A ‘Modern-Day’ Southern Belle Wedding

GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) – Scarlett’s wedding

For southern ladies that idealize Scarlett in film Gone with the Wind as part of the southern culture, most do not think of having an ‘old fashioned’ southern wedding.  When I became engaged last year, my wedding dress was the first thing I picked out a few weeks later.  A week later, I asked myself ‘how would a hoop skirt look under this?’  I went back to bridal shop and tried a big hoop underneath and loved it!  It was so dramatic and the southern theme began to unfold.

For my ‘southern belle theme’ wedding, I chose a traditional wedding ceremony and vows from The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the use of the Protestant Episcopal Church (1818) which would have been used in an antebellum wedding, along with a “Handfasting Ceremony” from ancient Celtic tradition in which the hands are tied together to symbolize the binding of two lives. (ca. 7000 BC)

The flowers were Vendela and Playa Blanca roses in the colors of pink and cream with freesia being the only white flowers in the bouquet surrounded by a Tiffany Blue ribbon.

The mantle was decorated with baby’s breath adorning the mantle with Tiffany Blue ribbon.  Rustic lanterns with candles stood on each side of the mantle while the lit fireplace finished the romantic mood for our wedding.

The ceremony was by the fireplace in the candlelit parlor with the Celtic harpist playing “Ave Maria” as I walked down the aisle, along with Celtic folk songs throughout the ceremony such as “Oh Danny Boy” and “Love’s Young Dream” from the southern classic film THE LITTLE COLONEL. Everything was perfect and it was the most wonderful day!

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi  
13th century

“Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen”