Period Drama Wedding Highlight #1

 I racked my brains for a looong time trying to choose which Period Drama wedding to highlight first. I mean, how can you possibly choose? There is really nothing quite so wonderful as a Period Drama wedding... it's the part where we're all shedding happy tears. Flowers, silk, lace, a shocking lack of satin, a beaming couple, mortal enemies glaring disdainfully in the background, a mournful spurned lover watching sorrowfully through a window, a ditzy mother waving her handkerchief and sobbing dramatically... even the occasional diabolical interrupter who comes charging in waving a pistol or incriminating document!! (kudos to those of you who caught some of those references 😄)

Anyway, I decided to just go ahead and start with a timeless favorite. (The others will come later, I promise. This will become a staple post on this blog.) What makes this wedding so much fun, actually, is not the wedding itself... but what happens before the wedding.

"Ohhh promise me that someday you and I-I-I-I!!!!"

Have you guessed what it is yet? 

You better have 😄

Yes, distinguished friends, guests, and visitors, this is the one and only... the wedding that our Anne so gloomily predicted years before with much tears and consequently dreaded... the wedding of Fred Wright and Diana Barry!!

Aren't they sweet??!

    "One evening Marilla, coming in from the orchard with a basket of apples, found Anne sitting along by the east window in the twilight, crying bitterly.

    "Whatever's the matter now, Anne?" she asked.

    "It's about Diana," sobbed Anne luxuriously. "I love Diana so, Marilla. I cannot ever live without her. But I know very well when we grow up that Diana will get married and go away and leave me. And oh, what shall I do? I hate her husband--I just hate him furiously. I've been imagining it all out--the wedding and everything--Diana dressed in snowy garments, with a veil, and looking as beautiful and regal as a queen; and me the bridesmaid, with a lovely dress too, and puffed sleeves, but with a breaking heart hid beneath my smiling face. And then bidding Diana goodbye-e-e--" Here Anne broke down entirely and wept with increasing bitterness."

Turns out, the husband Anne hated so furiously, is roly-poly Fred Wright... nothing like the man Anne "imagined Diana would marry", but as his bride so sweetly says, "I don't care what he looks like, he's got a good heart. And he's so thoughtful!" And my heart melts...

Anne may support her bosom friend wholeheartedly, but she doesn't exactly hide the fact that she doesn't have a terribly high opinion of Fred. Cue the hilarious day-before-the-wedding scene, that makes this wedding all the more memorable.

Anne and Diana are... um... supposed to be rehearsing the wedding march, or something like that. But it isn't going as planned... dressed in corsets and petticoats, with wedding finery slung all over the bedroom, they indulge in some last-minute girl time before the inevitable parting... the song chosen for the wedding march, "Oh Promise Me" is playing on a phonograph as Anne imitates the minister's wife in ridiculous dramatic style.

"Oh promise me that someday you and I!" Anne warbles while Diana giggles as only Diana can giggle, "Will take our love together to some sky! Where we can be alone and love renew..."

"If the minister's wife ever gets through the piece, I shall faint. I cannot stop it," Diana moans.

"... the flowers are in bloo-oom," Anne continues. "Can't you just see it? The buttons popping off her corset!"

"Oh, stop it." Diana gasps between giggles. "I'm going to be sick."

"Now, now." Anne settles the wedding veil on her head and pulls it over her face, with mock elegance and dignity. "This is you, nervously sweeping up the aisle on your father's arm," (she sweeps nervously)

"Your black curls frosted over with the film of your delicate chiffon veil. The perfect bride, you look into Fred's red face," (she pulls Diana off the bed and looks sentimentally into Diana's face) "And whisper, I do."

"Oh Anne, don't be mean!" Diana cries.

"Just promise me one thing," (Anne flips the veil back and attempts seriousness.) "If he faints, be sure to catch him." 

And they collapse on the bed, with a crash to rival the time they jumped on Aunt Jo, as the bed caves in. From downstairs, Diana's mother starts toward the stairs in alarm.

"Diana! Diana Barry, what in heaven's name is going on?"

Upstairs, Diana whispers fiercely, "Now you've done it!"

"Diana, answer me!" repeats the annoyed mother.

"Nothing, Mother," Diana calls back innocently. "We're just rehearsing the wedding march!"

"For pity's sake, don't march through the ceiling," Mrs. Barry rolls her eyes.

In spite of Diana's terrified nervousness, and Anne's dread, the day arrives at last. The wedding is to be in the Barry's backyard, underneath a red and white striped tent decked with gorgeous flowers. The minister's wife is singing away, and I don't see any buttons flying... The flower girl and ringbearer are fighting like cats and dogs, and Fred is standing in the appropriate spot, his face undeniably red.

Meanwhile, the bride is getting ready in her room, and almost vibrating with nervousness.

"It's all pretty much as I used to imagine it long ago, when I wept over your inevitable marriage and our consequent parting," Anne laughed. "You are the bride of my dreams, Diana, with the `lovely misty veil'; and I am YOUR bridesmaid. But, alas! I haven't the puffed sleeves -- though these short lace ones are even prettier. Neither is my heart wholly breaking nor do I exactly hate Fred."

Aunt Jo is there as well, as calmly sensible as ever. As Diana moans again that she's going to faint, Aunt Jo answers reassuringly: "If you do, I'll drag you down to the rainwater hogshead, and drop you in."

Diana's father comes to collect her and Anne gives her a reassuring hug, while the mother is appropriately hysterical and dramatic. "Oh my daughter!" she wails, "I'm losing you forever!" To which Aunt Jo replies sensibly, "Now, now. Don't get all sentimental Elizabeth. You still have Minnie May. Tears aren't lucky at weddings!" And I'm like So Mrs. Barry does have a first name...

Don't we all love Aunt Jo! 

Can we pause a moment and discuss this gorgeous wedding dress? I mean, this is one of the most exquisite wedding dresses I've ever seen! Appropriately Victorian with creamy lace, puffed elbow sleeves and a full, sweeping skirt, with a shorter overskirt of fine lace.

The wedding procession is lovely. It just makes my heart glad. Is there any better way to describe it? There's something about the winding garden path, the rose bushes, the towering old tree in the background... it's so deliciously old-timey, down-to-earth, and heartwarmingly beautiful!

And then we have Gilbert staring longingly at Anne... *and my heart melts again...* She glances back and then pretends she didn't notice him... and the romantic tension of that moment is just... well, I can't find a word to describe it. But don't we all want to shake Anne??!

Fred and Diana are duly married and, thankfully, nobody faints! The minister's wife has stopped serenading and, miraculously, the flower girl and ringbearer have stopped fighting and look decently civilized, for once. Rachel Lynde, ever the opinionated one, whispers approval to Marilla. "What a fine-looking pair!" And Aunt Jo chides Anne, who is heartily sick of Gilbert Blythe, I'm afraid. "You won't win that Blythe boy back by punishing him." To which Anne replies, with an exasperated sigh, "I wonder why everyone thinks I ought to be with Gilbert Blythe!"

(Because you were made for each other, Carrots. A more perfect match cannot be imagined.)

And as for Fred and Diana, they became a pudgy old couple far down the line... and lived happily ever after. 🥰

So. Sorry for subjecting you all to such a long post... But I hope you enjoyed anyway!! What are your thoughts on this beautiful wedding scene?? (And what period drama wedding do you want highlighted next? Let me know!!)

Till Next Post,

Juliette