizing adventures, and feel like the heroes of a fairy tale, organize a wedding in a medieval style!
A wedding in a medieval style will not leave anyone indifferent
This era, where Dignity and Honor reign uncontrollably, excites the hearts of many today. The celebration in the style of the Middle Ages will be like a fairy tale, which will be attended by brave knights, beautiful ladies-in-waiting, tournaments and battles.
Groom image
At a wedding in a medieval style, it is desirable that the newlyweds’ outfits match the chosen theme. The easiest way to rent such costumes is in a specialized salon or store. The groom's outfit can imitate knight's armor.
Armor varied quite widely in different regions in shape and design. So there are many options.
A lighter version of the clothing of a knight of the early Middle Ages includes a tunic, as well as narrow or tight-fitting trousers and stockings (chauss). A cloak was worn on top.
The men's suit consisted of two tunics: the lower one, the kameez, and the upper one, the cotta. The lower tunic most often had long sleeves. The top one was made of expensive fabric, decorated with embroidery and always belted. The longer the cotta, the higher the status. Over the cotta one could wear a surcoat - a more voluminous robe, most often a ceremonial one. The surcoat was not belted.
However, you should not strictly adhere to the historical accuracy of the costumes. And in most such weddings, the very concept of a given historical period is very vague. We can say that this is rather a unifying motive.
The most important thing is that your wedding day becomes one of the brightest and happiest moments of your life.
If for some reason you can’t get an outfit stylized in the Middle Ages, don’t despair. A classic men's suit would be quite appropriate for the groom.
Themed photo shoot in the castle
A photo session in an ancient castle will help you feel the spirit of the Middle Ages, when every man wanted to become a knight. The photographs you take will help you remember the wedding for the rest of your life, and you don’t have to search for old outfits; the groom’s classic suit and the bride’s snow-white dress are perfect. To make a bright and unforgettable photo shoot, dress your girlfriends in maid of honor outfits, and dress your men in knight's armor.
Bride's image
You can try to find a bride’s dress for a “medieval” wedding in wedding salons, but the most beautiful dresses, as a rule, are made to order.
A wedding dress in a medieval style should be closed, with a long hem and sleeves. Often the dress was further lengthened by a train. It was believed that the longer the train of a dress, the more noble its owner. Dresses were tied together with lacing, since darts did not yet exist.
The sleeves of the dress were also elongated; they could be either flared or narrow.
In the Middle Ages, dresses of bright and dark colors were chosen as wedding attire: red, purple, blue, green.
For a wedding in a medieval style, it is not at all necessary to wear an exact copy of a medieval outfit.
This could very well be a medieval style wedding dress.
Such dresses may have a rather deep neckline, and the shoulders may even be open.
At a wedding stylized in the Middle Ages, the bride can wear a classic wedding dress. After all, the main thing is the general atmosphere, and the rest is just pleasant scenery.
In the Middle Ages, women did not show their hair, carefully hiding it under their headdresses, but considering that this is only stylization, you can show the beauty of your hair. It is advisable to keep makeup to a minimum.
wedding ceremony
Such an important element as a church wedding began to take place around the 13th century. Previously, a medieval priest could perform this wonderful ceremony in any place he liked. The priest read prayers at the wedding, after which he asked the newlyweds if they wanted to be together and bear together all the sorrows and joyful events before God. If the newlyweds confirmed their mutual consent, then a marriage union was concluded.
Then, according to custom, the priest conducted a prayer service, asking for perfect love, identical thoughts among the young, a life devoid of vices, and the birth of children. When the priest finished the wedding ceremony, he joined the hands of the happy newlyweds.
Invitations
A wedding in a medieval style should be permeated with the romantic atmosphere of a medieval fairy tale. And for this it is important to provide for every detail: let's start with invitations for guests. For a wedding in a medieval style, it is best to make invitations in the form of scrolls made of aged paper.
You can try writing the invitation text yourself with real pen and ink or use wedding calligraphy services.
Wedding style and accessories
Since a modern wedding is designed to bring a fresh look to familiar rituals, the overall style of the celebration should be special.
Invitations for guests
They are made by hand, trying to design each card individually. Typically, cardboard and a variety of decorative materials are taken that match the overall theme of the wedding. These can be purchased or natural elements, such as braid, lace, straws and spikelets or cones, beads, beads. If you wish, you can abandon the usual form of invitation and come up with something of your own. For example, for a wedding by the sea, an invitation can be made from mollusk shells, and for a romantic wedding, doves or swans made from salt dough, ceramics or plaster are suitable.
The type and filling of bonbonnieres can also be varied, depending on the style of the wedding. These can be miniature baskets, canvas bags, handbags or boxes. The wedding idea allows you to completely abandon the distribution of usual sweets and replace them with small souvenirs.
What should newlyweds wear?
The choice of colors for a festive outfit for a modern wedding is varied. You can limit yourself to classic white for the bride and black for the groom, or choose your favorite colors. The newlyweds are offered the entire palette of pastel colors, rich red, blue, green shades, gold and silver, and even fabrics with patterns - flowers, patterns, stripes, embroidered and dyed.
The style of the dress and suit is absolutely arbitrary, only what you like, is comfortable, does not impede movement, gives the image of the bride unearthly beauty and expresses the inner essence of the groom.
Not everyone suits classic white fluffy dresses; they can be replaced with a flying forest fairy outfit or the strict elegance of a straight dress with a cape. Some will prefer the folk style, while others will prefer the image of an ancient maiden. A blouse and skirt or pantsuit are acceptable. You can dress up as a snow queen or opt for a simple loose dress. Modern designers offer brides many options that are far from classic, but at the same time charming and feminine.
The groom can limit himself to trousers and a shirt or complement the look with a vest, knitted jumper or jacket, or jacket. The presence of a tie depends entirely on the chosen style. If this is a medieval camisole, then a lace scarf should be tied around the neck, and the image of your own shirt-guy or Russian hero dictates the absence of this accessory.
There are also no restrictions for shoes: sandals, shoes and boots, sandals and over the knee boots of various colors, even contrasting or deliberately childish. The same goes for hairstyles, jewelry and other accessories. You should stick to the chosen style and not overload the image with unnecessary details.
Creating a medieval atmosphere
An ideal option for celebrating a wedding in a medieval style would be a real castle or a restaurant stylized for this era. The banquet hall for a wedding celebration should be decorated in such a way that once there, guests can immediately be transported to the mysterious and fascinating era of the Middle Ages.
But you can recreate the medieval surroundings with the help of small details. You should start with the design of the walls. The best decoration of the hall will be images of coats of arms and other knightly heraldry.
To create a truly historical and romantic atmosphere, you can use the rental services of fake weapons, shields, swords, and knightly armor. Make the room dimly lit. The atmosphere of Gothic mystery is well emphasized by candles in massive candlesticks.
Set up a makeshift throne for the newlyweds.
Knight's wedding in a stylized room
If the wedding celebration is planned indoors, you should take care of its decoration. When choosing a location, you need to pay attention to the fact that the banquet hall has high ceilings, stonework, dim lighting and appropriate furniture.
To recreate the atmosphere of knightly times, the walls can be curtained with tapestries and weapons, ideally if there is a fireplace in the hall. An excellent addition would be antique candlesticks placed around the room. On-site registration should be arranged.
Entertainment
A wedding in a medieval style must be filled with interesting events. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully consider the scenario and entertainment in advance.
Bride ransom can be turned into a real feat of chivalry. The groom, in order to win the heart of a beautiful lady, will need to fight with the best knights of the kingdom.
After the bride's ransom comes the official part of the wedding celebration - marriage registration. An outdoor medieval ceremony will be very exciting and romantic.
A romantic horseback ride is perfect for a medieval-style wedding.
A horseback ride can be combined with a wedding photo shoot.
Hold a real knightly tournament where you can demonstrate your military prowess. Such a spectacular performance will not leave anyone indifferent.
According to the rules, the tournament began with a duel with spears. Objective: knock the enemy out of the saddle or break your spear against his shield without falling yourself.
It is believed that it was at tournaments that the tradition of a handshake appeared, which the knights exchanged after the battle, as a sign that they did not hold a grudge against each other.
After the equestrian duel there followed a fight between the knights on foot.
At the end of the tournament, the names of the winners were announced and awards were distributed.
For entertainment, you can organize archery competitions.
At a wedding in a medieval style, you simply need to organize a costume photo shoot.
Participation in the photography process itself will be an interesting entertainment for guests and will give a lot of positive emotions. You can use on-site photography services with instant printing of photos, so that all participants in the celebration will have memorable photos.
A wedding in a medieval style should feature live ancient music. It is best to invite a musical ensemble performing medieval music.
The medieval wedding feast was accompanied by dancing, which in many ways still remained improvised. Medieval dances are distinguished by simple steps, which will allow all participants in the wedding celebration to take part in them.
The bride and groom can learn an interesting medieval dance. The music of the newlyweds' first dance should also correspond to the Middle Ages.
Wedding guests can be entertained by dancers.
Mimes, acrobats, jugglers, buffoons, jesters, stilt walkers and other artists of the original genre will decorate such a holiday and give an unforgettable experience to everyone present.
Entertainment may include theatrical skits and productions, in which both invited artists and any interested participants in the wedding celebration can participate.
Conservatives, go!
Those who pay tribute to traditions would like to arrange a bride ransom. Instead of money, they use alcoholic drinks and souvenirs. And the redemption scenario is proposed as modern. Invented competitions are characterized by unconventional thinking. More precisely, this will be the completion of a quest. It can be organized in absolutely any territory chosen for the celebration. You can do a traditional romantic photo shoot early in the morning before the wedding.
So that everyone can fully enjoy the celebration, a modern wedding can last two days. On the first day, the newlyweds attend the ceremonial registration at the registry office and go to a photo shoot. This eliminates the need for guests to follow the newlyweds around the city in search of good locations for photos. And on the second day, the newlyweds and guests enjoy the fun. The bride can wear the same dress twice or appear in a new outfit every day.
On-site registration will help avoid dividing the wedding into two days. It will take place in the same place where the newlyweds plan to have fun with guests. Instead of a standard registry office hall, the newlyweds will find an arch decorated with flowers and waves of fabric, a path of flowers and petals, beautiful live music and friends on both sides of the arch. What could be more romantic?
The bride can be escorted to the altar by her father or godfather. This will emphasize the continuity of generations and the girl’s transition to a new family. After this, the newlyweds pronounce their wedding vows. Everything depends only on the wishes of the newlyweds.
After registration is completed, you will not have to stand in traffic jams getting to the banquet venue. Guests and newlyweds can start having fun.
When writing a script, it is worth thinking through all the questions regarding:
- musical arrangement;
- lighting design;
- color scheme;
- floristry;
- costumes for young people and guests;
- leading.
Treats
The wedding feast should correspond to the medieval style of the holiday. It is necessary to carefully consider all the details, including serving. Of course, you shouldn’t give up plates and cutlery at a wedding for the sake of historical authenticity. Use clay and wooden dishes for table setting: pots, bowls. It is better to pour wines and other drinks into jugs. Instead of glasses and glasses, use different types of cups.
The wedding menu can be quite extensive, because sometimes the feasts of the Middle Ages turned into a true demonstration of culinary skills. Previously, all dishes were served at the same time. Meat, fish, pies and sweets - everything was on one table during the many-hour feast. Then the custom of “changing dishes” appeared.
During the feast, meat was a mandatory treat. Its consumption was also a sign of wealth and social status.
Roasted venison, pig on a spit, baked wild boar, rabbit stew, pork on the bone, legs of lamb with saffron, cutlets, sausages. A variety of birds - chickens, ducks, geese, swans, pigeons, blackbirds. In the Middle Ages they ate a lot of fish. It was most often served boiled, baked with vegetables or stuffed. Vegetables were eaten raw and boiled. There were no tomatoes or potatoes yet. Some of the more popular vegetables include cabbage, turnips, beets, carrots, garlic, and onions.
Pies were served to the table. They were prepared closed and open. Meat, fresh or salted fish, poultry, mushrooms, vegetables, fruits, and cheese were used as filling. Wine was consumed diluted with water, honey and spices. Beer (ale) was also a popular drink.
At a wedding in a medieval style, do not forget about the main decoration of the table - the wedding cake. It can be made in the form of a medieval castle or decorated with figurines of knights.
Talented confectioners will be happy to help you create your perfect cake that will fit the overall theme of the celebration.
A wedding in a medieval style will give the bride and groom a unique opportunity to turn their wedding into a real fairy tale, where there is a place for gentle princesses and noble knights, as well as beautiful and endless love... Be happy!
Creating a medieval image of the bride and groom
In order for the bride’s image to match the given style, it is necessary to search for information on the selected time period. You can watch movies or read history books.
The bride's dress can be designed not only in white colors - it is also possible to use dark shades. During that era, the bride was expected to be very modest, so the wedding dress should not be too revealing. The bodice of the dress can be made in the form of a corset with lacing, the sleeves should be long, and the lower, slightly gathered part should flow down freely.
Velvet, satin or silk are suitable for sewing a wedding dress; it is possible to combine several types of fabric. To decorate your head, it will be enough to cover your hair with a transparent cape and secure it with a tiara or crown. Antique jewelry will look ideal.
The image of the groom, of course, must correspond to the status of a handsome knight. Plate and armor can be left until the knightly tournament. And during the holiday, a loose shirt, camisole and tight trousers will be enough.
KNOWLEDGE BASE: Romantic and airy wedding in pastel colors
It is also necessary to choose appropriate outfits for guests and witnesses.
