Ever since the period when lace was first used as an article of personal adornment it has been considered especially appropriate for decorating bridal robes, as well as the garments of the lady guests at marriage festivals and ceremonies. Italian reticella was the first needle-made lace known, and though its patterns were unusually geometrical, two or three of its styles were made for special purposes, with' corresponding designs. Chief among these was bridal lace, which was executed in the same manner as reticella, and differed from it only in being invariably made of white flax-thread, and in having its pattern woven of crests, symbols and devices of the family of the bride who wore it, or that of her husband, though often of both. It was much in vogue in Italy at the beginning of the seventeenth century, and was worn upon the wedding day and at the festivities following it.
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| Italian bridal lace includes family emblems. |
The design on the right, is from a piece of Italian bridal lace, and is composed of the intermingled devices of the families of Delle Revere and D'Urbino. Bridal lace of this description was put aside after marriage, being carefully laid away amid sprigs of lavender or other perfume. In many instances, and especially if the bride died young, it was brought forward and used to deck her burial robe. In the south and eastern portions of France this was the invariable custom. In Italy however, it was often handed down as a precious heirloom, the eldest daughter wearing it upon her marriage day, particularly if a short engagement prevented her from having lace made especially for herself, as the process consumed considerable time, the lace being handmade, and requiring an adept in the art to work out original designs, and those who were especially skillful were often engaged upon previous orders.
This custom of having the bridal lace made especially for the wedding, of designs belonging to the two houses which were to be united, was easily followed in the countries of Italy and France, where the engagement was considered quite as binding as a marriage.
Although the ancient Italian bridal lace is among the things that were, it is still the fashion, especially in the royal families of Europe, to have the lace which adorns the bridal dress, whatever its quality or style, as well as the veil itself, worked in a pattern in which the royal arms, crests or emblems are displayed. Sometimes, indeed, the whole dress is composed of rare lace worked in national designs.
The Empress Josephine of France was married in a dress trimmed with beautiful lace, her veil being a present from the city of Brussels. It was of the most exquisite point lace, for which the city presenting it is so justly famed; the groundwork was like a cobweb in texture, with a graceful pattern of delicate flowers. In each corner were wrought the imperial crown and cypher, encircled with tasteful flower wreaths. This veil was very long, extending far over the train.
Nor were the bridal laces of Napoleon's second bride less beautiful in design. They were not altogether of Brussels point, being ordered by the Emperor himself, and partly of his favorite lace, of which he was so proud as being French manufacture — point d'Alençon — costing an almost fabulous sum.
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| Wedding Gown in Brussels lace, 1865. |
Queen Victoria, being a sovereign in her own right, ad the privilege accorded her which few women enjoy — that of choosing her husband; and, as a matter of course, the selection of her own bridal laces. Being patriotic, and wishing to encourage the lace manufacture of her realm, her wedding dress and veil were of English Honiton, The lace industry of the country was at such a low ebb it was a difficult matter to collect a sufficient number of skillful workers to complete the dress within a reasonable length of time. It was made at Beer, a small fishing village, whose workers have always shown much taste and skill. The sprigs were worked separately, and when enough were completed the flowers and other designs were connected by a variety of lace stitches. The workers all wore large white aprons and mob caps, and seemed much elated at being chosen to fill the order for the royal bridal lace. The robe cost a thousand pounds, and was beautifully done, the effect being very graceful and pleasing.
One of the most elaborate trousseaux on record, however, was that of the Empress Eugenie. At the date of her marriage — January 29th, 1853 — the Alençon makers were so scattered and few in number it was impossible to procure a veil of this French point. Flounces and other lace garnitures could be had in abundance, but as the veil could not be obtained in Alençon, it was of point d'Angleterre, and the bridal dress was ornamented with the same lace, in order to correspond. The majority of the dresses, however, were trimmed with Alençon.
The trousseau was composed of fifty-four dresses. Mme. Vignon made those for the morning and Mme. Palmyre those intended for evening wear. Among the I morning dresses was one of fine embroidery and Valenciennes and Mechlin lace. The robe was lined with white, rose and blue silk. In the evening dresses was one of velvet with flounces of blonde lace decked with bees and crowned eagles in gold. Another was of blue velvet richly trimmed with point d'Alençon ; and still another was of pearl-gray satin with nine flounces of Brussels point a l' Aiguille.
There was a civil and a religious marriage, and elaborate costumes were prepared for each. For the civil marriage, which was performed at the Tuilleries on the 29th, Madame Palmyre made two dresses, one of rose-colored satin, profusely ornamented with point d'Angleterre, the corsage and bottom of skirt being draped with bunches of white lilac. The second dress prepared for this ceremony was of white satin, covered with point- d'Alençon, an exquisite pattern, and profusely ornamented with diamonds. The empress chose to wear the rose-colored satin, but at the religious ceremony, which was celebrated at the Church of Notre Dame on the 30th, she wore a white velvet costume, with an immense train, which was covered with rich point d'Angleterre. The corsage was with basques, heavily trimmed with lace, and sparkling with diamonds. Upon her head she wore a diadem and crown of diamonds and rare sapphires, with orange-blossoms mingled in her hair.
The trousseau of the empress was remarkable in having laces of nearly every description employed in it, there being more foreign than French laces used. Afterward the empress strove to encourage the Alençon as well as other lace industries in France, giving them all the encouragement in her power.
Queen Victoria's eldest child, the Princess Royal of England, who was the namesake and especial pet of her mother, was married in 1858 to Frederick William, then Crown Prince of Prussia only, but now Prince Imperial of Germany. The wedding of the Princess Royal was attended with much pomp, for her father. Prince Albert, was then living, and the Queen seemed to enter into the spirit of the occasion with a greater zest than she has since shown at the marriage of her other children. When the Prince of Wales and the Princess Alice were married she was in the deepest mourning, and too sad and dejected to appear in public ; and though she has since laid aside the deeper habiliments of woe, she seems to take little interest in public displays of any sort.
The Princess Royal's bridal dress was of white moire antique, the petticoat trimmed with three flounces of Honiton lace, each flounce headed with wreaths or festoons of orange-blossoms and myrtle. The bodice was ornamented with Honiton lace, myrtle and orange-blossoms, arranged in a bouquet, with trailing sprays. The train was of moire, lined with white satin, bordered with satin ruchings, and over these a handsome flounce of Honiton headed with orange and myrtle to match the remainder of the costume. The veil was fastened with Spanish and Moorish pins, and was also of Honiton lace, the design being alternate medallions of rose, shamrock and thistle, with a rich groundwork of leaves of the three national flowers scattered carelessly here and there between the medallions. The princess wore a necklace, earrings and brooch of diamonds. Her wedding gifts were very handsome, the Emperor William presenting her with some rare jewels, and the King of the Belgians, in accordance with his usual custom, gave her a magnificent lace gift. It was a superb dress of Brussels point Gaze, valued at $10,000, which was said to be a marvel of beauty.
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| Queen Victoria wears her wedding gown, trimmed in Honiton lace, 1840. |
The bridal laces of each of the Queen's daughters — the Princesses Alice, Helena and Louise — were also of the English Honiton, the patterns being like those of the Princess Royal, of the national flowers, the rose, shamrock and thistle. The designs were not precisely similar, yet they did not differ sufficiently to merit separate descriptions.
When the Princess Alexandra of Denmark was married to the Prince of Wales, in 1863, her laces, in deference to her husband's country, were Honiton also. The corsage and petticoat of her dress were white satin, with chatelains of orange flowers and myrtle, and also a garniture of puffs of tulle and flounces of Honiton lace. Her train was of silver moire antique, beautifully ornamented with tulle puffs, Honiton lace and bouquets of orange and myrtle. Her veil was also of Honiton, fastened with a wreath of orange-blossoms and myrtle. The pattern of her veil and lace flounces was also of the rose, shamrock and thistle; but to these designs were added the Prince of Wales feathers, making an attractive combination. The princess wore a necklace, earrings, and brooch of diamonds and pearls, presented by the prince, rivere of diamonds by the corporation of London a diamond bracelet given by the ladies of Leeds, and an opal and diamond bracelet from the ladies of Manchester.
When Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, was married to the Princess Marie of Russia, it was in the Winter Palace, at St. Petersburgh, where the marriage dress, in accordance with the climate, was trimmed with ermine instead of lace.
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| Queen María de las Mercedes de Orleans as Queen of Spain on her wedding day, 1878. |
In the "recent royal weddings no profusion of lace has appeared, except in the trousseau of Queen Mercedes of Spain. This was the gift of King Alfonso, and contained many lace and lace-trimmed costumes, fans, mantillas and smaller articles, adorned not only with Spanish laces but foreign points also. The young Queen was especially fond of lace as a garniture, and in all her portraits is represented as wearing it. At her bridal, January 23d, 1878, her dress was of white satin ornamented with lace, and she wore a white mantilla veil. Over her brow was a light crown of diamonds. Among her bridal gifts were gems of rare value as well as rich laces, from her husband and other crowned heads of Europe, the whole array of gifts and trousseau being so extensive and superb as to awaken the wonder of those who obtained the privilege of examining it as to how the fair young queen would manage to wear them all, a doubt soon set at rest by her sad and early death, following so soon upon her marriage that the bridal laces were still a theme for appreciative tongues when her burial robes were donned. Mrs. C.D. Beebe, 1880
Wedding Gown Collections from
The Victoria and Albert Museum.
