VINTAGE VILLAGE WEDDINGS: PART III

This is the last (we will never say last!) of the vintage wedding series.

In reading on the net I found a great app tool which allowed me 

to do this collage and more.

I have loved doing this story telling with the beautiful photographs

 that grace these pages. 

 Gratitude for all those who carefully preserved them. 

There is a new one added to the collage and that is of my mother 

as a Bridesmaid in the 1930's.  

She is up at the right corner.  In researching my family genealogy 

I found it as part of another wedding photo.

Like pressed flowers, these beautiful photographs allow us to live moments of love 

from days gone by. As time passed, and as we see in these photos, history changed the way weddings took place. We saw it in the last two posts and we shall see it in this one. 

I recognize many of these faces though I knew them when they were much older.  

Of course, those related to me are engraved on my heart.

Before we begin: a note.  Carolyn, a reader, has highlighted the fact that many of the photographs in this series have the same backgrounds.  Indeed, they were all taken at Boutin Photography Studio on E. Brittania St. in Taunton.  She and I were commenting online that it would be awesome if some of those files exist.  Lo and behold… they do!  A daughter of the woman who owned the Studio kept them and they are going through them, hoping to post on 
I'm from Taunton Facebook page!!
  Blessed be those who do not throw away such treasures!  Blessed by Herminegild Boutin 
of Boutin Studios. 6 Brittania St., Taunton, premiere photographer!

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This first photograph is from my my Aunt Alveda Souza Napieralski's photos,  Thanks to my cousin Shelley for sharing.  It is clearly a Village shot.  I recognize my Aunt Lavina Souza O'Connell on the end at the right, and I think I recognize the Maid of Honor.  It appears the others were friends or bridesmaids.  I would think this was in the late 30's or 40's.

The photo also reminds me of stories I was told of the bridal showers given in the Village.  Apparently they included mock weddings and were for gals only.  The history of bridal showers is that back in the day when weddings were arranged by family members, it is said that a Dutchman fell in love with a girl whose father refused her a dowry.  Their friends "showered" them with enough gifts to start a household.  Later, another bridal party included an upside down parasol full of gifts. It was turned upside down over the bride and she was  "showered" with gifts.
 In the Village in the 30's and 40's young brides to be and their grooms
counted on showers to give their kitchens a head start. 

 Today of course showers are as complicated as weddings themselves.

 Not as much time for simple friendship and laughter.

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Speaking of young couples starting out with not much, a good example in 1939 was the wedding of my mother and father: Angelina Motta and Frank Souza. 

 My mother was, to all intents and purposes, an orphan without a mother and father 

to purchase a wedding gown and give her a wedding ceremony,

My father was just starting out himself, his father had died in 1927 and his mother, my grandmother was raising their seven children alone.  So, my parents did their own thing.  One cold January Sunday morning they were married quietly and simply after the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Anthony's.  They always said there were a lot of people at their marriage.  That did not mean however, that they were not a stunning couple,  even without the accoutrements of wedding finery my mother is stylish and chic wearing her corsage with as much joy as a bride with a full bouquet.

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                               It was not long before war became a fact of life for young couples

                               who were marrying.  Here is a photo from Pinterest of a family posing after

                               a simple wartime ceremony.  No money, time or much else but love to

                               start them off in life, with prayers that he would come back from battle.

                              

         

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 The war meant that Village couples took much on faith as they exchanged their vows.

             That was true for this couple: we introduce Mr. and Mrs. Alice (Pina) and John Emond.

            Before their wedding he was sent off to WWII.  She prayed and waited faithfully until he returned.  She and my Aunt Alveda were best friends.  They waited together

for their men to come home.

Happily, they did.  Here below is their wedding photograph from 1946.

                   

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Also, in 1946  the Village wedding of my Aunt Alveda and her husband, Zigmond took place..

You were treated to their wartime romance and wedding earlier

in this blog when we spoke of the Army Base at Camp Miles Standish in Taunton.

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                       Below is the 1948 wedding photo of Alice Pina's sister, Virginia Pina, to
                       Manuel Nascimento.  Manuel is related to my nephew's Peter and Roger.
                            The Best Man is Charlie Nascimento also related to my nephews.
                              The Maid of Honor is Mary Pina, twin sister to the Bride.

                                                                   ……………..


Finally, I feel we have come full circle with this wedding below in 1946.  Here are Bride: Deloinda "Linda" Rezendes and her husband Antone Carreiro. Her Maid of Honor is her sister, Mary Rezendes, the Best Man is their brother, Tony Rezendes.

Why do I say full circle?  Well, Linda and Mary and Tony were siblings of my dear friend, Theresa.
Theresa and I grew up together in the Village.  Through me, Terry met her husband, Gil. She and I double dated on their first date.  I was Maid of Honor at their wedding at St. Anthony's in 1960.
                                                It is to Theresa that I dedicated this blog.

Now, let me tell you a charming story about the Maid of Honor, Mary, one of the bride's 

sisters. Mary and Linda and their sister, Theresa were from a family that was strict as to 

the activities of the daughters.  Theresa could spend time at my house only if her mother talked to my mother first.  Anyway, Mary's  friends told her if she did not get out and about, she would never marry.  She responded that if God wanted her to find a husband, He would send one to knock at the door.

So. one day she was sitting at the kitchen table in the family's third floor small apartment on Floral St.  There was a knock on the door. Mary answered it and there was Antone.  He had been sent by a cousin to see if they needed dry cleaning.  He owned his own small company and made house calls.  The rest as you can guess is that they eventually married.  I am sure there was a very chaperoned courtship before this wedding took place. Mary did not have to go any further than answering the door!

             
                       "We bring our years to an end, as it it were a tale to be told." Psalm 90

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This series of posts has resulted in over 1,000 page views, it is clear that we all love
 wedding history.

I am glad that this has been enjoyed.  I urge you to share your family photos, the older the better, and stories attached are even more welcome!!

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Sources for this series:

There are many web sites relating to the history of weddings, here are some I used :

http://www.pibweddings.com/traditionsorigins.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/10/weddings-history_n_2272022.html

http://www.brideandgroom.com/wedding-articles/wedding-traditions-2.asp

*Photographs from Arlene Gouveia with Village lore for many of them.
*Photographs from Motta-Souza Genealogy collection.

*Photographs from Shelley Napieralski Au, her Mother'sand my Aunt Alveda Souza  Napieralski's collection:

*Pinterest for floral photo, shower momento and other photographs.

 The photo above was shared by a vintage collecting friend.