Question: 1920's weddings

[saylee.livejournal.com]

I'm doing research for a fic, and find myself up against a brick wall trying to find information on weddings in the 1920s. All my google-fu is turning up are links on planning a flapper-themed wedding, and a few pages on wedding dresses from the period, which while slightly more useful, is not the sort of thing Bertie would notice.

So, does anyone know anything about weddings in the 1920s, especially in Britain, as opposed to America? Traditions we had then that we don't have now, or vice versa? What the reception would be like? Would they do a rehearsal dinner? Would the spongebag trousers Bertie talks about be something worn to all weddings, or only upper class ones? Why doesn't my library seem to have any books on this? Any tidbit is appreciated.

(And don't worry; I promise I'm not marrying off Jeeves or Bertie.)

Comments

[adina-atl.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be a rehearsal dinner, as it was considered an American thing when my brother got married in London 15+ years ago. We did it anyway, but it was more of a time to gather the in-laws from the U.S. and the in-laws from the U.K. in a smaller setting than the reception. There was no rehearsal--I think in Church of England, everyone is assumed to be using the same lines, so everyone knows the drill.

It's a little later than you want, set in the mid to late 30s, but check out "Busman's Honeymoon" by Dorothy Sayers for the upper class version of a British wedding. In that it seemed pretty simple: groom gets to the church first, ushers seat all the guests, music starts (not The Breath that Breathed o'er Eden, by very specific request, so I think the song is standard unless otherwise specified), bride walks down the aisle with escort (father, usually), have the service. Reception afterwards at mother of the groom's house, not a reception hall. Rings (plural, I think, but I'm not entirely sure) were mentioned.

[saylee.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thank you. I'll be sure to check that out - in fact, I've just found it on project Gutenburg, so all the better.