“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind. And therefore is winged
Cupid painted blind.”
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Helpful Hints For Planning Your
Gothic Wedding
(guest blogger; Kathie Hayes)
Is there anything more romantic than the wedding that suites
your unique and individual sense of the love that belongs to you only? There is
no right nor wrong way to create your dream ceremony. A Gothic Wedding may not
be considered traditional, but truth be told, most of the “traditions” of
modern matrimony, are seeded deep within the 13th century. The
flowers, the gown, the wedding party, and even the honeymoon are centuries old.
All of which originated in the beautiful European landscape. Unfortunately, for
most of us, a glorious German castle, or the lustrous rolling knolls of Ireland will never be within our grasp, there are ways to plan the majestic wedding,
wherever you call home. I have gathered some ideas and listed them below.
Hopefully the suggestions will spark your own creativity; and remember, it’s
your wedding, the sky is the limit.
Attire: One of the more enticing reasons for
planning a Gothic Wedding, is the deep, rich color palettes you will have to work
with. For example, 3 Rexes has a gorgeous selection of stones and gothic
designs. Once you and your love choose your perfect design, it is much easier
to build your day around the style you have chosen. There are a lot of very
talented designers that can be found on the internet. With the vast array of
beautiful, vibrant colors to choose from, your venue will fall into place. Your
ring will match your dress, and if you like, your flowers too!
Location: As I stated earlier, most of us will never have our castle
wedding, but there are a lot of wonderful alternatives. For example, check with
your local historical society. There are a lot of historical sites that offer
well manicured, open fields, which can easily be molded into a picturesque countryside. Or perhaps a two hundred year old church is more to your liking.
Most of the historic churches are lit only by candlelight, and just imagine the
pipe organ vibrating off the acoustics of the stone walls. Another truly
fantastic location I’ve stumbled upon are located in caves. At first you may
think this idea is too “touristy”, but in all honesty, they are beautiful. I
have seen two sites that offer wedding packages. They actually have underground chapels that are laminated only by candlelight. Just imagine the soft light
flickering of the glossy walls.
Invitations: There are also endless possibilities for the type of wedding
invitations available to you that can be purchased from local artisans. There
are also some easy do-it-yourself invitation projects. You can antique your
invitations by soaking them in a shallow pan of brewed tea. This process will mimic the appearance of stiff linen, which was used for paper centuries ago.
You can also change the tint of the invitation by using different types of tea,
and the time you allow them to soak in the mixture. Just remember that the
invitation is the first hint to your guests, that they are going to be a part
of your celebration. Any Important information
should be included in the invite and/or save a date mailing. Most people assume
the ceremony will be held in a church, and the reception in a hall; it is necessary to inform the guest of the terrain, the theme and the suggested
attire. It’s much easier to enjoy your event, if they know what to expect.
And the
final tip…. Enjoy your day. This is the first day of your happily ever after.
Just sit back and let your dreams paint the life you are destined to have.
