Elizabethan weddings and marriages had a plethora of unique traditions, and they are both similar and different to modern day weddings. Every aspect was thoroughly thought out, from the “Crying of the Banns” all the way down to the elaborate wedding feast. Elizabethan society expected all men and women to get married at some point in their life, and when a couple got married the entire town usually attended. As a result, weddings were considered to be very meaningful and significant for the wife, groom, and both of their families. In Elizabethan times it was legal for boys to marry at the age of fourteen and girls to marry at the age of twelve. Though these were the legal ages, it was more traditional for Elizabethan men to marry around twenty or twenty-one. However, girls tended to marry younger. In order for a couple to get married they would have to have consent from their parents. Also, if a girl got married at a young age, her parents most likely arranged the marriage for their family’s benefit. Marriages could countlessly benefit two families, and this was the primary reason most people got married. A marriage could bring an abundance of wealth to both families …show more content…
Some major differences are that they were a bit more solemn, reserved, and traditional. Also, the bride would not usually wear white, they would just wear their nicest or prettiest dress no matter the color. The ceremonies also consisted of traditions and customs unique to that time period. Sometimes the bride would carry a wedding garland, made of rosemary and roses, until after the ceremony when she would put it on her head. Also, it was normal for the people at the ceremony to stand up the entire time, for churches did not have pews. Typically all of the guests that attended the wedding ceremony received small gifts or favors. It was normal for the father of the bride to pay for these gifts and other