After some successful trips ferreting around in antiques centres and junk shops I have a few more vintage wedding photographs to add to my collection. My virtual collection is growing too, you can see it on my
Pinterest board.
This is such a lovely photo set in a splendid panelled room with a huge fireplace that can just be seen on the right hand side. From the suits and dresses I would say it is a late 1930's wedding. The bride's dress has a high square neck with scalloped edging which is repeated at the sleeve edges. The sleeves are puffed and she is wearing a floor length veil. It is a simple and elegant dress. It is interesting that she is carrying a book (prayer?) rather than a bouquet.
The bridesmaid has a tremendous frilled heart shaped head piece, the centre of which seems to echo the panels on her bodice in colour. Her dress has a very high neck, it almost looks uncomfortable, and big puffed sleeves. She has a small pretty poesy finished with thick ribbon.
The men are wearing very dapper double breasted suits and the best man's suit has a pinstripe. The trousers are wide legged and they both carry gloves.
The photo is mounted and written on the mount in pencil is J.M. Turpie, Paisley. I don't know if this refers to the couple or to the photographer and haven't been able to find out.
I was very excited to find this photograph as it is such a relaxed and candid shot. It is very faded, bent and has funny reflections in it's original state so this is the best picture I could get of it. It is obviously a Second World War wedding from the groom's uniform and the bride's best dress rather than a wedding dress. To confirm it the picture is dated on the back which is lovely, I like it when there is any extra information. The wedding was on October 3rd 1942.
I would love to know who the little girl is, could she be theirs (unlikely due to her age and social stigmas at that time), his, hers (another reason for a best dress rather than a wedding dress if it is a second marriage) or just a relative? All these possibilities are really interesting. I love the fact that it looks like the little girl has just run up to them and the photographer has quickly captured the moment.
There is always a certain sadness when at wartime wedding photographs as you have to wonder whether the men came back and whether everyone survived. I hope they had a long and happy marriage.
When I picked up this photograph I was absolutely convinced that I had seen this bride and groom before and it turns out that I was right. I featured a picture of just the bride and groom on my second
post on my photograph bunting from my wedding. She is on the second photograph from the end of the post. I did get them from the same shop but a good six months apart so I was surprised that the two pictures were of the same wedding.
This is from the 1940s, in fact it is dated July 3rd 1945. The bride and bridesmaid are in their best dresses and everyday hats. The bouquets are massive. The groom looks very smart in his three piece suit. I like the row of terraces in the background, I assume they are standing outside the one that will be their home.
It is really nice to have three pictures from the same wedding here which each tell a slightly different part of the story of their day. The first is the bridal party outside the church just after the ceremony. I think the second one is the bride and groom leaving the church on the way to the reception. The third is of the cutting of the cake at the reception. It almost feels like you were there!
I think it is a late 1940s or early 1950s wedding. The bride is wearing a long sleeved, almost sweetheart neckline dress with a fitted bodice and slightly flowing gathered skirt. It is made of a heavy looking printed fabric, possibly satin or silk. Her veil is thigh length and is held in place with a hairband of flowers.
There are 3 adult and 2 child bridesmaids. The children are in bonnets and puff sleeved high neck dresses. The adults have dresses in a similar style to the bride but with short sleeves and different material. They have tiara style headpieces but I think they are probably floral. they all have wonderful bouquets.
It is hard to see much detail of the groom's suit but doesn't he look very youthful?! His best man is in a sailor's uniform, I like his buttonhole flower nestled in the ties of his sailor's collar.
It is really nice to have a picture from the reception, I have not come across many of them. The table setting is lovely, the tea cups have some kind of crest or writing on them. You can see plates of buns and cakes and possibly plates of sandwiches at every place. the wedding cake has 3 tiers with flowers and leaves as the decoration. Look at the vase of flowers on the top. It is on a big silver cake stand, like the one I had.
I keep on looking out for vintage wedding photographs so I imagine there will be another of these posts in the next few months!
