Old Sturbridge Village, an 1830s Wedding
July 26
Earlier this year, the Village’s newest exhibit Hands & Hearts opened in the Visitor Center – and on July 26, 2025, we will be showcasing what an 1830s rural New England wedding would have been like through a re-created wedding! Visitors can watch as the bride prepares for the occasion in the Salem Towne House, having her hair done by friends and family, smell the sweet aroma of cake baking in the kitchen, and witness the simple, brief ceremony in the Towne Garden.* In addition, visitors can learn more about the legal aspects of marriage in the Law Office and see wedding-related documents created in the Printing Office!
*The ceremony will be repeated several times during the afternoon so that more visitors can attend. Specific times will be posted closer to the date. In the case of rain, the wedding will be moved to the Genhardt Barn.
About Hands & Hearts: Courtship and Marriage in 19th-Century New England
The vast majority of young people in New England expected to marry at least once in their lifetime. Marriage was both a societal expectation and an attempt to secure personal security and companionship. Financial security, personal welfare, pregnancy, childcare, and, of course, love were some of the many other factors that influenced a couple’s decision to form a partnership.
This exhibit explores marriage and partnership in 19th-century New England by telling the stories of four couples. Each story points to a different aspect of courtship and marriage, from choosing a compatible partner, to navigating a premarital pregnancy, remarrying as a widower, and the challenges of having a same-sex relationship before it was socially acceptable or, in some cases, even legal to do so.
As is still the case today, some nineteenth-century New Englanders chose not to marry or decided to divorce their spouse. This exhibit also addresses how people navigated those realities.
Photo of “Country Wedding” used with permission from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
