Tamara Morgan is a romance writer and unabashed lover of historical reenactments—the more elaborate and geeky the costume requirements, the better. In her quest for modern-day history and intrigue, she has taken fencing classes, forced her child into Highland dancing, and, of course, journeyed annually to the local Renaissance Fair. These feats are matched by a universal love of men in tights, of both the superhero and codpiece variety.Places to find Tamara:
Where’s My Invitation? Historical-Themed Weddings
We’ve all seen them on television and in the movies. In 27 Dresses, Katherine Heigl rocks a cotton candy colored Civil War bridesmaid dress. On Say Yes to the Dress, there’s an episode where a woman finds the perfect wedding gown to go with her ethereal fairy wings. And on A Wedding Story, there are two or three shows that highlight men in kilts and full-on Renaissance gear. (I like to watch happy, sentimental things often aired on TLC and Lifetime, okay?)
I adore these weddings. Not just because of the costumes—which are awesome, if not always historically accurate—but because of how many people participate in the celebration, and how perfectly suited those couples are to one another. In most cases, we’re talking about people who met on the Civil War re-enactment battlefield, or who have a long Scottish lineage and a family plaid they wear to go grab a coffee with friends.
In other words, the kind of people I want to be friends with.
But more importantly, these are the kind people who have something very integral in common with the person they’re about to marry. We’re not talking about tolerating your husband’s baseball obsession or buying your wife romance novels instead of flowers on Valentine’s Day (which is an excellent suggestion, by the way). We’re talking about putting on a suit of armor and jousting in hundred degree weather. We’re talking about setting up a month-long encampment of LARPers and rocking the land like its 1399.
And it’s not just them. Parents, grandparents, friends, and cousins all come to these weddings—and they dress up. Not always because they want to, but because they love the bride and/or groom and want to give them the magical day they’ve always dreamed of.
I can only imagine how cool their gift registry must be.
Sadly, I’ve never been invited to one of these weddings. I’m not sure if it’s because they don’t happen as often as TLC would like me to believe, or if I’m just friends with the wrong people, but the countless parade of wedding invitations in my mailbox are all traditional, black-tie affairs with nary a tartan in sight. The closest I ever got was when my brother got married a few years ago and his new mother-in-law hired a bagpiper to play the first dance song.
For now, I’ll put Attend Historical-Themed Wedding on my bucket list and eagerly await the day I get to purchase a set of Bavarian-style beer steins as a wedding gift.
Oh, and I’ll also write about the kinds of couples who would happily don a kilt as they walk down the aisle—because I honestly believe their love is going to last.
It might be modern times, but Kate Simmons isn’t willing to live a life without at least the illusion of the perfect English romance. A proud member of the Jane Austen Regency Re-Enactment Society, Kate fulfills her passion for courtliness and high-waisted gowns in the company of a few women who share her love of all things heaving.
Then she encounters Julian Wallace, a professional Highland Games athlete who could have stepped right off the covers of her favorite novels. He’s everything brooding, masculine, and, well, heaving. The perfect example of a man who knows just how to wear his high sense of honor—and his kilt.
Confronted with a beautiful woman with a tongue as sharp as his sgian dubh, Julian and his band of merry men aren’t about to simply step aside and let Kate and her gaggle of tea-sippers use his land for their annual convention. Never mind that “his land” is a state park—Julian was here first, and he never backs down from a challenge.
Unless that challenge is a woman unafraid to fight for what she wants...and whose wants are suddenly the only thing he can think about.
Warning: The historical re-enactments in this story contain very little actual history. Battle chess and ninja stars may apply.
Places to Purchase:
I was lucky enough to attend a western historical theme wedding in Virginia City, NV once. Virginia City is an old mining town outside of Reno. The bride wore an old style wedding dress and the groom dressed like a gunslinger, all in black. All of the guests dressed up in western wear (old and new). Quite a few women were wearing old dresses with bustles. We had an old-fashioned barbecue, the band played rockabilly, and everyone had a fantastic time.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm jealous! That sounds like a lot of fun (and a good reason to keep the whisky flowing). :)
DeleteIt would be great, I think, to attend such a wedding. :) I'm all for the Highlander themed ones. LOL. Course, I might regret it after I see some old drunk grandfather walking around in his kilt (and nothing under it...), randomly lifting it up or something. ;)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read your book, Tamara, it souonds great!
Enjoy,
TBQ
A Highlander one would be amazing. I'd even risk a few dodgy grandfathers.
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