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A Viking Wedding

bride and groom bride and groom with the Lawspeaker and his son bride's household	invitation feasting by candlelight wedding presents	wedding ceremony being performed by the Lawspeaker bride and ladies groom's family couple with bridesmaids, witnesses and Lawspeaker
Thegn Gunnar of Lothene and Ragnhild of Galveg were betrothed in summer and married at Gunnarstead in mid-winter. The Lawspeaker Jarl Guthrum, Ragnhild's uncle, announced the terms. The witnesses were Gorai ap Cystennyn, Sir Edward de Maryat and Hersir Siebhyrt. The Viking marriage process began when the prospective groom approached the father (or other guardian) of the prospective bride. If he was young and unknown he might take an illustrious relative to help plead his case. If the father considered him to be a suitable person then negotiations about terms for the marriage would begin. A Viking marriage would only be legal if a bride price had been paid by the groom's family. A matching amount of dowry was normally paid by the bride's family. A high bride price and dowry enhanced the status of all parties involved. The brideprice and the dowry were used by the couple. They provided security for the wife and her children in the event of her being widowed. The marriage contract could also include anything else at all which was agreed. In theory the groom should approach the bride's father before speaking to her, but long as his offer was made reasonably promptly after speaking to the lady no offence was taken by her relatives.The bride did not have to be consulted at any point in the negotiations, but she often was. There is mention in the sagas of unhappy brides finding ways to make their husbands and fathers regret not consulting them about marriage negotiations, and all a wife had to do to leave an unhappy marriage was to declare herself divorced in front of witnesses. Once terms were agreed a date was set for the wedding to be held. The wedding ceremony was simply a declaration of the terms of the agreement in front of three witnesses of good standing. After the wedding there was usually a big feast, which might go on for days. Although most Vikings in Europe were Christian, the Church had no official role in weddings until much later in the medieval period. The husband traditionally gave his wife a "morning gift" the day after the wedding. He also handed over the keys to his money chest and storerooms. Failure to do this was grounds for divorce.
Marriage contracts and other types of agreement were not normally written down. It was the duty of the three witnesses to remember the terms which had been agreed. Details of the contents of early medieval marriage contracts survive in the Viking sagas and other sources. This contract was written up and given to the couple as a wedding present. The granting of land for three lifetimes means that Ragnhild's children and grandchildren can inherit it, but after that it reverts to its original owner. This ensures that her children will also inherit her social status. There are some very complicated lawsuits which resulted from land which had been granted on this basis being passed on by the person to whom it had been granted to a third party. The gifts which Gunnar made in addition to the agreed bride price and dowry settlement enhance the status of the couple by demonstrating both his wealth and his generosity. It was also common for people with sufficient assets to leave land to the Church in return for prayers being said in order to assist their souls to heaven. By the end of the medieval period the Church had become extremely wealthy as a result.

The wedding features in Jane Ross-MacDonald's book "Alternative Weddings" (ISBN 0-7225-3123-0) as well as in an article in "Echoes from the Past" magazine.

More pictures of the Viking wedding
Conventional wedding pictures
Tenth Anniversary Feast
Picture taken at Betrothal Ceremony
Lothene Events
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