Marriage And Love In The 1500's

During Medieval times, laws regarding marriage changed and women were no longer allowed to be bartered, sold or exchanged for goods of any kind. If a couple wanted to get married, a priestly blessing was required first. It was also illegal for secret wedding ceremonies to be held. A wedding was still arranged in many cases, and contracts were even drawn up listing the terms and rights of all parties involved. Weddings among royalty and aristocracy were often arranged when the bride and groom were only ten or twelve years old. These weddings were more about property and inheritance than love.

That isn’t to say marriages for love didn’t occur. This was mostly the case with the lower classes, for whom possessions and social standing wasn’t so important.

During Elizabethan times, weddings began to more represent weddings we attend today. At an Elizabethan wedding ceremony one could expect to see bridesmaids, wedding rings, and the exchange of wedding vows. Women were even beginning to carry herbs or flowers. While these were happy, fairy tale occasions, marriages were still mostly arranged. Even though the Happy Couple often didn’t meet until their wedding day, the well-to-do groom was often presented with a picture of his betrothed beforehand so he would know what she looked like.

Prior to the wedding, the groom was presented with a dowry. In many cases, this was the reason behind the wedding. A dowry wasn’t necessarily money; it was also land or goods. While technically paying a “bride price” was illegal, a dowry was more or less considered a wedding gift. The families were able to get around the bride price law on this technicality.

The very rich(nobles and royalty) generally married to better their families social standing, and increase the family’s coffers. Everyone else, from merchants to peasants, usually married for love, or at least compatibility.

Renaissance Betrothal
Popular since the Middle Ages, a betrothal ceremony confirmed that two people promised to marry one another. A betrothal ceremony was often considered more legally binding then the marriage ceremony. Indeed, if a couple who was already betrothed had sexual intercourse, then they were considered married. No need for a wedding! A betrothal contract could only be broken if both parties agreed. By parties, it was usually the parents of the bride, and perhaps of the groom if he was younger, who arranged or broke betrothal agreements. Because there was much confusion about betrothal ceremonies and wedding ceremonies, the custom of betrothals began fading during the 1500’s. As a result, a great deal more emphasis was placed on the wedding ceremony.

Renaissance Weddings
Many weddings, except for those of strict protestant sects, held a wedding processional through the streets. Sometimes the bride walked, other times she was carried by horseback. The bride always wore a beautiful dress, perhaps of velvet or brocade. Sometimes the dress would be borrowed or rented. The dress was most likely not white- that color came in vogue with Queen Victoria in the 1800s.

Renaissance Marriage
To the marriage, the bride brought a dowry and a bridal trousseau. Her dowry depended on the financial status of her family. If she came from a wealthy family a bride’s dowry might be an estate, and perhaps some jewels. A merchant or farmers daughter may have some gold coin, clothing, household goods, and perhaps livestock. The very poor did not usually have dowries.

A bridal trousseau consisted of various household goods, such as pewter plates, candlesticks, and linen. It may also contain the bride’s clothing. The groom brought to the marriage counter-trousseau and perhaps jewels, depending on his wealth.

Once a woman was married, her husband became her legal guardian. Her husband legally owned all the property she brought to the marriage, including her wedding finery. If the marriage was annulled, then the bridal dowry was returned. The husband kept everything else.

Hope this helps

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