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Weddings in Castles
Few images equal the wonder of a fairy-tale
wedding in a medieval castle. A princess wearing her finest
blue garments…a noble knight in his shiniest armor…the
lord and his lady presiding from a table of honor…and
the entire village attending to witness the glorious event.
Medieval weddings in castles included these scenes, but they
were much more complex. Marriage in the Middle Ages meant
sharing a lord's property or a noble name.
Love wasn't often an issue when it came
to medieval marriages, but it did occur. Quite often the most
important goal of marriage among nobles was continued success
and the further acquisition of wealth. Arranged marriages
within the noble class would be decided when the future couple
was very young-often when the bride and groom were only 10
or 11 years old. Many of these future spouses would not meet
for five to six years, on their wedding day.
Marriages may have taken place elsewhere,
such as a church or in a peaceful garden, but the wedding
party would return to the castle to feast and celebrate for
hours-even days.
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