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Friday, November 29, 2013

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Themed Wedding Head Table


Today is my 22nd Anniversary with the Mister.  Last year, here on the blog, I dedicated the whole month of November to our marriage with a five part series on lasting romance.  If you missed it you can check it out by either clicking the button on the sidebar or go here for part one, two, three, four, and five.

Several years ago, for our 10th anniversary in fact, we decided to renew our vows to one another and did so with a Renaissance themed wedding.  Renaissance means rebirth so we thought it only fitting since we were celebrating the rebirth of our commitment to one another.

Our invitations were copies of an illumination that I hand painted and then they were sealed with wax and hand delivered.

I designed and made my dress.  It had three layers, the outer layer was a dupioni silk with hand beading, the inner layer was a silk velvet, and the chemise was a rayon.  I spent hours working on this dress and was quite proud of how it turned out.

We incorporated many ancient traditions, such as a handfasting ceremony, moving the ring sequentially from the thumb to the middle finger, and being encompassed inside a circle made of our guests to symbolize our eternal love.

My mother and I made our cake to look like a castle.  We decorated the Hall in a castle medieval theme and my sisters and daughter served as our serving wenches.  My youngest sons served as our Knights. Our guests also came in costume so it was loads of fun to see what everyone put together.

So, in honor of our anniversary, I thought it would be fun to share some of the photos from the event with you. 

Illumination Wedding Invitation | Retro Gran
 
Retro Gran Renaissance Wedding Dress Design

Renaissance Wedding Attire

 Renaissance Wedding Ceremony

Renaissance Wedding Ceremony
 
Renaissance Wedding Ceremony

Handfasting Ceremony

Handfasting Ceremony

Handfasting Ceremony

Renaissance Wedding Ceremony

Renaissance Wedding

 Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding Cake

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

Renaissance Wedding

7 comments:

  1. How truly beautiful!! Thank you for sharing your wedding renewal photos with us. And of course hope you had a very happy anniversary! God Bless!

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  2. What a wonderful way to renew your vows. Thanks for sharing these great images.

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  3. Ohhh congrats! I am trying sooo hard to have my hubs do a renewal. I want to do it with the children and someplace we both love like Europe. Sigh...a girl can dream :) xox

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  4. Congratulations on your anniversary and what a beautiful, fun, and unique wedding. I got my in 2001 and had a sort of 1920s themed wedding. Id make it more vitnage if I was doing it today but it was lots of fun and of course my husand, like yours, is wonderful

    kate

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  5. What a great idea - and love the costumes and that cake was wonderful!

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  6. Thanks everyone, we had a blast renewing our vows back then. I have thought about doing it again someday with a more intimate setting, maybe just the two of us.

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  7. How fun! I love this idea. When I was little my aunt had a renaissance themed wedding and I remember just staring at the photos for hours. It was so beautiful. I love your dress, you did a great job on it! And those banners at your head table are marvelous - I have a similar one hanging in my den.
    Happy anniversary!!!

    Deborah
    Hellcat Vintage

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