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Springhill Suites by Marriott

A Colonial Theme: Wedding Planning in Williamsburg VA


One of the most unique and fun celebrations is a Colonial theme wedding! In Williamsburg VA, theme wedding events are popular.  This historic region has many great reception venues, outdoor arenas, and historic locations that lend themselves to unique and charming marriage ceremonies.

As you begin your theme wedding planning in Williamsburg VA, you may want to do some historical research into the wedding traditions and customs of the day. What did they wear? Eat? Did they take part in any or all of the same wedding traditions or customs that we do today?

A Colonial wedding ceremony and celebration was an impressive event. Typically held in the home of the bride, they often spanned a period of two or three days, serving guests plentiful amounts of the finest food they could afford. Wedding attire and decorations varied depending upon the financial standing of the couple, ranging from silk tablecloths and handcrafted pewter candleholders, to the most simple and elegant decorations crafted from the natural materials of the period. Winter weddings were very popular in early times, and Colonial Williamsburg offers a stunning setting for any winter holiday wedding.

Wedding receptions and festivities were not all that different from what we know today, and wedding music included singing and musical instruments, dancing and card playing. Wedding cakes of the period were not the elaborate affair that we know today, although some cookbooks of the time do refer to 'bride's cake' being served. (One tradition called for a piece of nutmeg being baked into the cake, and whoever received the piece with the nutmeg would be the next to marry.)

You can plan a romantic Williamsburg wedding with just a few touches that reference the period. Arrive at your ceremony site in an antique carriage, complete with a driver dressed in Colonial attire.  Wedding planning may include finding artists to play music from the period at your ceremony or during your reception, or have your service staff dressed in period costume.

Plan a Colonial theme wedding in Williamsburg VA, where a graceful and elegant setting also  offers the most romantic bed and breakfasts, historic Colonial inns, and banquet halls designed to meet every need. Williamsburg offers authentic historical ambiance with all the most modern facilities, and nearby Colonial Williamsburg and New Town provide a fitting setting for your guests to explore. The beauty and energy of Williamsburg make it a wonderful honeymoon destination in itself.