A "Clandestine" Anglican Wedding
The Setting: Like the Augsbourg Lutherans, clandestine marriages take place “at night, at their own houses, or in the country.” Here, readers see the bed-chambers of the groom, about to be occupied by both him and the bride. It is incredible how many people Picart manages to draw into the small space of a bed-chamber!
The Friends: It is easy to notice that there appear to only be people of the same age in Picart’s illustration. The bridesmaids are responsible for leading the bride “to the bed-chamber, undress[ing] her, and put[ting] her to bed.” They also undo her hair; it is terribly bad luck for any pins to remain on the bride’s head, and if a bridesmaid should miss one, she is “under pain of not being married until the Easter following.” Meanwhile, “the men friends and relations” also escort the groom to the bed-chamber. The men also take off the bride’s garters “and put them to their hats.” This tradition has interesting connections to the tradition of tossing the garter at some weddings.
The Throwing of the Clothes: Once the bridesmaids, bridesmen, and the couple have arrived, the party begins. Bernard writes, “the men take the bride’s stockings, and the women those of the bridegroom… and throw the stockings over their heads, endeavoring to hit the owner of them.” Those who manage to hit the couple will be the next to marry (although Bernard does not specify if that could mean “get married to each other”). Like with the bride’s garter, the throwing of the clothes also has a modern-day counterpart—the bouquet toss.