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Marriage laws began to evolve during the Middle Ages. The Council of Westminster decreed in 1076 that no man should give his daughter or female relative to anyone without priestly blessing. Later councils would decree that marriage should not be secret but held in the open. But it wasn't until the 16th century Council of Trent that decreed a priest was required to perform the betrothal ceremony. Separation of couples was tolerated, but there was no legal divorce, though marriages between those too closely related could be annulled. Wedding customs meant agreements or contracts were drawn up describing the rights of both the bride and groom. Medieval marriage ceremonies and celebrations depended largely on the social class of the bride and groom. Inheritance and property were usually two reasons why arranged marriages were contracted.
Sexism in the Wedding Vows? by : Layla Osman I found a Middle Ages wedding ceremony that included some interesting variations in the vows for the man and those for the woman. The differences are in italics. The man would say, "I, (his name), take thee, (her name), to my wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, for fairer or fouler,in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us depart, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth." The woman would the say, "I, (her name), take thee, (his name), to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richeror poorer, in sickness and in health, to be bonny and buxom at bed and at board,to love and to cherish, till death us depart, according to God's holy ordinance; thereunto I plight thee my troth." Very interesting, I thought. Also, many times, only the woman wore a ring, unless it was a "double-ring" ceremony.
