License
On the legalities of marriage: "There were strict rules governing marriage. In order to marry legally, a couple needed a license and the reading of the banns. They also required parental consent if either of them were under the age of 21 and the ceremony had to be conducted in a church or chapel by authorised clergy. The only way round this was elopement to Gretna Green in Scotland or if you were extremely wealthy, the purchase of a 'special license' issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury which permitted the couple to marry at a location other than a church. Needless to say, either course of action was likely to create intense and often unpleasant gossip." (Goddard)
On the Common/Ordinary License: "For approximately 10 shillings, a couple could purchase a license from a clergyman. Then the couple could marry in either the parish of the bride or the groom. [...] The common license could be obtained from any bishop or archbishop. A sworn statement was given that there were no impediments to the marriage. The marriage was to take place within 3 months of the license’s issuance. (Jeffers)
On a special license: "Or if you really wanted to show off you could get a special license, which you had to get from no less person than the archbishop of Canterbury and which cost something over twenty guineas, a huge sum at the time. "A special license!" gloats Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, contemplating Lizzie's marriage to the wealthy Mr. Darcy. "You must and shall be married by a special license." It meant that the purchaser could marry after noon and somewhere other than the church if he chose." (Jessamyn)
Dress
On white: "The bride might sometimes wear white but it was not considered mandatory. A coloured dress did not signify lack of chasteness but was simply a personal preference." (Goddard)
On the groom's style: "How our grooms would dress for their Regency wedding was, of course, a direct result of Beau Brumell’s style which became the standard in formal wear the world over. It would start with a white shirt in either linen or muslin and black or buff breeches buckled just below the knee. Natural silk stockings were set off by black pumps as boots were only for day wear so not considered formal. A black cut-away or swallowtail coat with self-covered buttons was left open to show off the waistcoat which could have been black but for their wedding certainly Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley would have worn white made of marcella for a quilted look. A white silk cravat for both of our grooms would have completed the ensemble." (O'Rourke)
On jewelry: "Jewelry for bride and groom was a minor consideration. The bride might wear a lovelier, such as a cross on a necklace. The groom would probably wear a watch and fob and possibly, particularly in the case of Mr. Darcy, a signet ring. Both would, during the ceremony give their brides a ring but it would not be an exchange for men did not wear wedding rings." (O'Rourke)
On the bridal bouquet: "Since florists weren’t the norm for wedding flowers, bridal bouquets were chosen from what was available in the garden." (O'Rourke)
On the wedding ring: "The following appeared in Appleton's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art in 1869: Although a ring is absolutely necessary in a Church-of-England marriage, it may be of any metal, and of any size." (Jessamyn)
More on the wedding ring: "The ring could be made of any metal, although gold was preferred. The groom did not wear a wedding ring." (Dietze)
On head accessories: "The Regency bride likely wore a bonnet, as women did any time when out in public, keeping them on in church. It could be anything from a straw bonnet to a simple turban, however, and could certainly have a veil attached to it, as did much stylish daytime headwear of the time" (Jessamyn)
On wedding clothes from Austen's niece Anna Lefroy: "The wedding-clothes of Austen's niece Anna Lefroy were described by the bride's sister as "a dress of fine white muslin, and over it a soft silk shawl, white shot with primrose [yellow], with embossed white-satin flowers, and very handsome fringe, and on her head a small cap to match, trimmed with lace." (Jessamyn)
On muslin: "When Jerome Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother) wed the fashionable American beauty Elizabeth Patterson many years later, on Christmas Eve 1803, the bride married in a dress of thin white muslin and lace" (Hibiscus)
On shoes: "As the gowns were re-worn, brides tended to cherish another part of their costume: their shoes. Brides sometimes described their weddings on slips of paper and placed them in their slippers." (Dietze)
Bridal party
On bridesmaids: "The bride was elegantly dressed; the two bridesmaids were duly inferior" (Austen)
On wedding processions: "In the country the wedding processional seems to have consisted of most of the town’s people walking with the wedding party through the village." (O'Rourke)
Guests
On exclusivity: "Normally, only close family and friends would attend the wedding" (Jeffers)
On invitations: "The invitation would not have been printed or engraved but hand written by the bride or her attendant." (O'Rourke)
On clergy guests: "The clergyman and the parish clerk would be in attendance also, of course." (Jessamyn)
On audience from Austen's Emma: "The small band of true friends who witnessed the ceremony." (Jessamyn)
Timeline
On the wedding hour: "Weddings occurred only during canonical hours, between 8 A.M. and noon. Normally, only close family and friends would attend the wedding." (Jeffers)
On Austen timeline: "1812: Before Christmas: The double wedding. The Gardiners are `to come to Pemberley at Christmas'." (Pemberley)
On the service: "The vicar described the purpose of the gathering and explained God’s purpose for matrimony. He charged the bride and groom to confess any impediment which might prevent them from lawfully being married. Vows are exchanged to “have and to hold from this day forward … thereto I plight thee my troth.” Prayers, a blessing, Scripture readings, and a homily are also included in the wedding service." (Dietze)
On leaving the church service: "The couple signed the registry (the bride signed her maiden name)" (Dietze)
Food
On type of food: "After the ceremony, the couple and their guests attended a wedding breakfast, which would hold food choices beyond “breakfast” items. The size of the wedding breakfast often depended upon the season (what was available to serve)." (Jeffers)
On the meal: "In Jane Austen: A Life, by Claire Tomalin, we read that "The breakfast was such as best breakfasts then were: some variety of bread, hot rolls, buttered toast, tongue or ham and eggs. The addition of chocolate [note: this would have been drinking chocolate] at one end of the table, and wedding cake in the middle, marked the specialty of the day." (Jessamyn)
On standard breakfast: "While the wealthy might enjoy a heartier meal, the standard breakfast consisted of rolls, toast, eggs, ham, bacon or tongue, perhaps a fish, tea, chocolate (not sweet like hot chocolate of today) and a wedding cake. The cake was probably more like a dense fruitcake than we eat today." (Dietze)