The history of weddings can be divided into two categories:
those occurring before approximately 1830 and those after. The timing affected
where the wedding was held, what the bride wore, and what guests were served.
Prior to 1830, weddings were very different affairs from the
grand, all-night dance parties prevalent today. Typically, a bride and groom
married in a church in the morning and followed it up with a brunch-focused
reception at the bride’s home.
There also was no true wedding cake at these weddings, not
as we know it. In fact, couples served either a bridal pie or loaf of bread. A
glass ring was hidden in the pie, the lucky “finder” of which was said to
become the next to marry. The bread tradition is a little more disconcerting:
it was broken over the bride’s head to symbolize her impending loss of virginity
and guests subsequently picked crumbs off her head, dress, and veil to obtain
some of her good luck. Yech.
Other foods left out for guests were quite simple - eggs,
bread dishes, perhaps some fruit. What was offered was what the bride’s family
could afford and, more often than not, what they could make from what they grew
or bartered. Food was served buffet style,
because families usually didn’t have enough dishes for everyone.
Why was this the case? Well, during the very early 1800s,
much of the U.S. workforce was involved in agriculture. The lifestyle of a
farming family simply did not lend itself to extravagant dresses or parties.
Then, the economic panic of 1819 hit, the result of which was a change in the
nation’s economic focus from agriculture to industrialized production and
urbanization. More people had money and lived in cities where more food and
locations were available, and so weddings became more extravagant.
With this increased extravagance, gone were at-home
receptions. Couples still married in churches, just later in the day, followed
by an evening reception.
It was in the 1830s that brides began wearing white dresses
and that parties were held outside the home. Prior to this time, it was
considered impractical to purchase a white dress, much less one specifically
for a wedding, so the bride wore her best gown. The white wedding dress craze
(which lasts today) is attributed to Queen Victoria’s choice of the color for
her wedding gown.
Food served to guests also changed, and in came wedding
cakes and full dinners. American wedding
cakes weren’t like British ones (i.e., fruitcake), but rather similar to what
we have today: traditional sugary cake with filling and frosting. (Yum!)
The other food might surprise you, but just because it
consists of items not commonly eaten in today’s society. Dishes included cold
game (think pheasant), oysters, ices, and poached meats served with aspic
(galantines). Food was served buffet style, in the form of how it was
traditionally served at a large gala.
Although perhaps not so yummy by todays’ standards, these
dishes were luxurious in the 1800s – hence their being served at extravagant
celebrations. Of course, you’ll likely select different foods for your
reception, but now you know the history that you’re up against.
