Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue… all items that go nicely into a bridal trousseau! A what? A trousseau! (say “true so” and this French word will roll right off your tongue). The act itself of assembling a trousseau is steeped in tradition but the items included for the modern bride have certainly changed…
And so has the method! In the Victorian era a bride’s trousseau included all of her personal items that she had collected for her married life. This meant the wedding gown of course, but also, items like jewelry, lingerie, toiletries, household linens, towels and even the china she would be serving tea in. All of these items were collected into wooden trunks and moved to the marital home after the wedding.
By the early 1900’s a cedar chest called a “Hope Chest” in America (“Glory Box” in Australia or a “bottom drawer” if you live in the UK) was used to collect items made or purchased by the bride or her parents in anticipation of a marriage.
Extravagant trousseaus would include outfits for, not just the wedding, but her honeymoon and the days and months after the marriage. Lucky brides from wealthy families would hire a seamstress just to outfit her with a number of gowns and undergarments needed for her new life.
Household items are no longer considered part of a modern bride’s trousseau leaving room for more personal and extravagant selections to “save” for the big day. A modern day trousseau is now considered to be all of the specialty items the bride desires for the wedding, honeymoon or even after. Things like jewelry, makeup, hair accessories, purses, after party dresses and ooh la la… lingerie! Anything that hints at the sentimentality of the event can also be included like picture frames, letters and poems. The idea is to make it your own signature selection of items that may or may not be passed down but shout how special your day will be!
Take a look at a few of our exquisite finds we would include in our own trousseau…
Did you have a hope chest? What amazing items did you include? Let us know in the comment section!