Renaissance

[asoldiersangel23]

Bryan and I traced our family histories and found that he and I are both of noble blood. He thought it would be great to do a Renaissance wedding with the outfits, the honor guards mounted, that ****stries, the banners, etc. I have a few ideas that would work well with this theme, but I'm open to more ideas if anyone has any.

[calico4sr]

lets see what we can find. katy do you wanna help me?

[KatylovesNick]

Yup, I am on it!

[KatylovesNick]

Great favor ideas...
http://www.weddinggazette.com/category/000748.shtml

[calico4sr]

food options:

http://www.medieval-weddings.net/weddings_feasts.htm

Wedding Feasts

Medieval Food

Medieval wedding feasts celebrated the day no matter what social class the bride and groom ***e from. Some of the Middle Age food that could have been served at a feast include: Roast quail, turtledoves and partridge, goose, venison, roasted boar (sanglier), gilded and slivered calves' heads, fish, roasted peacock, mutton, cheeses, walnuts, fresh fruits, oysters steamed in almond milk, ale-flavored bread, stewed cabbage, tarts and custards, fresh fruit preserves and spicy mulled wine.

Apples were the only cultivated fruit, but others grew wild. Wild fruits like pears, quinces, and even peaches were served on some medieval tables. Strawberries raspberries, red currants could be found in the woods. Nobility could afford exotic foods like dates and pistachio nuts.

Many kinds of vegetables were known during the Middle Ages, but few were eaten. Vegetables of this period include: carrots, cabbage, lettuce, leeks, cardoons, onions, shallots, parsley and asparagus.

Feasts were elaborate, and it was not uncommon for banquets to serve up to six courses.

Spices and Flavorings

Middle Age spices used in cooking included: Cloves, cinnamon, saffron, mace, pepper, ginger, anise, and nutmeg. Food was seasoned with herbs like basil, parsley, sage, tansy, savory, betony, and rosemary. Sugar was becoming increasing popular during the Middle Ages, but it was expensive and only the wealthy could afford it in great quantities. Honey was still the sweetener of choice, usually supplied by the local monastery.

Middle Age Salads

"Sallat," or salad, could have been made with chives, scallions, boiled carrots, radish roots, young lettuce, and turnips. Herbs, nuts, olives, vinegar and oil, even sugar could have been included in a medieval sallat.

Wine, Ale, and other Medieval Drinks

Drinks during this period included water, ale, beer, mead, milk, and wine. Cider be***e increasingly popular, starting in the Basque country and moving northward. Fruit juices made from cherries, sloes, and mulberries may have been available, but most of them would have been fermented. Wine was believed to nourish the body, restore health, aid digestion, clarify ideas, open the arteries, cure melancholy and help in procreation.

Eating Etiquette

Guests at a medieval feast would eat with their fingers, though forks and sometimes a knife were used by some. Since little food could be preserved, the guests would eat until the food was gone. Napkins were becoming more popular. Glassware was becoming more widespread, and traditional bread trenchers were being replaced with wooden boards that had sections hollowed out to hold certain courses.

Medieval Dancing

Medieval feasts would usually be followed by hours of dancing to the accompaniment of vocal or instrumental music. Lords and ladies would "round dance" and "carol," and this was one of the chances young men had to meet damsels.

[calico4sr]

Symbolic Jewelry

Precious stones held deep meanings for people during the Middle Ages. Wearing one or more of these stones let others know of personal characteristics, hopes and beliefs. Some of the medieval meanings of precious stones include:


Chrysoprase: Virtue
Red Jasper: Love
Beryl: Purification
Green Jasper: Faith
White Jasper: Gentleness
Amethyst: Christ's martyrdom
Chalcedony: Closeness to God
Emerald: Christian hope
Sardonyx: Chastity or humility
Chrysolite: Heavenly life
Sapphire: Heaven-bound
Hyacinth: God's grace

[KatylovesNick]

Interesting article about weddings...

http://www.weddinggazette.com/content/002458.shtml

[asoldiersangel23]

Thank you ladies for the websites and the information.

[asoldiersangel23]

here are some Cakes Bryan and I thought that would look well with the Renaissance Theme. If I find any more I'll post them or if anyone finds anymore please post them. I would love to see them.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k11/Bryan_Emily/Cakes/yvonne.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k11/Bryan_Emily/Cakes/christine.jpg

[sillybride]

This is a website from David Tutera's website where he did a Renainsance tailgate party. Unfortunately, he did not include how he did the shields and flags, but he does have some good ideas on here. I will keep looking for DIY things for you.

http://www.davidtutera.com/tuteramain.html

[sillybride]

Here is a link that offers mideveal wedding tradtions in the form of FAQ.

http://www.faire.net/SCRIBE/faqs/Renwed.Htm

[sillybride]

Instruction of designing your family crest.

http://educ.queensu.ca/~fmc/march2005/heraldry.html

[sillybride]

Favours reflecting this era could include:
Embroidered handkerchiefs (for the ladies' 'knights' to carry into battle).
Small carvings in wood.
Miniature family shields bearing the family coat of arms.
Sprays of dried flowers.
Lavender cushions.
Engraved bells.
Drawstring pouches of potpourri.
Flower perfume.
Leather bookmarks bearing names of the bride and groom.

[sillybride]

Ideas to create that medieval look
Make use of craft shops and books explaining craft techniques to help you create your décor.
Make large banners and flags using the 'batik' method, where a pattern is painted or printed onto material with warm, liquid wax and allowed to set, before the material is cold water dyed. The wax is later removed by ironing the material between two sheets of kitchen paper - the waxed area will not have absorbed the dye and the pattern will be revealed. Suspend the banners from the ceiling or walls on wooden poles with the addition of gold cord, tassels and fringes.
Shields can be created with papier maché, over a base of chicken wire. They can then be painted in your chosen design and varnished.
Large scrolls can be hung on the walls, decorate them with large red, wax seals and ribbons. Write using calligraphic lettering or use an appropriate font on your computer. Illuminated capital letters can look really impressive and the wording can say anything from romantic poetry to humour.
Smaller scrolls can be used to decorate tables or for your invitations.
Hint: To get the authentic old look without paying for expensive parchment, stain white paper with tea to colour it. Lightly charring the edges also adds to the 'old' look.
Paint small shields and place them around the walls
Paint large red or gold lions, unicorns or other exotic beasts and use as decorations.
Medallions. Make moulds from soft modelling material, outlining the initials of the bride and groom, then use plaster of Paris to cast medallions that can be painted gold. Attach to ribbons bearing the names of the guests and use as place markers.
Make lances from wooden poles and fix long pennants to the tops, decorated with the names of the bride and groom.
Seek out skills. Do you have any friends whose hobbies include leathercraft, ****stry, calligraphy, stained glass, candle making or wood carving? If so ask for their help! All natural materials will add to the 'old' feel.
Create a mock Norman stone archway to disguise the entrance to your marquee. (Enlist the help of your local amateur drama club's scenery makers.)
Stained glass. Use brightly coloured cellophane behind a cut-out cardboard design painted to look like a stone window frame. Place in front of a light source so that the colours will glow as in a stained glass window.
Make your own large, chunky candles.
Contact any local historical re-enactment groups and ask if it is possible to borrow some armour - or the men wearing it!
Make 'gold' crowns decorated with coloured stones and use as table centres.
Design your cake as a castle with a knight and lady on the top tier.
Use branches of greenery to give the venue a rustic feel.

The site that I retrieved this from has several other ideas as well.

http://www.webwedding.co.uk/articles/weddingthemes/Medieval/medievaltheme.htm

[sillybride]

http://www.invitationconsultants.com/gallery.aspx?p_collection=baby&p_subcategory=castle

http://www.melasdesign.com/mediwedding.html

[sillybride]

Found this site. It may help you come up with ideas.

http://www.fantaysiathemes.com/default.htm

[asoldiersangel23]

Thank you ladies for the awesome resources, they gave me a lot of ideas to present to Bryan and see what he thinks. That one website "Create your Family Crest" was awesome. I really like that one, very useful. That would help Bryan out a lot.