Looking for a nauseatingly twee introduction to wedding traditions? Look no further!

A charming Victorian social custom grew out of this heightened interest in the bride's wardrobe trousseau: the trousseau tea. ...There, amid bracing cups of Assam tea and trays of petits fours and meringues, the bride not only exhibited her gifts, but was coaxed to show off selections from her newly acquired wardrobe.

Stewart's A Bride's Book of Wedding Traditions spends a lot of time on charming Victorian traditions (she appears to be utterly enamored of the Queen herself, having written other books about Victoria) and with the ancient tradition of kidnapping women in order to marry them.

In addition, It's All About the Bride. Brides should have as many attendants as they like, even at a tiny wedding. They should feel free to wear yards of tulle and cathedral trains, even if they wed in their parents' garden. Pages may be employed to hold up said train. Gah.

Posted by Hilary at August 3, 2004 08:02 PM