# 1800s-themed wedding - I need help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2011, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055 "2011-02-20T22:55:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/21 "2011-02-21T18:48:16Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > If the exact era isn’t important you should just have fun with it and go [Steampunk](http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=steampunk+wedding&cp=12&qe=c3RlYW1wdW5rIHdl&qesig=_fhMZJDNNBZxZiMk5WFYJQ&pkc=AFgZ2tlykBRi2r5D_eTGEOS61u6KisrQVmHto-QpSDSMLYQOtxv3oV-LoYVYWKKyiMqgx_ocj2ztKDe7gDXi1iXWjJNqA7j5-A&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=BTb&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&bav=on.1,or.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1370&bih=710). This means women don’t have to wear corsets. I fail to see the fun in not wearing a corset! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Eivind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@Eivind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eivind)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/22 "2011-02-21T20:14:42Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > If the exact era isn’t important you should just have fun with it and go [Steampunk](http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=steampunk+wedding&cp=12&qe=c3RlYW1wdW5rIHdl&qesig=_fhMZJDNNBZxZiMk5WFYJQ&pkc=AFgZ2tlykBRi2r5D_eTGEOS61u6KisrQVmHto-QpSDSMLYQOtxv3oV-LoYVYWKKyiMqgx_ocj2ztKDe7gDXi1iXWjJNqA7j5-A&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=BTb&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&bav=on.1,or.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1370&bih=710). This means women don’t have to wear corsets. Steampunk would be just incredibly [awesome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steampunk-falksen.jpg)! I’m worried most people don’t know about the genre though, and will just think it a bit on the weird side. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/23 "2011-02-21T20:33:25Z")
> [@Eivind](#): > > Steampunk would be just incredibly [awesome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steampunk-falksen.jpg)! No goggles? Then it’s just bionics with a lot of brasswork. 😃 As for referencing the Dickens Fair, **Sandra Battye** took the words right out of my mouth. A bit over two years ago, we had our formal wedding at the Dickens Fair. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/24 "2011-02-21T20:36:13Z")
Forgot to say that the Dickens Fair is nailed down more or less to 1840-1870. This gave us a good span of time to play with and several styles, much like in more recent time, we tend to think of each decade as having a distinct style. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/25 "2011-02-21T20:45:41Z")
> [@Eivind](#): > > Steampunk would be just incredibly [awesome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steampunk-falksen.jpg)! I’m worried most people don’t know about the genre though, and will just think it a bit on the weird side. You could print out part of the wiki and some pics and send it as a brochure. Just say “Jules Verne Meets Bonanza!” In 1882 Oscar Wilde toured America- from the robber baron halls of NYC to silver mines under Colorado to saloons so wild they’d had hangings soon before he got there- dressed in outfits like [this](http://blog.syracuse.com/shelflife/2008/10/wilde.jpg) and [this](http://imagecache6.allposters.com/LRG/27/2777/I5UTD00Z.jpg) and [this](http://oddbooks.co.uk/files/images/wilde1882.jpg), only marginally if any less outlandish then than now. To me he is the official ancestor of Steampunk. (Wilde’s only biological descendant [courts](http://i21.tinypic.com/34e6pmd.jpg) [a](http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/67/m_1496fe64df3740909e79ad9a256280c4.jpg) [resemblance](http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/member/d/1/1/4/member_11393524.jpeg) just doesn’t quite have his ancestor’s courage.) ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/26 "2011-02-21T21:15:10Z")
I’d go searching around for the descriptor ‘Victorian’; that is a specifically defined subset, which has just rocketed back into popularity lately due to the steampunk craze; you should have zero problems finding an outfit. Figuring out your duties as toastmaster should be as easy as asking the happy couple what it is they expect; it may not fit precisely with whatever description is on the net. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/27 "2011-02-21T21:23:28Z")
Civil War soldier Wild Bill Hickok Plain old black loose pants, a white shirt and and a black waist coat seem to be wedding fare in historical wedding photos in the Wisconsin archives. It was also a big time for circuses, so you can go as flamboyant as you like. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/28 "2011-02-21T21:59:13Z")
Google images of HBO’s Deadwood. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/29 "2011-02-21T22:27:23Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Google images of HBO’s Deadwood. [Still from](http://goofybeast.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/ep24_marriage.jpg?w=495)the Deadwood wedding episode (Alma and Ellsworth). And at the reception be sure to yell in your best Calamity Jane voice “We ain’t done f\*ckin’ dancin’ yet!” ---
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/30 "2011-02-21T22:51:16Z")
Consider what your SO will wear, also. If she is wearing silk (satin, taffeta, etc.), you should wear the ultimate of formal wear. If she will be in cotton, linen, etc. you should go with less formal materials and colors (or vice versa). Are you in the US or Norway? If you are in Norway I can’t help you find a tailor. If the US, besides the costumers listed on the web, try theatrical costumers (particularly if you are near NYC or LA) to see if you can rent an outfit for a week. If all else fails, check with tux shops to rent a morning suit or white tie/tails and add period touches with accessories. ---
**Author:** ![Eivind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@Eivind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eivind)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/31 "2011-02-22T08:43:40Z")
I have Deadwood on DVD and will definitely check it out. I kind of think of it more as having a dirty, dusty cowboy thing going on, but seeing the images reminds me that there were indeed quite a few fancy-schmancy dressed characters there. > [@Sandra\_Battye](#): > > Consider what your SO will wear, also. If she is wearing silk (satin, taffeta, etc.), you should wear the ultimate of formal wear. If she will be in cotton, linen, etc. you should go with less formal materials and colors (or vice versa). She’s doing a more subtle/classic thing, with a dress that is inspired by Victorian times (I lack the terms and lingo to describe it properly). I doubt it’s silk, probably cotton, but what do I know. Anyway, subtle has never been quite my thing, so I guess we’ll just have to complement each other 😉 > [@Sandra\_Battye](#): > > Are you in the US or Norway? If you are in Norway I can’t help you find a tailor. If the US, besides the costumers listed on the web, try theatrical costumers (particularly if you are near NYC or LA) to see if you can rent an outfit for a week. If all else fails, check with tux shops to rent a morning suit or white tie/tails and add period touches with accessories. I am in Norway, so renting an outfit is out of the question. I was hoping to find a tailor/costumer, preferably with a webpage displaying some of their work, and who could make something based on my measurements and send it to me. [This one](http://www.midnightbreezedesigns.com/) looks promising, but only dresses seem to be listed under “Victorian”, and it’d be nice with a couple of alternative shops/tailors for comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/32 "2011-02-22T12:42:51Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Which part of the 19th century ? 1810, 1860 and 1890 differ as much between as do their equivalent eras 100 years on. Yeah, and which area… Someone dressed like [this](http://blogs.formulatv.com/httpblogsformulatvco/series-que-hicieron-historia-curro-jimenez/), like [this](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Don_carlos_de_borb%C3%B3n_nypl.jpeg), or like Emiliano Zapata or Pancho Villa may not have been what the happy couple had in mind, but they would reflect dress of that time. For dress that’s economically and socially between the first two pictures, check out movies including or about Goya. Going as Don Carlos would be a big hit back home, pity I think it would be a pain to explain in Norway. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/33 "2011-02-22T14:37:14Z")
I hear dysentery was big back then. (j/k - sounds like a cool idea) ---
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/34 "2011-02-22T19:11:25Z")
I haven’t dealt with any of these folks (I’d sew my own) but here are some more places to try: In US [http://www.ushist.com/victorian\_mens\_clothing\_f.shtml](http://www.ushist.com/victorian_mens_clothing_f.shtml) [http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/victorian-clothing-guide.php](http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/victorian-clothing-guide.php) In UK [http://www.agesofelegance.co.uk/uniforms/victorian.htm](http://www.agesofelegance.co.uk/uniforms/victorian.htm) I’m sorry that I don’t know how to reset Google to get Norwegian sites. I found those sites by googling “Victorian era mens clothing”. Those were on the first page. You can also try googling “Victorian clothing patterns”. If you give a tailor (a _REAL_ tailor) a pattern or even photos, they should be able to copy it. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/35 "2011-02-22T20:02:19Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I hear dysentery was big back then. > > (j/k - sounds like a cool idea) Depends on what you’d eaten. Sometimes it was just normal sized. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/36 "2011-02-22T20:25:46Z")
Also, try searching on Pirate costumes. Many of the Captain’s coats and especially the waistcoats are just the sort of thing you need. ---
**Author:** ![Eivind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@Eivind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eivind)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/37 "2011-02-22T21:05:02Z")
> [@Sandra\_Battye](#): > > I haven’t dealt with any of these folks (I’d sew my own) but here are some more places to try: > > In US > [http://www.ushist.com/victorian\_mens\_clothing\_f.shtml](http://www.ushist.com/victorian_mens_clothing_f.shtml) > [http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/victorian-clothing-guide.php](http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/victorian-clothing-guide.php) > In UK > [http://www.agesofelegance.co.uk/uniforms/victorian.htm](http://www.agesofelegance.co.uk/uniforms/victorian.htm) > > I’m sorry that I don’t know how to reset Google to get Norwegian sites. I found those sites by googling “Victorian era mens clothing”. Those were on the first page. Thanks a million, these links are just perfect and exactly what I was looking for! I am almost certainly going to order something from [this page](http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/mens_victorian_outfits.php): Both [Professor Babcock, Man of Science](http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/store/vict_mens_25.php) and [Royce Bentley Stanwyck III, Bon Vivant](http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/store/vict_mens_32.php) look great and would be a lot of fun, but many of the others look good too! Now it’s suddenly hard to choose just one! 🙂 Thanks **Sandra Battye** , and everyone else! ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/38 "2011-02-22T21:17:10Z")
Hi, **Eivind**! The 19th century is a really exciting time for men’s clothing, despite what people say about it all being black wool and white shirts. Really loud plaid trousers were popular from the 1830s to 1850s, for example, and the Cunningtons describe shirts embroidered with pink boa constrictors or printed with pictures of opera singers (probably half-naked!) from the 1840s in _The History of Underclothes_. Now, those probably wouldn’t be appropriate for a wedding in the 19th century, but since it’s only a Victorian _inspired_ wedding, I say have go wild. Be a fashion victim! It’s way more fun. As for having a suit custom made, you should know that in order to get something that fits well and is worth paying for, you’re probably going to end up spending more than $500 (US) before it’s all over, and that’s a conservative estimate. Instead of doing that, I’d recommend ordering something from a place like Gentleman’s Emporium, who have an excellent reputation, and then getting it fitted by a tailor at home. Or if it fits well, you won’t even need a tailor! I highly recommend getting the high-waisted pants and wearing them with suspenders/braces. That goes a long ways toward getting the right look of the era, since pants came far above what we consider our waists today, and the suspenders keep them where they’re supposed to be. And a top hat! You need a top hat. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/39 "2011-02-22T21:58:50Z")
> [@Eivind](#): > > I am almost certainly going to order something from [this page](http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/mens_victorian_outfits.php): Wow, very nice! ---
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2011, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055/40 "2011-02-23T05:30:41Z")
Now you just have to figure out where to wear it after the wedding. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1800s-themed-wedding-i-need-help/572055.md?page=3)