Did you enjoy Meg's wedding in the recent version ofLittle Women (2019)? Meg and John Brooke married in a charming but simple woodland setting, and held a reception filled with dancing and joy. Consider this wedding theme if you loveLittle Women, and the Victorian era. Even though Meg's wedding appears modest, every aspect of the theme needs careful arranging, including the setting, the wedding attire, and the food. Luckily, the Internet contains several articles with ideas forLittle Women themed weddings, making research easy. Write a list of suggestions, and keep a storyboard filled with inspirational images if you are arranging your wedding. You can also hire a wedding planner if you are too busy to organize the wedding.
Table of Contents:
The Setting
Although Meg and John enjoyed a woodland setting for their wedding in the film, the location is not described in the book. We are only told that it is held in a room, with Meg and John taking their places under "a green arch"(1). Meg and John also share an extremely informal wedding with no bridal procession. When the irritable Aunt March arrives to watch, she is shocked to see the bridegroom putting up a garland that has fallen, and the general commotion of the family and guests(2).
A country setting or a large room decorated with garlands are perfect for this theme. Parklands and flower-filled gardens also make attractive backgrounds for a wedding inspired byLittle Women. The wedding couple should, ideally, stand under a green arch if they want to be true to the book. Most cities and towns have several wedding venues, so find out what they have to offer.
The Wedding Outfits
Louisa May Alcott writes that Meg "made her wedding gown herself, sewing into it the tender hopes and innocent romances of a girlish heart."(3). Her only ornaments were lilies-of-the-valley because they are John's favorite flowers. Meg wears a simple white wedding gown featuring lace, transparent sleeves, and a full skirt in Greta Gerwig'sLittle Women (2019). She has a crown of wildflowers in her hair in the book and in the film.
Meg's sisters, the bridesmaids, each wear a different color in the film. This adds to the informal atmosphere of the wedding because it looks as if the sisters chose their own dresses. The sisters wear "suits of thin silver-gray (their best gowns for the summer), with blush roses in hair and bosom" in the book.(4)
A romantic Victorian-style gown is perfect for aLittle Women themed wedding. Add a crown of flowers and a lace veil, and hold a bouquet of wildflowers or lilies-of-the-valley. Victorian-style gowns should also be worn by the bridesmaids in keeping with the theme, but why not have the bridesmaids wear dresses in different colors?
According to the website, Victorian Era, the bridegroom who married before 1865 wore a frock coat of blue, mulberry, or claret, and a flower in his lapel. His trousers were lavender doeskin, and his waistcoat was white. Grooms wore frock coats in more subdued colors.(5)
The Reception
The wedding party holds a simple country reception in the book and in the 2019 film. The wedding guests enjoy a delicious lunch of cake and fruit in the book. No wine is served because the girls' father thinks that wine should "be used only in illness," and their mother doesn't want it "offered to any young man under her roof."6. They only drink water, coffee and lemonade.
A modest outdoor reception with pretty Victorian-style crockery, floral decorations, and candles is suitable for aLittle Women themed wedding. Woodlands or large flower-filled gardens make attractive settings. Try to feature some vintage foods, such as French apple cake, cupcakes, and bonbons.
Start planning your ownLittle Women themed wedding now.
Ready to start the rest of your wedding planning? Don't go any further without checking out our comprehensive guide - Planning Your Dream Wedding: A Stress-Free Guide to Navigating the Process with Ease.
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1. Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. Focus on The Family, 1997, p. 267.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid, p. 266
4. Ibid, p. 267
5. Attire, Victorian. "Wedding Attire, Victorian Era Wedding and Grooms' Attire." Victorian Era, 2020, http://victorian-era.org/victorian-wedding-attire.html. Accessed 28 Sept 2020.
6. Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women, p. 268
