Weddings and Marriages

A 1970s photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. In the original scan of this photo, the Pennsylvania license plate on the back of the truck looks like it has a "74" or "75" sticker in one corner, so I'm reasonably sure that it dates to the 1970s.

A Kodachrome slide dated July 1959.

An undated red-border Kodachrome Duplicate slide. The honeymoon getaway car is a Ford Super Deluxe convertible with a 1949 Virginia license plate. This same car also appears in Newlyweds at the Hughes Dairy Bar, Tioga, Pa., 1949 .

An undated red-border Kodachrome Duplicate slide. Hughes Dairy Bar was located along Route 15, north of Tioga, Pa. For another view of this same car, which is a Ford Super Deluxe convertible with a 1949 license plate, see Just Married, 1949 .

Or at least it looked like a runaway bride to me at first glance. After seeing what was written on the back of the photo, however, it appears that "Verla" (on the right) and an accomplice (on the stairs) are running out of the church in order to play a prank on the bride and groom by "decorating" their car ("Gil's car") in some amusing, inconvenient, or embarassing way. I still remember how some friends "decorated" the getaway car at my cousin's wedding by spraying shaving cream all over it. Handwritten description on the back of the photo: "Front view of church & shows how windy it was. Verla in foreground.They're on their way to decorate Gil's car." Dealer's handwritten caption on the back of the photo: "Holy #&@! Run!!"

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of at the wedding (but not the bride or groom) . Handwritten note on the back of the photo: "They're decorating the car." In this snapshot from 1949, a young man and woman are decorating a bride and groom's getaway car. The woman (her white dress is visible beyond the man) may be "Verla," who's seen in another photo running down the steps of the church in the background. The words "watch" and "out" are written to the left and right of the license plate on the back of the car.

Slide dated October 1959, location unknown. Hilarity ensued as these two men carried the woman through a doorway into a house. Judging by the corsage that the woman was wearing and the flower in the one man's lapel, I suspect that they may have been celebrating a wedding anniversary. Note, too, that a television set is partially visible behind the doll on the left.

An African American photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back of this photo: "Gloria . . . and her wedding desk, Met. Life Ins., Oct. 1951." This "wedding desk" seems to be part of a bridal shower for Gloria in a Metropolitan Life Insurance Company office in 1951. It appears to be taking place in a large open room with other desks and people in the background and fluorescent lights overhead. The bride-to-be is wearing a corsage, there are a couple of roses in a vase on the desk, and additional flowers decorate the trellis that serves as a backdrop. On the desk itself are what I assume to be gifts--bowls, a shiny electric appliance of some sort (a waffle maker or roaster, perhaps?), a clock, a knife set, and an opened box of chocolate candies (mouse over the image above for a close-up view of the desktop ). It looks like Gloria is tasting something that was prepared in the pan in front of her, which may also have been a gift. Has anyone else ever heard of a workplace bridal shower referred to as a "wedding desk"?

For more information, see the full version of this photo:

A gift giving photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. "Thank you, Peggy & Richy." A photographic card to convey thanks for a wedding gift. I hope that my suggestion of "gift giving" as this week's theme hasn't stymied contributions to the Vintage Photos Theme Park ! My take on the topic is that any aspect of gift giving, receiving, opening, or displaying is fair game, so I hope that my cohorts in Theme Park crime will consider posting other photos of wedding gifts, Christmas gifts , birthday gifts , or any other kinds of gifts .

A real photo postcard showing the women who participated in an all-female mock wedding, date and location unknown.

Be sure to take a look at the cropped version of this photo to see the charming expressions of the bride, groom, and other cute members of the bridal party. From the Dente Studio, Newport, Pa.

I sense that the bride and groom may have had some second thoughts as they posed for this photo. See also the full version of this photo. From the Dente Studio, Newport, Pa.

A weddings photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten caption (barely visible at the bottom of the photo above): "Mr. & Mrs. T. Thumb." Handwritten note on the back of the photo (see below): "Mr. & Mrs. Tom Thumb." Printed on the back of the photo: "Published by the New York Photographic Co., No. 453 Broadway, New York." Other versions of this photo are captioned "Mr. & Mrs. 'General Tom Thumb' in Their Wedding Costumes" (see, for instance, Photo_History's copy, Tom Thumb's Wedding by Brady , on Flickr). As Wikipedia explains, " General Tom Thumb was the stage name of Charles Sherwood Stratton" (1838-1883), a little person who became famous as a performer for circus promoter P. T. Barnum. His marriage to Lavinia Warren (1841-1919), a little person who was a former school teacher, took place on February 10, 1863, and received extensive publicity. Stratton died in 1883, and Lavinia married another little person, Count Primo Magri (1849-1920), in 1885 (see the photo of Count and Countess Magri below). Despite her marriage to Magri, Lavinia continued to make appearances as Mrs. General Tom Thumb (see below for a 1912 theater advertisement and an undated green ticket ). Lavinia died in 1919 and was buried next to her first husband. Magri passed away the following year. After all the publicity generated by Lavinia and Stratton's marriage in 1863, people began referring to the playful mock marriages in which children assume the roles of bride and groom as "Tom Thumb weddings." These events are still held today by churches and other groups for fundraising and entertainment purposes (see below for a photo of a children's mock wedding held in the 1920s ).

Handwritten note on this CDV photo back : "Mr. & Mrs. Tom Thumb." Backmark: "Published by the New York Photographic Co., No. 453 Broadway, New York." For the photo on the front of this CDV, see Mr. and Mrs. Tom Thumb in Their Wedding Attire :

"Unlucky days for getting married. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday."

I haven't been able to uncover any information regarding Gustav Brünner and Helene Rumke, but see below for a Google-assisted translation of the German text of their wedding menu. -------- Menu zur Hochzeitsfeier des Herrn Gustav Brünner und Fräulein Helene Rumke am Sonnabend, den 11. Mai 1889. Krebssuppe. Ochsenfilet, Bratkartoffeln. Lachs, Butter, und Petersilie. Spargel, Spinat, Erbsen, Schinken, Ochsenzunge, gebr. Schweser. Kapaunen, Salat, und Compot. Eis, Backwerk. Butter, Käse, Nachtisch. Ernst Gravenhorst, Hamburg. -------- Menu for the Wedding of Mr. Gustav Brünner and Miss Helene Rumke on Saturday, May 11, 1889. Crab Soup. Fillet of Beef, Fried Potatoes. Salmon, Butter, and Parsley. Asparagus, Spinach, Peas, Ham, Ox Tongue, fried Sweetbreads. Capons, Salad, and Compote. Ice Cream, Baked Goods. Butter, Cheese, Dessert. Ernst Gravenhorst, Hamburg.

Lecture To-night Rev. Thos. Coke Carter, D.D., will deliver his humorous lecture on Matrimonial Mistakes in the Oberlin U.B. Church, Thursday evening, October 4, 1900, at 7.45 o'clock. Dr. Carter is a lecturer of national reputation, and this is one of his most charming lectures. The press of the country speak in the highest terms of the lecture and lecturer. If you wish to drive away the blues, hear this lecture and have a good laugh. Admission, 15c. Two tickets, 25c. Advocate and Verdict Print, Steelton, Pa. -------- It's difficult to get a sense of what Rev. Thos. Coke Carter spoke about in his "Matrimonial Mistakes" lecture based upon this printed announcement, but the following account--published over six years later after Carter had become a bishop in his church--provides some details: Entertaining Lecture: Was "Matrimonial Mistakes" Delivered at the Court-house Monday Evening The lecture in the Court-house, Monday evening, by Bishop T. C. Carter, of Chattanooga, on Matrimonial Mistakes was a treat to all who heard it. From beginning to close the lecture was one of sound logic, interspersed with humor and adorned with sentiment. The many mistakes, their origins and fearful consequences were vividly pictured but the crowning feature, the full weight of the discourse, was directed to a higher and broader conception of matrimonial relations, the wisdom displayed in choice, and the blessings that reign over the homes of the fortunate in wedlock. If this lecture could be delivered throughout the country, it would prove a great blessing and would doubtless save many an erring one from a fatal step, disperse misery, and install happiness in many homes. The lecturer was introduced by Gov. J. R. Hindman in his usual happy manner, after listening to inspiring music made by the Columbia Band. In closing Bishop Carter dwelt on the tender memories of early life and paid a just tribute to home--one that impressed his many hearers with its many blessings, after which the Band played "Home Sweet Home." Adair County News (Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky), Wed., April 3, 1907, p. 1 , col. 1. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress.