Wedding accessories from the Nugée family Many wedding artefacts are preserved because marriage is so significant an event in the lives of the participants. Some pass from one generation to the next, becoming family heirlooms. The Nugée family kept this group of fragile objects because of their importance to the family history. The objects conjure up the romantic prettiness typical of many Victorian weddings. Shoes Chapelle Paris, France 1854 Silk satin, cotton and leather V&A: T.4:1, 2-2008 Wreath Britain 1854 Feather and silk-wrapped wire V&A: T.6-2008 Wedding favours Britain 1854 Cotton, silk, paper and wire V&A: T.7, 8-2008 Bridesmaid's fan Britain 1854 Paper leaf with metal spangles, wooden sticks and guards Associated with the wedding of Elizabeth Wroughton Richards and Reverend Andrew Nugée, 8 August 1854 V&A: T.14-2008 Shoes France or Britain 1887 Silk satin, cotton and leather Associated with the wedding of Edith Elizabeth Alston and Francis Edward Nugée, son of Andrew and Elizabeth Nugée, 1887 V&A: T.5:1, 2-2008 Collection given by Edward Nugée QC [2011] Wedding favour, spray of cloth orange blossom on wire with silvered paper oak-leaves and silk satin ribbons, Great Britain, ca. 1854 Spray of orange blossom on piece of wire, flowers made of cloth, silvered paper oak-leaves and acorn cup, with silk satin ribbons. Wedding favours were small mementoes that were handed out to close friends, relatives, and others connected to the wedding. At Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, The Times reported upon the wedding favours given to the guests: "Every lady exhibited a white favour, some of which were admirable specimens of refined taste. They were of all sizes, many of white satin riband, tied up into bows and mixed with layers of rich silver lace. Others merely of riband intermixed with sprigs of orange flower blossom." By 1840, imitation orange blossom was a popular trimming for weddings. This wedding favour, which is associated with a 1854 wedding, is on a less grand scale than Queen Victoria's favours. However, the concept is similar in that it features cloth orange blossoms, silvered paper leaves, and cream silk satin ribbon.