Not much is mentioned about weddings in lore, but we know quite a bit about marriage. Marriages were rarely (if ever) for love. They were to acquire status and security. And while the bride and groom had the final say, arrangements were made by the families because if the couple should divorce or one partner die, the dead partner’s family cares for the children and remaining spouse. There would be a bride-price paid by the husband’s family according to her status. This was not so much as buying a possession, but ensuring the husband can care for his wife and future children. If he should die, or they divorce that money would take care of the woman.
Modern women are not the type to let their families pick their husbands, and want to marry for love rather than security. Bride prices are also seen as rather outdated. These traditions can be forgone.
The actual wedding was rather simplistic.
Weddings would usually take place in the warmer months, and on Freyja’s/Frigg’s day (Friday).
The night before the couple would be separated, the man would go to a bath house with his father and married brothers and friends, and the woman would go to another bath house and be bathed by her mother and female married family. The woman would make her own dress.
The man would have to find an ancient sword to give to his wife. Their are accounts of men breaking into burial chambers.
He would give his wife the sword on the day of their wedding overseen by a Gothi. The sword would be saved for their son.
The wedding would start with an animal sacrifice (usually a boar for Freya or Freyr, or a goat for Thor).
The couple would exchange rings and vows. A race would then take place between the men and women of the wedding party, losers would serve the feast.
Today there is no “right” way to recreate a wedding. It can be done with as little or as much accuracy as the couple chooses.
Typically evergreen and more rustic decorations are used and pagan music such as Wardruna or Amon Amarth is played.
A note on homosexual marriage: marriage was used to produce children and secure social standing. Male homosexual sex was considered unmanly, so neither of those could be accomplished. But toady marriage is for love, so love who you love.
This is a scholarly Blog for ENGL 3605 - Theories in Ethics and Racism. More specifically about Encoding Race in Literature. It's been posted as a assignment and is being marked as one. Please keep this in mind.
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