Romantic GardensSummer 2012 $10.99

20 A Victorian Wedding

www.contemporaryvictorian.com

How To Make Hot Cross Buns

George Vanderbilt’s Library

ContemporaryVictorian

Summer 2012

Featured StoriesThe Quintessential Romantic

GardenWhat makes a garden romantic.Kay Montgomery 4

George Vanderbilt’s LibraryA Dream RealizedCraig Stark 12

Hot Cross BunsLearn how to make these famous buns.Sam Breach 22

Own a Victorian HomeBuild your own Victorian home.Victorian Era Homes 24

Cover Image: Lauren HillaryContent Image: Kimberly Estabrook

ColumnsMake A Fashionable

StatementRose Brown 30

A Victorian WeddingAllison Mieanelli 32

An Exquisite TreatAll Recipes 40

A Grand GetawayDreams United Travel 42

A Moment Back In TimeEsther Lambardi 44

By popular definition, a romantic garden contains ros-

es (the symbol of love), lavender (the symbol of devo-

tion), secret garden passages for those romantic liaisons,

benches to share time with that special someone and

the sound of water to block out unwanted distractions.

Romantic Gardens

Each period in gardening history has defined romance

in its own way and romantic gardens have changed

through the centuries. Persians created walled gardens

filled with scented white flowering plants to distract lovers

from the heat. The Chinese and Japanese created ro-

mance by imitating the romantic natural scenes, complete

with water and cherry blossom.

For the Greeks, the rose was the flower of their goddess

of love, Aphrodite, and they wore garlands of roses on

festive occasions and adorned their bodies with rose-

scented oils. Romans associated roses with Cupid, the

son of Venus and imported red roses from the island of

Rhodes for perfume, and to decorate their

lavish banquets.

French painter Claude Monet’s garden was the epitome

of a romantic garden. He broke away from the strong

lines and geometry so favoured by the early French de-

signers of Versailles and used his garden like a painter

uses a colorful palette to plant up a wild color beside

tranquil water features filled with water lilies.

For English poets, the idealized English cottage garden

was an untamed wilderness of beauty filled with roses,

spring daffodils, wild flowers and perennials. Hollywood

defined the romance of Africa in movies such as Out of

Africa. Included in their visions were spectacular vistas,

swirling grasses, burnt sunsets, timber decks in secluded

forests, crystal streams and biodiversity-rich wetlands

with abundant bird life.

Suburban Romance

How do we create a romantic atmosphere in your mod-

ern suburban gardens? “The basic principles of good

design, which include choice of style, scale direction and

repetition, are to be found in successful romantic gar-

dens,” says landscaper Arthur Mennigke. How do you

transform your garden into a dreamy romantic place?

“Create a sense of mystery,” he says. “Create outdoor

rooms to isolate you

With the right flowers you can have your own romantic garden.

Written By: Kay MontgomeryPhotographs By: Lisa Warninger

The Quintessential Romantic Garden

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A romantic garden is the ultimate retreat from

the world. It is a place of private thoughts,

relaxation and tranquility.

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from the world and make use of fragrant plants such as

roses, lavender and jasmine.” Design Ideas

Planning to start planting up your romantic garden this

summer? Consider these ideas. English Romance In Vic-

torian times, secret gardens were the perfect rendezvous

for lovers. Winding paths led through shrubbery and

mazes to vine-covered arbors and discreetly

placed seats.

More recently romantic cottage gardens were character-

ized by a rambling jumble of roses and old fashioned

perennials that spilled over the edge of paths

and borders.

To create a wild cottage feel, add medical and culinary

herbs to your garden and leave plants to self-seed. Add

cabbagy old-fashioned roses, violets, stocks, violas, pan-

sies, poppies and honeysuckle.

Italian Romance

The uncluttered Tuscan romantic garden speaks of al-

fresco lunches under trees and sleepy afternoons on

mowed lawns. To develop this theme, plant apples, pears,

grapevines, olives, rosemary, lavender

and indigenous saliva. Arbors have a timeless attraction

in the Italian garden. Originally they were leafy shelters

of boughs and vines. Summer houses, gazebos, even a

simple latticework trellis, offer a private space, a hide-

away, protection from public gaze. Add a hammock or a

swing seat for two, and you have a garden for romance.

African Romance

Surround yourself with the romantic beauty of Africa.

Surround a wooden deck with indigenous ratios shaded

by pink flowering plants as you watch the sunset. Start

by planting the Cape chestnut tree and scented wild

jasmine. Add perennials in pretty shades of pink such as

gazania, arctois and nemesia. Add the autumn-flowering

March lily, the delicate blooms of Cyrtanthus caneus, the

tall spires of the wastonia and the striking blooms of

the candelabra flower. For a shrubbery of delicate pink

blooms, plant up Plectranthus ecklonii “Erma.”

-Weekend Argus

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“A romantic garden is the ultimate retreat from the world. It is a place of private thoughts, relaxation and tranquility.”

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Written By: Craig StarkAn Interview with Suzzane Durham

BookThink: In researching for this interview, I was struck by the dearth of material available not only on the Biltmore Estate but especially on the library. Even at the Pack Me-

morial Library in Asheville, which maintains a strong collection of North Carolina history, the reference librarian was able to point me to only five books about the Biltmore Estate, none of which had more than superficial information about the library. Given the ar-chitectural and historical significance of the Estate, also its more recent status as a major tourist destination, why isn’t there more information available?

Durham: Biltmore Estate is not a public institution and it is not even a private non-profit. It is a family-owned business. Ultimate-ly, the book collection makes up a part of the family’s assets along with the art, furniture and other collections. So it is not a library in the sense that the public can use it, or that it is even used by the family or staff. The books are museum ob-jects. Therefore, if you see where I’m going with this, there would be little point in publicizing the book collection since the average guest does not get to handle it or even see it up close. In addition, since books are a lot easier to steal than a wingback chair, and there is a theft history, we do not want to flaunt the collections. We do answer specific queries if someone wants to know if a certain title is in the collection.

BookThink: When I visited the library on June 3 this year, it was a windy day and many windows were open, sheer curtains float-ing in the air, including several in the library. Is Asheville weather (temperature, humidity, etc.) Environmentally friendly enough to books to allow this kind of exposure? Are conditions in the library regularly monitored?

Durham: It’s amazing to anyone that for over 100 years these books have sat in a room exposed to the wide variances in temperature and humidity and have not completely disintegrated. There has been discussion for years about

how to do climate control in the Library. It is a stumper. I think there are 2 factors that work in our favor-the books are virtually not handled and there is no pest problem with these books. We are currently exploring a system of opening the doors on either side of the fireplace on the balcony level to create an updraft in order to keep the heat and humidity from collecting at the ceiling level. We have recently catalogued all the balcony level books and found a significant amount of deterioration at that level. We have a temp/RH monitor at the balcony level and have charted the fluctuations for a number of years. It will serve as our main rationale when we finally get a plan for installing climate control. However, the concept of c.c. in the Library, much less the entire house, is a logistical nightmare, not to mention hugely expensive.

BookThink: I also noticed that similarly sized volumes were shelved together and that lighting overall was dim. Is this a deliberate strategy to minimize exposure to light?

Durham: The original light levels were dim by today’s standards anyway so the lighting is authentic, you could say. Light affects the fabric and furniture as well as book in that room.

BookThink: I was told a UV filtering film had been ap-plied to the windows. True?

Durham: Yes, there is a UV filtering film.

BookThink: Are any other measures taken to preserve the collection?

Durham: The books and shelves in the Library are dusted and vacuumed every other year.

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George Vanderbilt's Library A D R ream ealized

anderbilt's Library A D R

Photo By: Tim Buchman

BookThink: It’s my understanding that someboy was hired in 1997 to catalog the holdings. Was the work completed?

Durham: I began a book cataloguing project when I came here in all 2003. It is not a catalogue in the sense of Li-brary of Congress call numbers, subject headings, etc. It is actually an inventory of every book in the collection, noting location, condition, exceptional features and basic publication information. We are entering the inventory data into a database we intend to migrate to the new data programs, unlike the last catalogue, which did not survive technologically past the 1980s. The earliest catalogue, from our archives records, appears to have been done by James Osborne Wright, we believe a book dealer, from Fairfield CT. He was finishing up the catalogue in 1898, and was still corresponding with George Vanderbilt near his death in 1914. There have been other catalogues over the years, and we have a card catalogue (again inventory) from perhaps the 1950s.

BookThink: Will it be made available to the public?

Durham: The newest catalogue will not be made public for the same reasons I explained earlier.

BookThink: Has a recent appraisal been done?

Durham: Yes, every 5 years or so, the contents of the house, including the book collection, are professionally appraised for tax purposes.

BookThink: If approximately 10,000 volumes are in the library and perhaps a few thousand more scattered in rooms open to public view-and about 23,000 in all-where are the remaining volumes?

Durham: Until we finish our inventory, we won’t have a good number to put on the collection. The number put out there is 22,000 plus. About 7,000 books reside with the family off the estate, and rest are stored in a climate-con-troled suite of rooms in the house. The den contained sev-eral thousand books until this past year when we moved all of them to the climate-controlled space. In addition, several rooms on view have collection books in them, such as the Smoking Room and the Third Floor Living Hall.

BookThink: What are some of the more noteworthy and/or valuable titles in the collection?

Durham: I can give you a sampling, but this is only scratching the surface of rare examples in the collection: Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Sibylline Leaves(first edition, London 1817 with notes and corrections of the author), John Burnet’s Rembrandt and His Works (lim-ited edition of 50 with original engravings and etchings, London 1849), Frederick Catherwood’s Views of Ancient Monuments in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan (25 plates, original publisher’s binding, London 1844), John Gould’s The Birds of Europe (5 volumes, London 1837), and the unique collection of Holland House books, which includes 10 volumes of original autograph letters ad-dressed to various members of the Lord Holland family. Napoleon, Queen Elizabeth, Oliver Cromwell and Samuel Johnsonuntil are some of the correspondents represented.

BookThink: I understand that some books, one of which was quite valuable, were stolen during the filming of Tim Conway’s (and Don Knott’s) “The Private Eyes” in 1980. Can you tell me more about this?

Durham: The book theft you refer to actually began in the late 1970s, according to our Vice President of Biltmore House and Gardens Rick King. The missing books were noticed during filming of the movie in early 1980. The theif was a security guard on the third shift and was later convicted and sent to prison for 6 years. It’s important to note that security and electronic surveillance systems have been considerably stepped up since then.

BookThink: Were they ever recovered?

Durham: Several hundred were taken, and most were eventually recovered from all over the country.

BookThink: I’ve heard that GWV purchased many books unbound so as to have them bound to his preference.

Durham: Yes, he bought many books from publishers and had his own binding preferences done using prominent binders of the day, notably Riviere & Sons of London.

BookThink: Here is an excerpt from the Sandusky Daily Register, October 22, 1890, that seems to conflict with the present-day reality of the library:

“He is not a bibliphile, as Brayton Ives, late president of the Stock Exchange, and some other wealthy men are, but he buys a book for what is in it, rather than on account of its age, exqui-site binding or any other peculiarity which makes books sought for by bibliophiles. When there are new publications which the publisher with whom he deals thinks he would like they are sent to him for inspection, and he is one of the rich men in New York to whom the dealer in old books sends a private and special cata-logue when something choice has been received and is for sale.”

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BookThink: Do you have some sense of the criteria Vanderbilt used for purchasing books? Was it primarily motivated by his interests?

Durham: We don’t have any direct evidence explaining how George Vanderbilt made his book-buying decisions. Certainly he was influenced by what was considered pop-ular for the day. We have correspondence showing that Vanderbilt was personally fond of Sir Walter Scott all his life. Obviously, he had sufficient wealth to also be solic-ited by book dealers who came across rare and valuable titles at estate sales in Europe.

BookThink: So there’s no indication that he purchased books on the basis say, of building a more general collec-tion that would address the needs/wants of visitors, etc?

Durham: He has more than 100 works by Balzac, for ex-ample, but we don’t know if that was for the content or whether it was considered a well-equipped library to have Balzac so heavily represented.

BookThink: Is access to the library ever granted for pur-poses of academic research?

Durham: For original academic research, we have a policy of allowing access to parts of the collection. However, here we must be truthful and say that very little of Vanderbilt’s collection is truly rare. Most books in his collection can be found at libraries and other repositories around the coun-try, which are equipped to handle researchers.

BookThink: Then would it be fair to say that the value of the collection lies primarily in its provenance and the overall quality of bindings?

Durham: There are a few extremely valuable and rare items in the collection, though primarily it’s the prov-enance. Not sure I would say the binding give it its great-est value, though certainly a significant feature.

BookThink: Approximately how long has it been since open access (to guests, etc.) was available?

Durham: I imagine that once the house was no longer used as a residence (1954), the library was no longer used by guests or visitors. The house was opened to paid tours in 1930, but we have no evidence that these visitors were allowed to peruse the Library collection.

BookThink: Is the present day appearance of the library (and arrangement of books on shelves) more or less as it was 100 years ago?

Durham: We don’t know if the current appearance of the Library books resembles its original design.

BookThink: How are the books organized on the shelves?

Durham: Roughly speaking, the shelves to the left of the fireplace (balcony) cover U.S. history and to the right lit-erature. The balcony level east wall also holds literature books, and the west balcony wall seems to cover world history. On the main floor, east wall, are reference works especially dealing with architecture and art. The west wall contains bound periodicals and reference works on architectural and art antiquities. The south wall contains travel, English grammar reference and art/architecture titles.

BookThink: If and when items are moved, is this at the discretion of the curator or is the family sometimes consulted?

Durham: Over time, books have been removed and re-placed by curatorial staff based on the physical condition of the book. In the past year, we replaced a substantial number of balcony level damaged books with books from storage whose bindings were in good condition.

BookThink: Vintage landscape architecture titles are a profitable niche for booksellers now. Can you tell some-thing about this portion of the collection? Approximately how many titles? Anything else?

Durham: We can’t approximate the number of landscape design books, partly because we have not finished the inventory and partly because we have not done subject heading cataloguing as previously discussed. Keyword searches can be done on titles and authors; again, if you are interested in a particular author or title, we’ll be happy to check.

BookThink: Did Vanderbilt take an active part in the land-scape design of Biltmore and, in turn, acquire these books for that purpose?

Durham: Frederick Law Olmsted was Vanderbilt’s chief advisor and designer in landscaping the Biltmore Estate. We do not have evidence that Vanderbilt contributed to the landscape design, though he was certainly consulted and had veto power. In fact, Olmsted’s early plan called for a vegtable garden in part of the gardens area and this was not pursued in favor of ornamental flowers, shrubs and trees.

BookThink: I noticed a free-standing shelving unit on the far side of the library with angled compartments for books. What was the purpose of this?

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Durham: The book stand you refer to along with three sets of carved steps were designed by Richard Morris Hunt in the Italian Baroque style for the Library. It has com-partments for displaying books flat at an angle, and we can guess that this arrangement would have allowed dis-play of very old books whose bindings were not designed for the upright, spine-out display we know today. Early books were shelved lying flat. Just a guess.

BookThink: Can you tell me anything about the large globe to the left of the fireplace?

Durham: The globe dates from 1899 and is mentioned in you guidebook.

BookThink: The Den off the library has been subject of at least some speculation over the years-specifically, what it was used for. On a copy (perhaps not authentic) of Hunt’s original plans I noted that it was marked “chapel,” but it has also been characterized as a scriptorium or chamber of silence. Was it simply a reading room?

Durham: The Library Den was said to have been used by Vanderbilt as an office. It certainly

commands the best view of the Estate along with the view from his bedroom. It is said it was here that he met with employees to address their concerns. We have no records in our collection referring to this space as a chapel. Though it has been filled with a much later era of book shelving, and contained several thousand books until re-cently, we do not have evidence this room was used as a library.

BookThink: Why is it closed to the public?

Durham: It was open for tour at one time from loggia, but due to weather and flow problems, was closed again.

BookThink: A final question- there are some subtly hinged panels on the library walls, one of which, I’m told, now conceals an electrical panel. Any idea what these were originally used for?

Durham: The one next to the fireplace conceals an electri-cal panel, which was original with the construction of the house. We don’t know the purpose of the other panels, though in contemporary times, they have been used to

store light bulbs, window props, etc. d

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Photo By: Jim Whetsone

EB

BEIltmore

State

Biltmore House and Gardens are the centerpiece of a magnificent 8,000-acre estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Majes-tically framed by the Blue Ridge Moun-tains, the estate lies in a stunning natural setting. Biltmore was conceived in the early 1890’s by George W. Vanderbilt. Come explore “America’s largest home” with 250 rooms--including 43 bathrooms. The intricately landscaped gardens are a treat in every season. Visitors can eas-ily spend half a day touring the gardens, strolling the paved or gravel paths and pursuing the conservatory and gift shop.

The Inn At

From the moment you arrive at The Inn At Bilt-more Estate you will be treated with southern hospitality. Adventures await with our spacious 8,000-acre estate including horse back riding and enjoying the mountains. Romance blooms at the Biltmore Gardens this Spring. Come see the or-chards and beautiful flowers all around the garden. Enjoy some wine from our winery at Antler Hill while sitting back and taking it all in. This Summer sit under the stars listening to some of today’s big-gest artists including Mercy Me at the 13th An-nual Summer Evening Concerts. For more infor-mation and special deals make sure to check out our website to keep updated with current deals.

1 Antler Hill Road, Asheville, North Carolina 28803

Telephone: (800) 411-3812

www.innatbiltmore..com

Our pastries are classics of self-indulgence. Edibles Incredible!

A Taste of Decadence.

Hot Cross Buns Ever Wonder how to get the fresh out of the oven treat? Now you can make these delicious treats at home. Written By: Sam Breach Photographs By: Sam Breach

The Smell of Sweet Spices to Perfume your Spring KitchenAs young girls my sister and I would often dash to open the front door

whenever the door bell rang, slipping and slid-ing on the polished wooden hallway floor as we raced to be the one who would enquire about the business of the caller, before relaying the in-formation to our mother. Usually an adult face would greet us from beyond the other side of the double glass doors that protected our small porch and we would have no qualms about po-litely grilling them to find out what they wanted.Once a year, however, we would be caught out by the gruesome sight of a gangly group of nerdy little boys dressed in spiffy uniforms shuf-fling nervously, patiently waiting to deliver their important message. These were miniature Boy Scouts, collectively known as Cubs.Please explain: I really don’t understand Ameri-can Hot Cross Buns where the cross is piped from a sugar icing when the whole point of this once-a-year treat is to toast it until golden and indulge in the decadent consequences of doing so: Butter, aroma, then Heaven. I’ve never tried to put icing in the toaster and I am not going to start now.But starting now, I have decided, just like that, to at once overcome my unjustifiable fear of the wee currants. Raisins - they are still on my hate list, where I hope they will stay, but this year I bravely insisted to myself that from now on, in moderation, currants are OK. It was the smell that drove me to taking this drastic move. I missed it. I needed it. It was imperative in 2007 that I should eat a hot cross bun.

that I should eat a hot cross bun.I googled for a recipe and was presented with two stellar-sounding choices: Delia or the BBC, both of whom are usually stalwart sources when researching British recipes.I read through them both a couple of times be-fore deciding on the BBC version for a number of reasons:1) The BBC uses fresh yeast, Delia uses dried. I prefer to work with fresh yeast, which is 100s of times cheaper than the dried stuff. It also seems more real to me. It is alive.2) Delia’s version used milk. I never have milk in the house so it would have been a special pur-chase. Then I would have wasted the leftovers, no doubt. I didn’t want to do that when instead the BBC version contained an egg. I always have an egg in the house, and good eggs at that.3) Delia’s version called for dried peel. Have you tried to get dried peel in California? No! Don’t bother. The BBC recipe called for fresh lemon zest. How convenient, therefore, that I was re-cently given a bag full of Meyer lemon’s from a colleague’s tree.4) Delia makes those perfectly formed crosses that look stuck on. I favor the BBC recipe where the cross is piped into place before being baked into the bun resulting in a much more natural, organic-looking product.5) Delia goes to the palaver of making a sugar syrup glaze. Why bother when you can follow the BBC’s suggestion and use the Golden Syrup you already have in your pantry?

BBC Hot Cross Buns Notes- In Britain you can buy a jar of ‘Mixed Spice’, which is exactly what you would use in a Hot Cross Bun recipe. There is no such thing in the USA. I used a mix of ground ginger, cloves, all-spice, nutmeg and ginger cinnamon instead, with perfect results.- I used bread flour - the US equivalent of ‘strong white flour’.- After brushing the baked buns with warmed golden syrup they are gloriously sticky. By the next day however, most of the syrup has soaked in to the dough. This is probably just as well since you are about to pop it in the toaster.- OK - currants are OK, but I don’t love them like they are my new best friend. In my opinion the currants inside hot cross buns should be few and far between. Hence I reduced the amount sug-gested to just a couple of ounces. Perfect. - I found scissors much easier than a knife for snipping the cross shape on the top of the bun.- I served the Hot Cross Buns, toasted with freshly churned Spring Hill salted Jersey butter. ‘Awesome’ is what I think one of my col-leagues emailed me after he’d partaken of the Hot Cross Bun ritual as instructed.Are YOU going to make Hot Cross Buns this year?2 s

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Belgian-hot cross bun graced by a magenta rose

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Victorian HomeVictoria Era Homes allows you to build you own Victorian house.

Written By: Victorian Era HomesPhotographs By: Victorian Era HomesAnd Linda Chaja Photography

Own A

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“We are reinventing passion for the Victorian home

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It’s an experience

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During the Victorian era, cameos were a popular type of

jewelry. Made of carved stone or shell, many Victorian

cameos depicted maidens and flowers and were decid-

edly feminine accessories. They appeared on rings, bracelets and as

pendants on necklaces. One of the most favored styles of necklace

during the Victorian period was the choker---a strip of black ribbon

or velvet worn snugly around the throat, although longer necklaces

were also popular. Today, you can make a Victorian cameo adorn-

ment in the style of a choker or a longer necklace.

Instructions

Things you’ll need:

Black velvet ribbon

Scissors

Cameo pendant

2 fold-over crimp ends

Pliers

Necklace clasp

1

Wrap a piece of black velvet ribbon around your neck to determine

the ideal length for your necklace. You may want a real Victorian-

style choker that fits snugly around your throat, or a slightly longer

Victorian necklace that rests near the collarbone.

2

Cut the ribbon to the precise length you want your necklace to be

using scissors. Remember that a clasp will add as much as an inch

to your necklace.

3

Slide the ribbon through the bail---or small ring---on top of a cameo

pendant. Push the pendant along the ribbon so it hangs from the

ribbon’s center.

4

Bend open the tiny metal clamps of a fold-over crimp end. Posi-

tion the crimp end at one end of the velvet ribbon. Close the metal

clamps securely over the end of the ribbon to hold it within the

crimp end.

5

Bend open the tiny metal clamps of a fold-over crimp end. Posi-

tion the crimp end at the other end of the velvet ribbon. Close the

metal clamps securely over the end of the ribbon to hold it within

the crimp end.

6

Open the small metal ring attached to one half of a jewelry clasp

using pliers. Slip the closed metal ring of the crimp end onto the

open metal ring of the jewelry clasp. Close the jewelry clasp’s ring

completely with pliers.

7

Open the small metal ring attached to the other half of a jewelry

clasp using pliers. Slip the closed metal ring of the other crimp

end onto the open metal ring of the jewelry clasp. Close the jew-

elry clasp’s ring completely with pliers. Use this process to create

as many Victorian cameo necklaces as you desire.

Tips & Warnings

Cameo pendants come in a variety of sizes, colors and styles. You

may choose from a pink and white, a black and white or even a

blue and white cameo. Choose the cameo pendant that most ap-

peals to your taste.

You can find cameo pendants at bead stores, craft supply retailers,

antique and thrift stores, flea markets and through online sellers.

Consider using plain black ribbon or black silk cord instead of

black velvet ribbon to make your Victorian cameo necklace.

Make A Fashionable Statement

Written By: Rose BrownPhoto: Pinterest

c

Learn How to make a classic Victorian necklace. With these easy steps you will be wearing it in no time!

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A Victorian Wedding

Looking to be veiled in Victorian? Here’s your get-all guide to hosting a wedding from the era that molded our modern tradi-tions.

Written By: Allison MicarelliPhotographs By: Lauren Hillary

A Victorian wedding is about class and

grace, and calls for romantic gestures of

a dainty nature --fine floral china, lots

of lace, and sweet-smelling rosebuds.

We’ve always been fans of era-embracing events: ‘40s swing cel-

ebrations, medieval affairs, and Western weddings are all creative

and delightful. But it’s the Victorian-style events that are a little

more refined, as all modern wedding things are essentially Victo-

rian in nature. After all, it was Queen Victoria who set the trends

for white wedding gowns and white floral arrangements. But most

importantly, there are few (if any) historical periods that are more

romantic. So to plan your affair, you’ll need to start considering

things like lace hankies, corsets and petticoats, and cupid cake

toppers. How are you going to pull off a celebration that’s elegant

and romantic, but not stuffy (or, even worse, tacky)? Here’s our take

on hosting a vivacious Victorian celebration.

The Setting

Certain settings seem sensational for a Victorian wedding. Indulge

in nostalgia. A botanical garden is a popular choice, for its sprawl-

ing acres of manicured lawns and plentiful rose gardens. Keep in

mind the Victorians loved statues and fountains, so a garden with

one as its focal point would be appropriate. Many couples feel

most comfortable hosting a Victorian tea party in the gardens

of their family’s home. A backyard, with large oak and willow

trees, that features tables spread with tea sets and picnic blan-

kets strewn over the lawn, creates a charming and casual scene.

Meanwhile, the opulent interior of a beaux-art mansion lends a

perfect atmosphere for a more refined affair. When choosing a

ballroom, consider ones that are drenched in Victorian color pal-

ettes: pinks, greens, and gold, or rich jewel-toned blues, burgundy,

and copper.

Other good choices include an historic Victorian inn with gin-

gerbread exteriors and antique furnishings, Italianate-style 19th-

century estates that boast the Victorians’ adoration

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Victorian

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for floral fabrics and Persian carpets, or

even a Victorian art or history museum.

You can explore outdoor options through

your local Parks and Recreations Depart-

ment; for indoor adventures, call your local

historical society or Chamber of Commerce

to see what homes can be rented for your

elegant event.

The Look

Dressing the part is the most fun aspect of

the wedding. Victorian gowns were so ex-

travagant that you’ll feel like the queen her-

self underneath the many layers of ruffles,

lace, and accessories. Since Queen Victo-

ria’s wedding, white has remained the tradi-

tional color for wedding gowns, so you won’t

have to search far for vintage colors. The

Victorians considered the hourglass shape

to best flatter the female form, and women

were forced to wear restrictive corsets to

achieve this ideal shape. You can practice

sitting and eating with more modern-day

corset tops. The early Victorians (1850) wore

gowns with fitted bodices, small waists, and

full skirts falling over hoops and petticoats.

The late Victorian (1890) bridal gowns (which

were made of organdy, tulle, lace, silk, linen,

even cashmere) saw the transformation from

puffy mutton-leg sleeves to fitted sleeves,

and eventually, to bell sleeves, and also

from crinoline to bustled skirts. Needless to

say, however the styles changed, they were

always big, bold, and beautiful.

As for accessories of this era, the cameo be-

came the hot item by the mid-19th century.

Meanwhile, necessities included white kid-

leather gloves (wrist-length or elbow-length),

embroidered handkerchiefs, silk stockings,

and flat or brocade one-inch heel shoes.

A Victorian gentleman’s formal attire con-

sisted of a cutaway coat or a frock coat,

a waistcoat, cravat or ascot ties, and trou-

sers. You won’t go wrong by imitating Hugh

Grant’s style -- gray morning coat with pin

striped trousers, waistcoat, and ascot tie -- in

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994). And

don’t forget the top hat -- a definite must.

The Announcement

Your invitations will set the stage to the

whole day, so be sure they fit your theme.

You might start by sending Victorian-era an-

nouncements -- valentines! -- for your save-

the-date cards. While announcements were

hand-delivered in the 19th century, you

don’t need to do this, but creating a home-

made valentine is both period-appropriate

and poetic. Besides, you can save the more

formal announcements for the actual invite.

Your invitations should be crafted on smooth

white or ivory paper, scripted, with calli-

graphed envelopes. Use Victorian lettering

(the kind where the first letter of each line is

very ornate --think fairy tales) and be sure

to investigate vintage-looking stamps or ones

with a cupid-and-heart motif for the reply

card. Your final task is to decide on some

decorative touches that will follow you from

your invite and reply card to the programs

and all other paper products -- whether it’s

floral patterns, your new monogram, ribbons,

bows, or even doves.

The Flowers

The standard Victorian flower is the rose. But

other flowers such as pansies, hyacinths, tu-

lips, and stephanotis evoke similar romantic

emotions. Your bridal bouquet should be ar-

ranged in the style of a nosegay or tussie

mussie, which were then most popular, and

should feature blooms symbolic of fruitful-

ness. The Victorians had a strong belief in

special meanings of flowers, and they chose

their floral arrangements accordingly. Dai-

sies represent innocence, while Stephano-

tis ensures happiness in marriage. Orchids

symbolize true love, mums guarantee wealth

and abundance, and mixing freesia and

gardenias alludes to your innocence and

purity. The most important of these flowers

(and one you should be sure to incorporate,

if even only as a replica) is the

orange blossom.

The Victorians were sure to include orange

blossoms in their bridal bouquets (some-

times even in their headpieces or on their

dresses) to represent purity, chastity, and

the bearing of many children. This custom,

which originated in China, was brought to

England in the early 1800s. When Queen

Victoria wore them in her bridal wreath in

1840, the classic floral theme for the Victo-

rian bride was set! Entwining orange blos-

soms into the bridal wreath became a must-

do, and, in fact, was even stated in the very

influential etiquette journals of 19th century.

Orange blossoms became so in demand

that when real orange blossoms (the official

state flower of Florida, by the way) were in

short supply or not in season, wax replicas

were used instead.

The Backdrop

Your decor will truly speak a thousand

words. Start envisioning the decorations as if

you are painting a dreamy picture. We rec-

ommend mimicking the sentiments explored

in the famous French impressionist painting,

Le Moulin de la Galette (1876) by Pierre-

Auguste Renoir (Okay, so he’s not English,

but this much-loved painting displays both

the color scheme and dress codes shared

by Queen Victoria’s kingdom).

First and foremost, the place should be

brimming with antique lace and vases filled

with romantic blooms. Fine china and tea-

cups should grace each place setting (lit-

erary buffs may want to name tables after

Victorian-era artists, such as poets Elizabeth

Barrett Browning and Alfred Lord Tennyson).

If it’s possible, search through attics of your

family homes and look for heirlooms -- fam-

ily linens, serveware, even handkerchiefs.

Scour yard sales and thrift shops for fancy

sets of cups and saucers, and mix a variety

of styles (whatever you find, it doesn’t have

to match) at various tables set up around the

room. Make sure each table is adorned in

layers -- the Victorians loved fabrics and tex-

tures. Floor-length tablecloths should be cov-

ered with Battenburg lace overlays, topped

with fringed coasters or silk doilies. For

these items, your first shopping stop should

be flea markets and yard sales.

Candles are essential, but for additional

lighting, drape small lamps with fringed

ivory silk scarves for a soft touch, and scour

antique stores for oil lamps. Other romantic

touches include having a big open treasure

chest for guests to place presents in, and

using the traditional gift table for setting up

black-and-white family wedding portraits in

an assortment of vintage-

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style frames. You can use this table for your

guest book as well, but in lieu of an actual

journal, perhaps purchase as many vintage

postcards as you have guests and ask each

friend and family member to inscribe their

warm wishes on the backs of the cards.

These are relatively inexpensive and can be

boxed and saved as a loving collection of

heartfelt letters from the people you

love most.

The Music

For the music and entertainment, think

strolling violins during the cocktail hour

and harps in between courses at dinner.

Selections should include anything from

Beethoven, Chopin, and Tchaikovsky. For

dancing, you could hire a string quartet that

will anchor your performances in popular

period dances: the waltz and reels. You and

your sweetie might wish to take ballroom

dance lessons to perform a waltz for your

dancing debut.

The Fare

A Victorian wedding-day meal can be any-

thing between a proper English breakfast

and a 10-course fanciful feast. First think

of the selection, then the presentation.

The afternoon tea reception selection: tea

sandwiches such as cucumber, tuna, and

watercress; scones like currant, raisin, and

cranberry; a selection of fresh jams; and

piles of fresh berries. The dinner reception

menu: combinations of roast mutton, pork,

roast beef, rabbit, turkey, duck, pheasant,

and sole. Plum pudding, apple tarts, and

mince pies can be served for dessert. Gar-

nish each dish with rose petals and serve

on fine floral china that rests on white

lace doilies.

The actual wedding cake was often a fruit-

cake decorated with white frosting in ornate

scrolled designs and topped with orange

blossoms. Favors -- charms with specials

meanings, such as a penny for wealth and

a horseshoe for good luck -- were attached

to long ribbons and baked inside the cake.

If you are having a large dessert selection,

the cake can be boxed and given to guests

as they depart.

For drinks, its obvious -- you’ll need a prop-

er number of English teas. If you choose

to have an evening reception with a multi

course meal, serve evocative white wines

and bubbling champagnes, then for des-

sert, have the waiters bring out the tea sets

to serve some classic English brews such as

Earl Grey, Darjeeling, and English Breakfast.

You can indulge in tiny bite-size treats to go

along with the tea -- anything from choc-

olate-covered strawberries to petit fours to

shortbread cookies; even individual lemon

tarts or chocolate tortes will do.

Do a little research and find foods that are

in keeping with the theme and that your

caterer can comfortably master. We sug-

gest reading Susan Williams’ Savory Sup-

pers & Fashionable Feasts: Dining in Victo-

rian America (University of Tennessee Press,

1996), which features 19th-century recipes

and sample menus.

The Gratitude

You’ve enchanted your guests with your

polished feast and fanfare, now it’s time

to thank them for sharing in your evoca-

tive wedding dreams. Consider giving your

bridesmaids period-gifts like engraved lock-

ets, ivory combs, or soft kid-leather gloves

(before the diamond wedding ring became

popular, Victorian grooms presented brides

with such adornments). For your maid of

honor, consider a hand-carved cameo; you

can find cameos carved in seashells today,

a tradition that was popularized by

Queen Victoria.

For favors, we love potpourri and sachets

boxed and tied with ribbon, homemade

shortbread cookies, boxed scones, fresh

jams with a personalized wedding label,

petit fours or chocolates shaped as doves,

hearts, or cupids, and, last but not least, or-

nate Victorian paper fans featuring images

of lovers and love poems, and fashioned

with lace, dried rose petals, tiny satin bows,

and a tassel.

The Lasting Impression

In the 19th century, immediately after cut-

ting the cake, the bride and groom would

change into traveling costumes and ride off

in a carriage drawn by white horses. You,

too, can imitate this by having the cake-

cutting ceremony toward the end of the

reception and changing into sleek get-

away outfits (even if you aren’t leaving

that night for your honeymoon).

And, like any couple looking for an his-

toric, romantic getaway, you should leave

the party in a horse-drawn carriage driv-

en by an escort dressed in Victorian-era

garb: top hat, coat and trousers, and stark

white gloves. In the 19th century, guests

would throw satin slippers, hoping to toss

one into the carriage as it departed (a

symbol of everlasting good luck in mar-

riage). Equip your guests with environ-

ment-friendly rice to throw, but perhaps

purchase a pair of satin ballet slippers

and tie them onto the back of the car-

riage, symbolizing your good fortune and

happiness in love.

The Inspiration

The term Victorian relates to the styles

and attitudes during the reign of Queen

Victoria (1837-1901) who wed Prince Al-

bert in 1840 and set the stage for tra-

ditional wedding ceremonies and recep-

tions. Victorian brides would model their

wedding-day glamour after the Queen,

beginning with inviting friends to a tea in

their parlor or garden to ask them to be

in the wedding.

For further inspiration, visit a few tearooms

with your bridesmaids and take notes on

the service, food, and adornments (after

all, you aren’t going to learn proper man-

ners from the antics at the Mad Hatter

and March Hare’s tea party in Lewis Car-

roll’s Alice in Wonderland). Then, prior

to the wedding, practice by hosting a

couple of afternoon tea parties for your

lady friends, and taste-test different teas

and scones you may wish to serve to your

wedding guests.

For inspiration on Victorian era manners,

dress, and decor, watch Martin Scorcese’s

The Age of Innocence, or read Charles

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Leo Tolstoy’s

classic novel Anna Karenina, considered

one of the most important works of the

19th century, and Emily Brontë’s

Wuthering Heights.

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For additional ideas, contact The Victorian

Society in America (215) 627-4252,

Philadelphia, PA.

-- Allison Micarelli

Petits fours--”small ovens”--were a way

for pâtissiers to use up leftovers while

the ovens cooled down at the end of

the day’s bake.

While petit four can refer to any bite-sized

sweet presented at the end of a meal, they’re

usually tiny, beautifully iced cakes. Petits fours

are traditionally made with an almond sponge

cake, or joconde, but they can be any flavor of

cake--and filling--you choose.

With a seemingly infinite variety of shapes,

flavors and decoration, you can dress these little

cakes up for a tea party, a bridal shower, or an

elegant luncheon. A tray full of delectable and

beautiful petits fours turns any event into an

extraordinary occasion.

The Cakes

A génoise (zhehn-WAHZ), or sponge cake, acts

like exactly that: a sponge. It is meant to absorb

flavored syrups and liqueurs, resulting in moist,

flavorful cakes. An almond jaconde is delicious,

but you can also use pound cake or any sturdy,

fine-crumbed cake that can stand up to filling,

cutting, and decorating.

The Fillings

Once your cakes are baked and cooled, they

can be wrapped well and frozen for up to one

month. Thaw the wrapped cakes at

room temperature.

Use a long serrated knife to split the cakes into

layers. You can measure the sides and mark

them with toothpicks to help guide the knife;

gently saw your way through.

Cover cake layers with plastic wrap until you’re

ready to assemble them.

Always use a flavored syrup to soak your

sponge cake layers. Use a pastry brush and

be generous.

Once you’ve applied the syrup, you can spread

on the filling: jams, buttercreams, lemon curd,

and raspberry curd all make delicious fillings.

The Assembly

Once your cake layers are filled, the simplest

decorating technique for petits fours is to glaze

the top of the whole cake, and then cut it into

shapes. This will, however, leave the sides un-

sealed, so the little cakes can dry and become

stale in a very short time.

If you wish to glaze the tops and sides of your

petit fours, arrange the cut shapes (squares,

diamonds, or other shapes made with cookie

cutters) on a cooling rack set over a rimmed

baking sheet.

Using a measuring cup, pour the warm glaze

over and around the sides of each cake, using a

small spatula or knife to reach all the

bare spots.

Any extra glaze can be scraped off the baking

sheet, reheated, and re-applied. (Strain the

glaze if it’s full of crumbs.)

White or dark chocolate glazes and poured

fondant work especially well for petit fours

because they dry to a smooth, shiny surface.

(If you substitute white chocolate for dark, use

about fifty percent more white chocolate.) See

our Chocolate Ganache article for more tips.

If you like the almond flavor of marzipan, a

thin layer of marzipan between the cake and

the glaze provides a glass-smooth, crumb-free

surface for decorating.

Top the cake layer with a thin layer of jam,

jelly or frosting

Roll the marzipan as thin as you can, and lay it

over the cake. The jam will help it stick to the

surface when you pour on the glaze.

Written By: All RecipesPhotograph By: Adar Bakery

n

An Exquisite TreatLearn How to make these delicious treats. It’s as easy as 1,2,3....

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An Exquisite Treat

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The Grand Floridian is a fine display

of the splendor of the old grand

Victorian hotels. From its spacious

verandas, wicker rockers and ceiling

fans, to the red shingled, gabled roofs and intri-

cate latticework, this stately resort offers elegance

and charm to all who come here. Victorian archi-

tecture is in abundance with the towers, dormers,

cupolas, exposed gable trusses and band-sawed

gingerbread. This impressive style extends to the

monorail stop, which is designed to resemble a

Victorian train station. The breathtaking lobby

ascends 5 stories in height and is capped with lav-

ish stained glass domes. Glistening chandeliers,

an aviary, potted palm trees and a grand piano

providing live music, add to the lavish ambiance

here. An open-cage elevator operates to transport

guests to the second floor shops and restaurants.

Romance abounds at the Grand Floridian and on

a private island off the resort, you’ll find the Fairy

Tale Wedding Pavilion. With a picturesque view

of the Cinderella Castle, what more charming lo-

cation could a couple want to exchange marital

vows. Wedding packages can include visits from

characters as well. For more information, call

Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings and Honeymoons

at (407)363-6333.

The Grand Floridian Convention Center features

40,000 square feet of flexible function space with

a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. With

16 breakout rooms, a business center, satellite

up/down link capabilities, vast exhibit capabilities

and comprehensive meeting support, the Grand

Floridian Convention Center is a very attractive

location for business conferences or meetings.

Custom-made merchandise can be ordered for

conferences or meetings held in WDW resorts.

For more information, call the Specialty Merchan-

dising Department at (407)363-6433.

Also, nightly, weather permitting, the Seven Seas

Lagoon is the backdrop for the Electrical Water

Pageant. Dancing lights on a 1000-foot string of

floating barges shimmer over the lagoon and Bay

Lake. This 7-minute show can be viewed from

Narcoossee’s or the boat dock of the Grand

Floridian. j

A Grand GetawayCome discover the Grand Floridian Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort. It’s full of Victorian charm and splendor. If it’s a vacation with the family or a romantic vacation it’s the perfect destination to escape to.

Written By: Dreams United TravelPhotograph By: Geoffrey Palcher

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A Moment Back In TimeLearn about the Victorian Period (1837-1901) A time of change.Written By: Esther LombardiPhotographs By: Lisa Warninger

All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go be-

neath the surface do so at their own peril. Those who

read the symbol do so at their own peril.--by Oscar

Wilde, Preface, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

The Victorian Period revolves around the political career of Queen

Victoria. She was crowned in 1837 and died in 1901 (which put

a definite end to her political career). A great deal of change took

place during this period--brought about because of the Industrial

Revolution; so it’s not surprising that the literature of the period

is often concerned with social reform. As Thomas Carlyle (1795-

1881) wrote, “The time for levity, insincerity, and idle babble and

play-acting, in all kinds, is gone by; it is a serious, grave time.”

Of course, in the literature from this period, we see a duality, or

double standard, between the concerns for the individual (the ex-

ploitation and corruption both at home and abroad) and national

success--in what is often referred to as the Victorian Compromise.

In reference to Tennyson, Browning and Arnold, E. D. H. Johnson

argues: “Their writings... Locate the centers of authority not in the

existing social order but within the resources of individual being.”

Against the backdrop of technological, political, and socioeconomic

change, the Victorian Period was bound to be a volatile time, even

without the added complications of the religious and institutional

challenges brought by Charles Darwin and other thinkers, writers,

and doers.

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Victorian Period: Early & Late

The Period is often divided into two parts: the early

Victorian Period (ending around 1870) and the late

Victorian Period. Writers associated with the early

period are: Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892),

Robert Browning (1812-1889), Elizabeth Barrett

Browning (1806-1861), Emily Bronte (1818-1848),

Matthew Arnold (1822-1888), Dante Gabriel Ros-

setti (1828-1882), Christina Rossetti (1830-1894),

George Eliot (1819-1880), Anthony Trollope

(1815-1882) and Charles Dickens (1812-1870).

(1840-1928), Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), A.E.

Housman (1859-1936), and Robert Louis Stevenson

(1850-1894). While Tennyson and Browning repre-

sented pillars in Victorian poetry, Dickens and Eliot

contributed to the development of the English novel.

Perhaps the most quintessentially Victorian poetic

works of the period is: Tennyson’s “In Memorium”

(1850), which mourns the loss of his friend. Henry

James describes Eliot’s “Middlemarch” (1872) as

“organized, moulded, balanced composition, grati-

fying the reader with the sense of design and con-

struction.” It was a time of change, a time of great

upheaval, but also a time of GREAT literature!

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