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The celebrations

The Wedding. Bruegel. Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna.

Celebrations and banquets were times for serious eating and drinking.

The daughter of the keeper of London Bridge was married in 1562:

At the celebration whereof were present, my Lord Mayor, and all the Aldermen with many ladies etc. . . Then all the company went home to the Bridge House to dinner: there was as good cheer as ever was known, with all manner of music*, and dancing all the remainder of the day; and at night a goodly supper; and then followed a masque* till midnight. The next day the wedding was kept at the Bridge House with great cheer; and after supper came in masquers.
(Shakespeare's England, 2.148.)

Footnotes

  1. Wedding music

    Click here to learn about popular music of the kind that might have been played at a village wedding.

    For examples of courtly festive music, click here.

  2. Wedding masques

    Masques--combinations of dance and drama--were performed at the weddings of the nobility; click for more.

    Romeo and Juliet meet at just such a masque in the house of the Capulets. Click for more on masques at court and noble houses.