March 14 - June 29, 2025 | Museum of Riverside

First Comes Love: Courtship in the Victorian Era

They dream in courtship but in wedlock wake.

- Alexander Pope

The Victorian era (1837-1901) marked a shift in the institution of marriage, moving from economic and social necessity to a model based on romantic love and emotional fulfillment. This cultural transformation ushered in new expectations and opportunities for individuals, especially women, in their pursuit of love and partnership. First Comes Love: Courtship in the Victorian Era explores the evolution of courtship during the mid-nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, the ways romantic love changed relationships and empowered women, and how this independence echoed through the lives of Riverside residents. At this time, the methods of coded rituals used to express emotions in public spaces also evolved. Disrupting the rigid constraints of Victorian society, the rise of love-based marriage marked a subtle but significant victory for women’s agency, allowing them a voice in their choice of partner and, ultimately, a step towards greater personal and social liberation.

First Comes Love: Courtship in the Victorian Era is curated by Taylor Bythewood-Porter, Curator of History.