Well into Spring, we are nearing the Summer Solstice on June 21rst, or Midsummer, as it was once known as long ago. My curiosity was once again piqued, and I asked myself, Why on earth was the first day of Summer called Midsummer? As it turns out, May the first was considered the beginning of summer centuries ago in Europe. So, by June 21rst, it was mid-way through summer for them. June is also well known as the month of brides - the June bride.
As the old saying goes, "Oh, they say when you marry in June, you're a bride all your life, and the bridegroom who marries in June gets a sweetheart for a wife." What a lovely thought to have. Of course, we know this is but a saying, but when I was growing up, little girls were groomed to be brides one day. Your wedding was to be the best and most glorious day of your life. Dreams of wearing a satiny-lacey gown of white with a veil of flowing tulle upon your head was often enacted with curtains from the "costume box".
We played with bridal paper dolls and marched their two-dimensional figures down the pretend aisle. What happened after that was never quite clear, but it did involve cooking and doing dishes - playing house. We were taught that if we lived a virtuous life, stayed slim and knocked ourselves out with make-up and curlers, we'd one day land a handsome man who would love and care for us all the rest of our days. I know what some of you are thinking. Then again, I am musing. And I spend a lot of my time musing and studying and reading and designing, and this is all play to me.
I never had that wedding. The big one with the big dress and the guest list of 100 or more in attendance. I went to a few of them, but this childhood dream would never be mine. It was upon finding Tonner's Rayne's bridal doll outfit a few months ago, that inspired the little girl in me to once again dream of that special day. I bought the outfit
for Grace and planned a time to make a vignette for June. As much fun as it was to display Dolly in the fairy costume, I needed to pack it up and get busy with some white silk and laces.
The tradition of the June Bride comes from ancient Rome. In Roman times, they celebrated the goddess Juno and her husband Jupiter on the first day of June. Juno was the goddess of marriage and childbirth, and it was said that those who married in June would be blessed with prosperity and happiness.
It also dates back to times when most people lived off the land and depended on harvests for survival. A June wedding meant that the woman would (hopefully) be newly pregnant in summer and still be able to help with manual work. After a spring birth, the mother would be in good enough health to help with the next summer's harvest. There is also a popular myth that in early medieval times, people only bathed once a year, usually
at the end of May or beginning of June, and they wanted to marry when they smelled the best. While none of these things sounds terribly romantic, life was lived in practicality, and since we are here today, it must have worked.
Digging a little further, I found an interesting description on the concept of the honeymoon. The word is Old English and was written as hony moone. Hony refers to honey and the indefinite period of tenderness and pleasure experienced by the newlywed couple. Moone refers to the fleeting amount of time that the sweetness would last. While the term honeymoon has positive connotations today, back then it was a term to warn newlyweds about waning love.
I also found the history of wedding cakes to be of interest. The first tiered wedding cake originated in the late 18th c. when the tradition was first introduced. The original design is attributed to a famous baker, Mrs. Raffald, who created a cake tower for the Duke and Duchess of Portland in 1791. Each tier of the cake has its own
meaning. The bottom tier would be served at the ceremony's main event, while the middle tier would serve as food to guests following the event. The top tier would be served as food to guests after the event.
In Roman times, they baked a cake of wheat or barley and would break the cake over the bride's head to signify good fortune. Good heavens! In medieval England, they built a cake of towering, spiced buns. If the bride and groom could kiss over the tall stack, prosperity could begin to accrue over the course of their lives. Is it any wonder why superstitions still exist?
If we keep digging into the traditions and their original meanings, it all becomes a bit complex. The idea that it was bad luck for the groom to see his bride before their wedding, dates back to when marriages were arranged. The father of the bride did not want the groom to see his bride in the case the girl was unattractive to him, and he decided to back out of the marriage contract.
While there is a fabulous history for every tradition associated with weddings, we must address that of the flower girl.
The flower girl can date back to Rome and Grecian times when the upper-class often included little girls in the procession. They would walk ahead of the bride, showering her path with grains and herbs, which of course represented the hope that the woman would be fertile.
The interpretation of the tradition loosened a bit during the Elizabethan era. The inclusion of children at the wedding party itself was a reflection of how their culture idealized childhood, seeing children as symbols of hope and innocence. Since the flower girl would proceed the bride down the aisle, she was meant to represent a younger, more innocent version of the bride, and a transformation from child to adult.
When I start to write these blogs, I never know which direction I
plan to go, but as a self-appointed "writer", I take off on the page where I normally cannot in person. My thoughts do wander as I often have so much I wish to share.
So where did the tradition of having a dog at your wedding come in? Well, to my knowledge, there isn't one. But, if you are dog lover, like I am, and the event is outdoors, why not bring Muffy or Morris along if they are well behaved?
After, and even before dressing Grace in the bridal gown, it was absolutely my intention to make Dolly Dingle into her flower girl. And I would never, ever forget to include Remmie Lou, who stands in as the ring bearer.
Dolly's lovely gown is made up from Shantung silk with an overlay of dotted tulle and lace. She wears silk slippers on her feet and carries a basket of posies.
Remmie Lou feels most important carrying the specially designed ring bearer pillow. It is of the same silk with a bit of stuffing and pure silk ribbons tie the rings upon the pillow.
I've never made a ring bearer pillow before, but I did a little search on them, and in light of how Remmie Lou may drool a bit, unintentionally of course, I kept it rather plain.
I thoroughly enjoyed making this vignette for June and couldn't wait to share it with you. While I may not have had the opportunity or circumstances to have a traditional wedding of my own, I've had one through my dolls and it was delightful.
Over the last couple of months, I collected a wide variety of vintage bridal images. Ones that made me happy. Ones that would express the beauty and joy the little girls inside of us dream of. I hope you'll enjoy the selection.
I also included a photo of my 18" Kitty Collier and two of my Integrity Poppy Parker dolls in the bridal outfits Jason Wu designed for them. My studio is strewn with rose petals for all the celebrating that has been done.
The illustrations while seemingly randomly shown, do offer a small timeline for the dreams of a child to a bride.
Wishing you a perfect ending to the month of May and an especially wonderful month of June ahead.
"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a silver sixpence in your shoe!" Melissa
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