Thanks everyone for the congratulations!
On the occasion of the 12th anniversary, you need to write your answer to network copywriting on the topic "Elven wedding" - here and there appearing marketing articles on wedding portals about how to spend the first day of a young family in this style. Periodically, these articles are supplied with our front photo, recently more photos of our friends have been added.
Now I think that day changed the world in its own way. That day was the first and serious step to ensure that any person who does not recognize and does not accept the death of culture in the surrounding reality, could reveal himself to the world in the integrity of his inner world and its outer incarnation. He could strive for the rebirth of his culture, the rejection of patterns and boredom that replaced tradition. Could be myself. Of course, there will always be people for whom the cultural identity generated by fiction will seem whim and childishness, escapism and rebellion, stupidity and mental pathology. But by and large, the point is not in elves and not in fictional worlds, but in the fact that a serious and conscious appeal to any traditional or high culture on weekdays and holidays is just as beneficial for the human soul as it is ridiculous and wild for "modern man". typical rubber. Therefore, anyone who once chooses to go against the mass current changes this world.
12 years ago, times were truly different. We were certainly not alone in our strangeness. There were role-playing weddings, there were ethnic ones, but they were never heard of anywhere except in a narrow circle, and then we ourselves didn’t know anything about such things. There was no handicraft and ethno-cultural boom yet, there were no workshops of elvish style. And being in my hometown of Pskov, where we prepared and held the wedding, we could not get in touch even with those quiet masters who already worked for role-playing games and were engaged in reconstruction. So the elven wedding was created literally from nothing, by the grace of God, which took away from us completely "soviet" options for decorating the event.
So, imagine (although it’s difficult, I understand), but everyone except my parents did not at all expect to see this:
Here they are, the first two real works of the mistress of "Grey Silk", and the first incarnation of the idea on which "Gray Silk" stands: Let the dream become a reality. I cannot express how touching it is to remember how we created them. - Touching after all that we learned then. We ourselves earned an astronomical amount of 15-20 thousand for the wedding :), leaving about 5 thousand in the church shop, which was then still in Moscow on the Lubyanka metro station. As we thought out on the go, sitting on the steps of the store shortly before the train, what should we choose to implement the sketches. How we chose this silver mesh, which is now sold in any store. How we - with aspiration and delight, because until that moment I had never held natural silk in my hands at all - decided to "shush" and buy a silk jacquard in a small flower for the lining of my sleeves. How we planted this mesh on a cotton base for almost every cell. How we managed to find a decent fabric for a raincoat. Like us invented themselves embroidery with a cord - Elenkhil invented and embroidered, all by himself, finished on the night before the wedding. How we lined house slippers with fabric, turning them into elven shoes. I look at the rolls of silks that I annually turn into wedding dresses, shoes for every elven taste, crowns and so on. and I am touched by us. :)
We also sewed tiny bells on the petals of the clothes. They can be seen in close-ups.
After the first shock of the guests (here, not all), the following was expected:
Catholic chapel.
He followed immediately after a fun ride on the city bus, which we ordered as a transport for everyone. Well, you know, as a child, I often thought - if only I could get on the bus, and it is yours, and do whatever you want on it. When we sat down and drove off, I realized that a childhood dream had come true.
Here you can see a bouquet - just daisies.
We officially joined the Catholic Church on the day of the wedding. Some were warned, but without much detail. And then, in Russia, a Catholic is a character of intricate mythology, which is difficult to dispel right off the bat, and of course, hearing is one thing, and seeing with your own eyes is another.
Since we are talking about an elven wedding, it must be said that the wedding of the elves is solemn vows, and not a magnificent celebration. This event is deeply personal. Marriage is performed by the newlyweds themselves, which is fully consistent with the nature of the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches - this is a Sacrament performed by a couple, and not by a priest, not by an external representative, not by a senior family member. In a good way, an elven wedding is quiet and heartfelt.
I don’t really imagine how you can make a wedding in the elven style, meaning the style festivities and entourage. This is impossible in the context of Tolkien's myth.
People, of course, are ready to arrange even Indian, even pirate, even African weddings, but it seems to me that this is not an event where a masquerade is appropriate. On this day, people should be themselves and declare the true cultural affiliation of a young family, assert family ties and traditions, proclaim faith, but in no way play around and pretend to be someone else.
Therefore, no matter how much I try to think over the copyright articles I read on this topic, my tongue does not dare to describe the surroundings and themes of an elven wedding. Because all the reasoning about elven colors, dresses and jewelry is completely empty without the main content of Tolkien's elven myth. An elven wedding should be part of that image of chastity, righteousness, fidelity, determination and "selfless love for the World for its own sake", which formed the basis of the mythology of the Catholic Tolkien as the embodiment of his own inner longing for human perfection. Talking about an elven wedding within the framework of this myth can only be a preaching of these values. So anyone interested in an elven wedding will be helped by The Silmarillion, The Laws and Customs of the Eldar, and, perhaps, The Echo of the Good News. The unity of the external and the internal is also a necessary element here, but its measure is already determined by the depth of the personality's immersion in the myth, the harmony of taste and banal technical capabilities. When you go the right way, things happen that you don’t intentionally invent, don’t plan, everything adds up by itself.
Let's return to the Sacrament of Marriage. It, like any Sacrament, is a dizzying event. Any churched person who lives by faith is overwhelmed by the Sacrament, no nuances of the celebration or even its absence can change anything. After the Sacrament, the sea is knee-deep and "everything that is done is for the better."
Rings on the index finger are for us a very important symbol of our belonging both to the elven traditions and to the ancient customs that existed in the Middle East, among the Jews, and among the peoples of Europe. The index finger symbolizes power, relationships of subordination and belonging. This shade of solemnity is close to me, which acquires the main attribute of a married person on the index finger. They are silver, this is our personal choice, they have a simple braid, elven-Celtic.
The trees were decorated as much as possible with ribbons, and some with sweets :)
We had our own piece of Ireland.
Near the forest, in which I walked a lot as a child, oriented myself and went skiing (there is a ski base there), there was a cafe where we ordered a festive dinner in advance. A table and benches were taken out of it. With dishes and refreshments, too - naive and touching. Only in one place in Pskov could you buy something different from the usual disposable plastic. The cups are blue and green, not white - it was just a fairy tale (these are our family colors). And paper plates - with flowers and cubs on a cloud. It was the best and most elvish. :) This is not Weta for you :)
But the trays were in the form of large shells. The table pleased with all sorts of pies and buns with surprises.
At an elven wedding, of course, all sorts of elven dances and songs are very useful, but we have not yet been trained in this. So we sang a little, but mostly we walked and basked in the sun.
Costumes, all the remnants of dishes, ribbons are still carefully stored. So you can repeat. :)
The history of preparation deserves a separate essay, but more on that another time.
And ten years later, in the same place:
Fairy elven wedding is a popular wedding fashion trend.
The summer months bring sunny days at noon and cool evenings. For all fans of Tolkien, tales of fairies and elves, the acclaimed film about Maleficent, summer is the most suitable time for a dream come true.
Highlights of the design of the elven wedding
Any wedding begins with an idea that inspires future newlyweds. An elven wedding is the idea of holding a celebration outside the walls, in whole or in part. Characteristic features of the celebration in the style of legends about elves.
- All decor details must be designed in the style of the wedding. The first thing guests will see are invitations. They can be made in the form of scrolls with a seal, in the form of a folded green sheet. To create invitation cards, burlap, linen, twine are used.
- The same goes for the ring pads. It is replaced by a saw cut of a tree, or a stylized bird's nest.
- Small details, such as table markers, name cards, napkin holders, are all maintained in the fairy tale lifestyle of the elves. These are silhouettes of butterflies, flowers, climbing plants, trees.
- It is very important that all guests support the idea of a wedding. Then the day will turn out really magical. To do this, it is better to indicate the requirements for appearance in invitations. You can stock up on special false ears - to completely recreate the picture of an elven wedding.
- It is important to choose the place where the wedding will take place. It could be a clearing with a stream. Or an eco-style country mansion with a large open-air space.
- To decorate an elves wedding, you will need a lot of fresh flowers. Partially they can be replaced with artificial ones. However, it is worth making arrangements with the florists in advance.
- Tablecloths, chair covers, napkins - everything should be made from natural fabrics. Burlap works well. Or a tablecloth sewn in a special way, imitating the bark of a tree.
- As a musical accompaniment and for the photo zone, you can invite a harpist. Amazing Celtic music will also fill the wedding with additional notes of magic.
- The photographer should be tuned in with the young on the same wavelength. If a large number of guests are planned, it is better to hire two photographers. One will shoot a couple of the other - invited.
wedding color palette
All weddings in the style of fabulous forest fairies and elves are united by a special attitude towards nature, admiration for the laws of life of all living things. An elven wedding can be done in one tone, or in a color palette of two shades.
- White and silver wedding. White and silver colors will look amazingly bright surrounded by greenery and trees. By relying on this tandem, you can decorate the wedding registration and banquet area with threads with transparent large beads. They will shimmer in the sun, creating glare. Thin threads with white rose petals are hung over the wedding arch. As if they were frozen in front of the miracle of the combination of two elves. Friends of the groom and bridesmaids can be dressed in colored outfits. Furniture and interior details are made of untreated or white-painted wood. Snow-white tablecloths are laid on the tables, which will emphasize the elegance of silverware. Transparent vases with candles inside will help create an atmosphere of mystery of what is happening. White floral arrangements sprinkled with silver chips can be put on the tables.
- White and green elven wedding. In this combination lies the innocence of virgin forests, the beauty of a summer day in the shade of a sprawling tree. The design uses natural materials, such as oak bark, green acorns, many branches and greenery. Invitees can support the bridal hues with small accents in shades of green.
- Color wedding - from the word flowers. For this holiday, the palette is selected depending on which flower is put at the forefront. Shades of purple and lilac seem to have descended from the pages of fairy tales for children. The arch, tables, the welcome area are decorated with green moss, and a large number of flowers of the selected shade.
Groom and bride in elven style
The elf bride is a fabulous creature, whose outfit seems to be woven from summer coolness and the thinnest petals. The white color of the dress in a free style, emphasizing the dignity of the figure, will perfectly fit into the theme of the wedding. Instead of a veil, a wreath of natural or artificial flowers is put on the head. Jewelry is delicate masterpieces made of precious metals and stones. In the hands - a bouquet of flowers with a lot of green twigs.
Dresses of a delicate peach shade, a sky-blue wedding dress will also look good. Accessories, matched to match, will complement the image and create a mystical halo.
An elf groom is a young man who is ready to experiment with clothes. You can wear a silver cape over white trousers and a shirt. Or wear a full emerald suit. Instead of a strict tie - a butterfly of the chosen tone. On the feet are comfortable leather moccasins to match the belt. A boutonniere can be pinned to the lapel of a jacket. And you can do without it, if the groom's suit is already in harmony with the bride's outfit.
Elvish style. Gentle and romantic, this theme will be popular not only among role-players or fans of John Tolkien's work. The main nuance of such a themed wedding is subtlety, lightness and airiness in everything. Starting from the outfits of the newlyweds and ending with the smallest details of the decoration of the banquet.
Elegant newlyweds
The main elven colors are all pastel shades. Pure white to light orange, mint to silver grey, soft purple to coral. True, you should not refuse saturated colors. Elves are children of nature, and in nature, as you know, there are a lot of bright spots.
In general, the image of an elven couple can consist of both traditional white shades and colored ones. The bride should pay attention to translucent, flowing fabrics and floor length. From accessories, choose wedding decorations that are intricate, but medium-sized. Hairstyle, and it can be both original braids and loose hair, it is customary to decorate not with a veil, but with flower wreaths.
Any shoes will do: weightless stilettos, soft woven sandals, wooden clogs. The only thing to avoid is outrageous eye-patch leather shoes. As they say, it will be off topic.
The wedding portal Svadbagolik.ru advises the groom to dress, in the best elven traditions, either in a light suit - the color can be varied, or in spacious trousers and a tunic. Of the accessories, the young spouse can afford a decorative braid as a headdress, an original belt. If the main outfit is a suit, you can wear a light tie with a floral pattern and pick up matching cufflinks.
To complete the image, you can attach false ears, wings and other famous elves attributes.
Elvish dress code
An elven wedding can be made full-length. This means appropriately dressing up not only the newlyweds, but also the guests. Enter the so-called costume dress code. Elves, gnomes, nymphs, dryads, hobbits, elemental spirits - the scope of fantasy is not limited. The main thing is to warn the guests in advance, so that there is an opportunity to thoroughly think over and prepare the image.
If you decide to "pity" friends and relatives, enter in a strict "format" indulgences. Elvish will not be the whole costume, but some details. For example, false ears, funny wigs, airy wings, stylized jewelry, boutonnieres.
Hello banquet!
The best option, of course, would be exit registration. Blooming green meadow, twined with ivy and color arch of marriage bonds. Or maybe a shady forest glade, with tents, decorated with flowers and special "emblem" signs? Ideas are great, but implementation is not always possible. But, do not despair, the site www.site will tell you how easy it is to style a banquet room in an elven theme.
The main rule, as you already remember, is lightness. The room can be decorated with weightless transparent fabrics intertwined with herbs and flowers. The backs of the chairs decorated with a living flower canopy will also look great. The ceiling can be draped with tulle with an elegant pattern, and miniature transparent containers with live flowers can be hung from it.
Elven wedding - touching and romantic. It harmoniously combines nature, natural colors and natural beauty.
You need to start preparing for the elven wedding with. Invitations in delicate pastel shades can be decorated with elven runes and dried flower petals. On the invitations, be sure to indicate the theme of the wedding and the dress code for guests - airy dresses, wreaths of flowers and boutonnieres.
For an elven wedding, it is very important to choose a venue for the wedding ceremony and wedding banquet. For a wedding ceremony, it is better to choose a picturesque clearing among trees and flowers. It can be a city park or a manor with a park area. From the entrance of cars to the place of the wedding ceremony, you can put signs with intricate ornaments.
For the newlyweds, an arch of pastel-colored ribbons, fresh flowers, green branches and ivy is installed. Chairs for guests can also be decorated with ribbons and flower arrangements. According to tradition, the elven bride must appear at the wedding ceremony riding a unicorn or a white horse. It is very touching if the bride is accompanied to the place of marriage by little girls with air wings on their backs.
The bride at an elven wedding should abandon the traditional wedding dress with a puffy skirt. You can choose a dress made of flowing thin fabric with flounces or an asymmetrical bottom. The color of the dress may not necessarily be white, it can be delicate shades of pink, mint, cream. The dress can be decorated with ribbons and fresh flowers.
Flowers can also be used to decorate the bride's hair. An elven bride, instead of a veil, can wear a wreath of fresh flowers on her loose hair, decorate her wrists with ribbons and flowers. Makeup should also be kept in natural shades, the emphasis is on the eyes with light shadows and a pencil. Shoes should be as comfortable as possible - sandals with weaving or clogs.
The groom can wear a light-colored suit with a vest in a floral pattern. It is desirable that the color scheme of the costume is in harmony with the image of the bride. You can insert a boutonniere into the buttonhole of the suit, decorate your hair with a wreath of flowers, more modest than that of the bride. For the bride and groom, you can use false ears to finally get used to the image of the elves.
A wedding banquet can be arranged in tents outdoors or indoors. You can decorate the premises for a wedding banquet with lianas and fresh flowers. Linen napkins are selected for tables in shades of pink, fresh greens or blue sky.
Reminds me of a fairy tale scenario in which an elven princess marries an elf from distant forests. Playing a flute or harp, choral singing and dance numbers will perfectly fit into an elven wedding. The celebration can be enlivened by the release of doves or exotic butterflies. You can complete the wedding banquet with the launch of sky lanterns or fireworks.
