concept

A celebration party is given in honour of a newly-married couple. Engraving by B. Picart after himself.

Rembrandt, portrayed perhaps as the prodigal son, stands with his arm round a lady (represented by his wife Saskia) by a banquet table and raises his glass. Lithograph after Rembrandt van Rijn.

A horse-drawn carriage has arrived at a church in a poor part of a town: a newly wed couple walk down the steps towards it as the coachman holds the door open and spectators stand by. Lithograph by C. Motte after V. Adam.

The wise virgins take their lamps to the newly married couple; the foolish virgins sleep. Colour wood engraving by E. Evans after D.H. Friston.

A young woman has the laces of her bodice loosened by her new husband on their wedding night. Coloured lithograph by Bettannier brothers, 1851, after L.-F. Corréard.

A newly-wed couple (Barkis and Clara Peggotty) set off in a cart from the beach, accompanied by David Copperfield and Emily: Mr Peggotty tries to persuade Mrs Gummidge to throw a shoe after them. Etching by Hablot K. Browne, 1849.

Two groups of bridesmaids wait by a bridge: one with candles, the other dejectedly staring at the ground; representing the biblical parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Etching by X. Steifensand after J.F. Overbeck, 1844.

A wedding in Brittany: the women of the family adjust the young bride's dress as music is played and the groom and guests wait on the stairs to enter the room. Etching by C.O. Murray after Henry Mosler.

The "Aldobrandini wedding": a group of women prepare a young bride for her marriage. Engraving by A. Mochetti after Aloysius Agricola after a fresco painting.

Musicians playing at a Polterabend or eve-of-wedding party. Coloured lithograph.

Newlyweds on tour : honeymooning in nineteenth-century America / Barbara Penner.

Marriage customs in many lands / by the Rev. H.N. Hutchinson ; with many illustrations.

An essay concerning marriage / To which is added, an historical account of the marriage rites and ceremonies of the Greeks and Romans, and our Saxon ancestors, and of most nations of the world at this day. By Mr. Salmon.

A king's daughter married / by Sylvia M. Hill.

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

We're experiencing some technical problems in the library today. 

If you’re visiting us, you won’t be able to print or use our PCs or laptops. If you want to sign-up for a free library membership, we’ll give you a temporary card for today and complete your membership next time you visit.

You can access items from the collection as usual and our team is on hand to help. Thank you for your patience while we resolve these issues. 

We're running paid user research studies to improve Wellcome Collection online

Take part in research

Marriage customs and rites

Images from the collections

Images about Marriage customs and rites

Works from the collections

Newlyweds on tour : honeymooning in nineteenth-century America / Barbara Penner.

Marriage customs in many lands / by the Rev. H.N. Hutchinson ; with many illustrations.

An essay concerning marriage / To which is added, an historical account of the marriage rites and ceremonies of the Greeks and Romans, and our Saxon ancestors, and of most nations of the world at this day. By Mr. Salmon.

A king's daughter married / by Sylvia M. Hill.

The "Aldobrandini wedding": a group of women prepare a young bride for her marriage. Engraving by A. Mochetti after Aloysius Agricola after a fresco painting.

Marriage customs and rites

Images from the collections

Images about Marriage customs and rites

Works from the collections

Newlyweds on tour : honeymooning in nineteenth-century America / Barbara Penner.

Marriage customs in many lands / by the Rev. H.N. Hutchinson ; with many illustrations.

An essay concerning marriage / To which is added, an historical account of the marriage rites and ceremonies of the Greeks and Romans, and our Saxon ancestors, and of most nations of the world at this day. By Mr. Salmon.

A king's daughter married / by Sylvia M. Hill.

The "Aldobrandini wedding": a group of women prepare a young bride for her marriage. Engraving by A. Mochetti after Aloysius Agricola after a fresco painting.

Related topics