Sunday, September 23, 2012

A Picnic at Pemberley.

I love Jane Austen. I love her books, her characters, the period she lived in (Regency), just everything about her.
And the Abbey Museum put on a 'Picnic at Pemberley' a week or so ago that we went to. As it happened to be one week after my birthday, Mum suggested that she take my two sisters, I and some friends to it as a birthday outing for my fourteenth. I of course agreed. And considering the creative and fun-loving person I am, I decided to have a little fun with it. So each girl I invited, I gave a Jane Austen character to. And throughout the afternoon we called each other by our 'names' and all acted rather proper and English like. And it was fun to dress up Regency style too.

Lauren and Bri came to our house early and we posed for Dad before departing.
India was Jane Bennet. She actually made her dress herself and looked beautiful.
And I chose to be Lizzy Bennet. She is my favourite Jane Austen heroine after all.
Briahna did my hair in a Regency updo style that I loved. It was more Emma Woodhouse, then Lizzy, but I liked the complicated hairstyle with no bonnet.
Eloise was Lydia Bennet (ha!) and made a sweet Regency girl. Very unlike the real Lydia, but we weren't acting exactly like our characters!
The lovely tea cups set out for afternoon tea.
It was so much fun posing for Mum before the picnic started.
My beautiful friends.
Best friends Imogen and India.
May pole dancing.
We played a Regency game with sticks and ribboned circles. Hilariously fun.
Regency dancing. We actually danced one from Pride and Prejudice!! It was so amazing and awesome.
Ginny and I taking the gentelemen's part. Because we're that awesome : )

And then somehow the people in charge of the picnic found out that some girl was having a birthday and had brought friends along to the Picnic at Pemberley...so two of the staff dressed up as Mr Gardiner and Mr Bennet called me forward to meet MR DARCY!!!!!!!!!! It was so awkward and I hoped against hope that he hadn't found out that I was being Elizabeth Bennet! Luckily, 'Mr Darcy' had managed not to secure that information. And to top it off, every one there (lead by 'Mr Darcy'), sang happy birthday to me!!!
All the girls thought it was hilarious. I was just so embarrassed.
Any ways, after that interesting episode, we took tea and a few of us found a table to sit at.
And then I opened the beautiful gifts that my dear friends had given me.
I felt so blessed to have such lovely presents. The girls were all so nice :)
All of us (from left to right): Briahna (Emma Woodhouse), me (Elizabeth Bennet), Annie (Marianne Dashwood), Cassie (Anne Elliot), Sarah (Catherine Morland), India (Jane Bennet), Shiloh (Charlotte Lucas), Imogen (Elinor Dashwood), Eloise (Lydia Bennet), Lizzy (Kitty Bennet), Lauren (Fanny Price) and Elsie (Georgiana Darcy).
It was probably my favourite birthday so far. I loved it.


Love muchly,

Holly xoxo

7 comments:

  1. Looks like so much fun Holly! And you look gorgeous! Xo

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  2. Nice! Hahahhaha....Mum, me and Briony were going to go to that for my 13th birthday present!! A weekend away and then we would go to that picnic!!! That's funny. :) The setting of the picnic looks so beautiful, I wish we did go in the end.... perhaps next year!

    So you are 14....really?! :D :) :D :) Sweet.

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    1. Oh really? That would have been funny if you did decide to go in the end...yes, the setting was beautiful. Do go next year Laura!
      Yep, fourteen going on fifteen! :)

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    2. You've just turned 14 and now you are already thinking about being 15!! hhahahaha :)

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  3. This is gorgeous! I love your outfits! What a fantastice idea.
    Looks like a heap of fun.
    Beth xxx

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  4. Loved, LOVED this post! I was drooling all over the dresses. : )

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  5. Happy birthday Holly!! I loved reading the post - Jane Austen is my all time favourite author as well and I think that all the dresses look just stunning!! I can saftly say that I completely understand the akward and embarrassed feeling of being introduced to Mr. Darcy!! I went to a church conference two weeks ago and was forced on stage by a friend who (against my will) thrust my hand up for me, and I ended up being blind folded in front of the whole church and informed that I was the lucky girl who was selected to choose a boy for a blind date!! I was able to laugh at the epizar afterwards but on the whole it left me very embarrassed!! :)

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