Category Archives: marriage customs

June ~ the Month of Love and Marriage: Marriage by Proxy, Possible or Myth?

Posted on June 17, 2024 by Regina Jeffers

When the Hardwick Act for the Prevention of Clandestine Marriages went into effect in March of 1754, the rules for marrying in England changed dramatically. Prior to that time, all the couple had to do was to pronounce their vows before a clergyman of the Church of England. Heck, it did not even have to be one’s local clergyman or even one’s local church. In fact, the Fleet Street prison saw quite a few marriages in those days Continue reading →

Posted in Act of Parliament, book excerpts, book release, British history, customs and tradiitons, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, historical fiction, history, Jane Austen, laws of the land, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, marriage licenses, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, reading, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, research, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

June ~ the Month of Love and Marriage: Scottish Marriages and Elopements in the Regency Era

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Regina Jeffers

Those of us who read and write Regency novels have all heard of elopements to Gretna Green. Harking back to 1754 and the introduction of a new controversial Marriage Act in England, Gretna Green flourished as a haven for runaway … Continue reading →

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, British history, Church of England, eBooks, excerpt, Gretna Green, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, marriage licenses, Pride and Prejudice, publishing, Regency era, romance, Vagary, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

June ~ the Month of Love and Marriage: Fleet Prison Marriages of the 1700s

Posted on June 10, 2024 by Regina Jeffers

Marriage ceremonies associated with the Fleet Prison is London were many in the mid to late 1700s. It is estimated that in the 1740s over half of London’s marriage ceremonies took place in “marriage shops” surrounding the Fleet Prison. By … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, Georgian England, Georgian Era, marriage, marriage customs, marriage licenses, real life tales, Scotland | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

June ~ the Month of Love and Marriage: Questions on Age of Consent for Marriage During the Regency Era

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Regina Jeffers

I often receive questions from readers or new authors to historical romance regarding the legal age to marry during the Regency. Below are some of the questions I have received and my response. Perhaps it will help another writer or … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Church of England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, marriage licenses, Regency era, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on June ~ the Month of Love and Marriage: Questions on Age of Consent for Marriage During the Regency Era

Mr. Darcy Is Too “Proud.” But Is Darcy the Only Character Who Is Too Proud in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”?

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Regina Jeffers

As most of you are likely to realize by now, I am a “whole brained” individual, which means that although I adore the fine arts, I still possess a very analytical brain. You’ll find me solving word puzzles and sodokus … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, excerpt, George Wickham, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, marriage customs, marriage licenses, Pride and Prejudice, Regency era, Regency romance, romance | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Sadie Hawkins’ Day, not a Leap Year Event, But Fun, Nevertheless

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Regina Jeffers

(Image from Sadie Hawkins’ cards at http://www.postcards.org) When I was a teen girl, I enjoyed the school-sponsored Sadie Hawkins’ dances. We didn’t exactly go for the girl asking the boy to the dance (like a date). But we did follow some … Continue reading →

Posted in America, American History, Appalachia, Austen Authors, customs and tradiitons, dancing, film, giveaway, history, holidays, legends and myths, marriage, marriage customs, Pop Culture, romance, tradtions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Happy 6th Book Birthday to The Earl Claims His Comfort: Book 2 of The Twins’ Trilogy

Posted on September 15, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

On 4 August 2023, I shared an excerpt from Book 1 of the Twins’ Trilogy, Angel Comes to the Devil’s Keep, Book 1 of the Twins’ Trilogy, for that book was celebrating its 7th’s Book Birthday. Today I have an … Continue reading →

Posted in book excerpts, book release, books, British history, castles, estates, family, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, Living in the Regency, marriage customs, medicine, mystery, primogenture, Regency era, Regency romance, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Common Law of Dower or What Does the Wife Inherit During the Regency?

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

Originally there were varieties of dower (not to be confused with dowry) such as dower ad ostium ecclesiae (“at the church door”) and dower ex assensu patris (by the heir with his father’s consent), in which before the couple was married, the wife was endowed of particular pieces of the property – specific lands. In Medieval times more so than modern ones, sometimes land held in knight service was exonerated from dower by the widow’s taking dower de la pluis beale (“of the most fair”) of her husband’s socage land. Continue reading →

Posted in British history, estates, family, finance, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Inheritance, Living in the Regency, marriage customs, primogenture, real life tales, Regency era, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Negotiating Marriage Settlements During the Regency Era

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

We have all likely read the part in a Regency romance where marriage settlements were discussed, but how did those come about?  “A marriage settlement in England was a historic arrangement whereby, most commonly and in its simplest form, a trust of land … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, Georgian, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Living in the Regency, marriage, marriage customs, primogenture | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Negotiating Marriage Settlements During the Regency Era

Regency Etiquette for Men and Women

Posted on March 20, 2023 by Regina Jeffers

I have never found an etiquette book publish during the Regency. The book named Regency Etiquette is not an etiquette book as we might think of it. The closest I once came was an etiquette book published in 1827. The … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, customs and tradiitons, dancing, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, marriage customs, peerage, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency romance, research, romance, tradtions, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments