Granny’s green wedding
Jan 15th, 2008 by Katie
I was reading a little book about weddings the other day (yep, approaching our third wedding anniversary and I still can’t tear myself away from them. Incidentally, in case you were wondering, year 3 is celebrated with leather - or leather equivalent!), and I came across this quote by Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774)
‘I…chose my wife, as she did her wedding gown, not for a fine glossy surface, but such qualities as would wear well.‘
It struck me as offering a really interesting insight into the norms of weddings in times gone by. Just as the relationship is not for ‘one day’ nor is the dress… it is designed to last for years of ‘Sunday best’.
So when did weddings become such a big cause for… well, for want of a better word, ‘fuss’?
If I think about my grandparents’ weddings, these were war weddings, simple affairs, restricted by rationing they made the best of what they had.
Even just one generation ago, my parents got married, had a meal and then went off on their honeymoon - no big ‘do’ with more eating, drinking and dancing in the evening. And other friends have said their parents celebrated in the same way…
So what changed and why - and where are we now? Are we coming full circle? Maybe the ethical wedding, the green wedding signals a return to simpler less wasteful times? Or is this just the minority and in reality we are still a world away from this simplicity?
What do you think your grandparents would say about the modern wedding, or the green wedding? We would love to get your thoughts and stories of family weddings gone by - pictures especially welcome!
Take care,
Katie
Talk with other ethical brides and grooms about green weddings in the Ethical Weddings Forum