An Old Lifestyle School session dedicated to 16th–17th-century wedding traditions

On Saturday, 24 February at 14:00, the Bauska Castle Museum will host an Old Lifestyle School session dedicated to wedding traditions in the 16th–17th centuries, covering topics related to the organisation and conduct of weddings among various social classes.

The Old Lifestyle School session may be of interest to couples planning to marry, wedding attendants, and wedding organisers.

This time, the Old Lifestyle School will explore the ever-relevant topic of weddings. Nowadays, weddings are organised relatively freely, but things were not at all like that until so long ago. The time of the wedding celebration, the number of guests to be invited, the feast, musicians, the marriage contract, catering, and other matters were strictly regulated. There was also the presence of legal officials and state supervision of the wedding celebrations, the collection of fines for violations, and the division of society into “Germans” and “non-Germans”. Nevertheless, despite these restrictions, weddings were celebrated on a grand scale.

The session will also examine the engagement practices and wedding celebrations of the period, beginning with dukes (the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia – Duke Jacob and Louise Charlotte), and continuing with town councillors, noblemen, craftsmen, and peasants. Participants will have the opportunity to take an active part in making a wedding accessory known as the “true love knot” and in the process of making a bed.

“The wedding regulations issued by Duchess Anna of Courland on 23 February 1591 stipulated that wine or mead was permitted at the weddings of town council members or noblemen, whereas it was forbidden to the other estates. Wedding participants were not prohibited from sending food to their homes, but they were punished for entertaining outside guests. Some of the dishes from the wedding table had to be given to the poor.”

Advance tickets can be purchased at the Bauska Castle Museum ticket office and reserved by calling 63923793 or 63922280, or by email: bauskaspils@bauska.lv. Reserved tickets must be purchased no later than 30 minutes before the event. 

Ticket price: EUR 2. Further information is available on the website: www.bauskaspils.lv.

Information prepared by:

Ruta Garklāva

Bauska Castle Museum

Tel. +371 63923793

bauskaspils@bauska.lv

www.Bauskaspils.lv