Wedding Favour thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Wedding Favour

1889 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Wedding favours were small mementoes that were handed out to close friends, relatives, and others connected to the wedding. At Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, The Times reported upon the wedding favours given to the guests:

"Every lady exhibited a white favour, some of which were admirable specimens of refined taste. They were of all sizes, many of white satin riband, tied up into bows and mixed with layers of rich silver lace. Others merely of riband intermixed with sprigs of orange flower blossom."

By 1840, imitation orange blossom was a popular trimming for weddings. This wedding favour is on a less grand scale than Queen Victoria's favours. However, the concept is similar in that it features wax and cloth orange blossoms and myrtle flowers tied up with cream silk satin ribbon.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Wax, cloth, paper and silk satin ribbon on wire
Brief description
Wedding favour made of wax, cloth, paper, wire and silk satin ribbon, Great Britain, 1889
Physical description
Wedding favour made of wax, cloth, paper, wire and cream silk satin ribbon. Spray of imitation orange blossom and myrtle flowers made of wax and cloth, green paper leaves on wires, and decorated with cream satin ribbon.
Dimensions
  • Height: 160mm
  • Width: 110mm
  • Depth: 55mm
Gallery label
Myrtle and orange-blossom spray Britain 1889 Wax, cloth, paper and silk ribbon Worn by Ella Alston for her wedding, 1889 Given by Mrs V.I. Lewin V&A: T.266A-1971(2011)
Credit line
Given by Mrs V. I. Lewin
Object history
RF number is 1970/4108.

Worn by Ella Lewin (née Alston) of Bromley, Kent, the daughter of a well-to-do Ceylon tea merchant, for her marriage in 1889. Mrs Lewin died in 1945.
Summary
Wedding favours were small mementoes that were handed out to close friends, relatives, and others connected to the wedding. At Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, The Times reported upon the wedding favours given to the guests:

"Every lady exhibited a white favour, some of which were admirable specimens of refined taste. They were of all sizes, many of white satin riband, tied up into bows and mixed with layers of rich silver lace. Others merely of riband intermixed with sprigs of orange flower blossom."

By 1840, imitation orange blossom was a popular trimming for weddings. This wedding favour is on a less grand scale than Queen Victoria's favours. However, the concept is similar in that it features wax and cloth orange blossoms and myrtle flowers tied up with cream silk satin ribbon.
Associated object
Collection
Accession number
T.266A-1971

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Record createdApril 15, 2009
Record URL
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