Text and photo Laila Duran ©
Last week I was in Rättvik by Lake Siljan in Dalecarlia to take photos for the next book in the series Scandinavian Folklore. Nearly thirty people was invited to the photo shoot and since most of the settings was going to be outdoors we hoped for good weather. We were lucky. In spite of rain, wind and sometimes bright sunshine we managed, thanks to the hospitality of Rättvik Hembygdsgård and Rättvik Church, to stage a spectacular wedding. Britt Eklund, whom I worked with during the production of vol 1 and 2, was in charge of the folk costumes and accessoires for the bride, bridegroom and the eight witnesses. We started the photo shoot with the men as they where quick to change in to their costumes.
In this entry I am going to show you the costumes of the bride groom from Rättvik and the friends he choose to be his witnesses.
Here they are on their way to the homestead where the bride is getting dressed. All of them wears formal festival costumes with the addition of a belt and red wristlets. The bride groom also wears a lace collar and white stockings.
They are all so hansom in their dark blue broadcloth coats with red edging. Their hats have colorful ribbons and the traditional red pompoms. The ladies are keeping them waiting…
The bride groom has three different ribbons decorating the hat and a silk ribbon folded at the front over the knot that keeps the lace collar in place.
Silk tussles are decorating the back side of the hat. The black ribbons between the hat´s scull and brim are tied to make sure the shape of the hat is always right. Even when the hat gets wet with rain.
Finally the bride and her brides maids arrive. In the next entry I will show you her dress and the spectacular decoration that was used on this “black bride” from Rättvik.
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To honor the winners this young girl is wearing her brand new chamois kirtle with red boots and a woven belt. Her bib is finely embroidered with thin thread and she has tassels and glass beads decorating her plaits.
Like most children they find time to play even when we, the adults, have lack of time.
How much charm can you put in to one little kirtle??? I just want to hug him! He is wearing his leather trousers with his black broadcloth kirtle. The low v-neckline is traditional for the Lule Samis. Like most young people he has a woven belt with a bone buckle.
This is a newly made belt and the buckle (or clasp) of bone, is fastened with a small piece of white leather.
A beautiful and warming accessoire are the checkered shawls worn by the ladies. They come in many different colors and sometimes even thin gold threads are woven in to the pattern. She has a lovely bib with the neckline decorated with thin thread embroidery.
Finally …. the photos are taken and they can run to join their friends. More photos will be published in the series Scandinavian Folklore, vol 3.
Anne-Kristin Moe, who will be the author of the book, is born and raised in Ålesund and where a very good guide. She new all the best spots to take our models.
Sunnmøre Museum was one of those places. Just outside the door from the main building it looks like this! The cooperation with the museum is a major part of the book and we where glad to be able to meet with the staff.
This local girl was happy to show the bunad from Søre Sunnmøre, South Sunnmøre. For the photo shoots we use people from the area to show the bunads and sometimes would they even bring their own bunads. This bunad is from Husfliden in Ålesund.
There is a great variation of bunads and folk costumes in this part of the country. If you like to see more please visit: 
Who can resist a man in a bunad? Especially when it comes wrapped in all this charm, including a bouquet of wild flowers!
Curator Line Iversen, is showing us the pride of the museum. A room from the home of famous norwegian writer Anders Hovden. The room has been furnished by Lars Kinsarvik, the wood carver who made some of the most spectacular furniture in the 20st century.
If you like costal history as well as folk costumes and bunads, Sunnmøre Museum is the place to visit. The old boats of the area was recognized to be the best boats to sail across the ocean and the boat builder tradition goes as far back as to the 7th century. For more information please visit: