When Did Women Get Married In The Elizabethan Era

“I just want to marry the man I love in front of the family and friends that I adore” (Besaw). This is what any woman getting married today would say but not in the Elizabethan era. They don’t love their husband on the special day; they are hoping for it. Getting married was a huge deal. The wedding ceremony was specifically planned and the whole marriage contract required serious rules and consequences if not followed.

1. Marriages
1.1 Women’s liberty and rights
In the Elizabethan era, women did not have the same liberty and rights after marriage like today. Women are the property of their father until the day of their wedding. After the wedding, they become property of their husband. (Alchin). A typical married woman had to stay home. They
It was mostly the woman who had the most rules to obey. Back then, marriages were arranged by both families. A woman couldn’t refuse a marriage proposal. Disobedience was seen as a crime against their religion (Alchin). If the man acted up, the dowry that the woman gave to him at the wedding would go back to her. A woman and a man could be set up together as young as the age of three but only got married around the age of twenty-one, which was the average to get married. Boys were allowed to get married at the age of fourteen and girls at the age of twelve. There was no love at all. The groom didn’t know how his bride looked like. Therefore, he received a picture of his future wife before meeting her (Marriage). The marriage was announced three weeks before the wedding day on three consecutive Sundays to allow oppositions from anyone (Alchin). The upper class citizens had a better and bigger wedding than the lower class ones. The idea of changing names was the same as it is today; the wife takes the husband’s last name (Seccra). To summarize, a marriage was serious to the families and their religion and new to the young man and woman who had to make real promises that were going to change their lives
It all started with the guests arriving at the local church where the wedding would be taking place. Once they arrived, they had to stand up because there weren’t any benches in the church (Alchin). The groom would be waiting in front by the priest’s side. The bridesmaids would make their way in the middle aisle two by two, and lastly the bride arrived with her father by her side. Once the bride was joined in the front center of the church with her groom in front of her and the priest between them, they would join hands. He gave her the ring that she had to wear on the right hand. It changed to the left hand after the wedding. The kiss sealed the deal of the marriage (seccra). Most brides and grooms met on the day of their wedding since most of the marriages were arranged by the father to see the benefits of the partner (The marriage). Certain weddings gave out gifts at the end of the ceremony, and they would include gloves, scarves and ribbons (Sammy, Kirckwood). After the church ceremony, the guests would head back to the wife and husband’s home to fest on exotic dishes such as peacock. There was also bread and sweetmeats. Sweet and spicy foods were excessively popular. The most common drink was ale (for the less fortunate) since the water was not purified. However, the option of having wine was available (seccra). The women who didn’t get married were known as witches. To resume,