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Weddings of U.S. Presidents – Part Two

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In this two part series to honor President’s Day this month I thought it would be interesting to discuss the weddings of the Presidents of the United States.  For practical and logistical reasons I have selected just a few of the forty-five Presidents ranging from George Washington to John Kennedy in Part One (please click on the link for more information on that post)   Part Two will include information about the weddings of the most recent Presidents from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump. 

Ronald Reagan – the 40th U.S. President (1981 to 1989)

Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois and the family eventually settled in Dixon, Illinois.  He attended Dixon High School and then to Eureka College graduating in 1932.  Reagan started his career as a sports radio announcer and while in Los Angeles covering a Cubs baseball game in 1937 he took a screen test with Warner Brothers and received a seven year contract with the motion picture studio.  Later Reagan would work in television as host and actor in the General Electric Theater show and he also starred in Death Valley Days show.

Reagan had been previously married to actress Jane Wyman; they were married in 1940 and divorced in 1949.  Wyman stated that one of the reasons for the divorce was because of their opposing views in politics (she was a Republican and he was a Democrat, he would later change his political party in the 1950s).  They had one daughter, Maureen born in 1941 and an adopted son Michael who was born in 1945.

Nancy Davis (born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6, 1921 in Manhattan) met Reagan in 1949.  At the time she was an actress and he was the president of the Screen Actors Guild.  After dating for several years, Reagan and Nancy were married on March 4, 1952 at the Little Brown Church located in the San Fernando Valley in California.  Fellow actor, William Holden, was their best man.  The couple went had two children, Patti born in 1952 and Ron born in 1958.    

Ronald and Nancy Reagan on their wedding day

Given his experience as SAG President, Reagan became very interested in politics.  He decided to run as a Republican candidate for Governor of California, he served two terms from 1967 to 1975.  Reagan went on to be elected President and served two terms in office from 1981 to 1989.

Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1994 and died in 2004.  He is buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA.  Nancy died in 2016 and she is buried alongside her husband at the Reagan Library.       

Special Note: Ronald Reagan was the first President to be divorced.      

George W. Bush – the 41rd U.S. President (1989 to 1993)

George Herbert Walker Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts on June 12, 1924.  The Bush family would move to Greenwich, Connecticut, the family would often vacation in Kennebunkport, Maine.  Bush served in the United States Navy during World War II, then after graduating from Yale University he moved to Texas and established an oil company.  After an unsuccessful bid for the United States Senate he won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1966.  In 1971 he was appointed to be the U.S. Ambassador, in 1974 he served as the Chief of the Liaison Office to China and then in 1976 he became the Director of the Central Intelligence.  After Reagan won the Republican presidential nomination he selected Bush as his running mate, he served in that position from 1980 to 1988.  Then in 1989, Bush became President serving two terms from 1989 to 1993.

Barbara Pierce (born on June 8, 1925 in the New York City), met George Bush and after a year and a half of dating they became engaged.  When he returned on leave from the Navy, they were married on January 6, 1947 at the First Presbyterian Church in Rye, New York.  The couple had six children:  George W. born in 1946 (later the 43rd U.S. President), Pauline “Robin” born in 1949 died of leukemia in 1953, John “Jeb” born in 1953 (later governor of Florida), Neil born in 1955, Marvin born in 1956 and Dorothy “Doro” born in 1959.      

George and Barbara Bush on their wedding day

Barbara was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 1988; she was also a heavy smoker for 25 years and suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  Later she would be diagnosed with congestive heart failure and underwent an aortic valve replacement surgery in 2009.  Sadly by 2018, her health was failing and she died on April 17.  Her funeral was held at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston and she was buried at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.

Bush died on November 30, 2018 just seven months after his wife’s passing.  Bush lay in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. for 3 days and then the Bush casket was transferred to the Washington National Cathedral for a State funeral on December 5.  After the funeral, Bush’s casket was flown back to Texas to the George Bush Presidential Library and he was buried next to his wife, Barbara. 

Special Note: Barbara was one of only two women to be the wife of one U.S. President and the mother of another.  Abigail Adams was the other first lady; she was married to President John Adams and the mother of President John Quincy Adams.

William Clinton – the 42nd U.S. President (1993 to 2001)

Bill Clinton was born and raised in Arkansas, after high school he attended Georgetown University, University College at Oxford and Yale Law School.  It was while he was at Yale that he met a fellow student named Hillary Rodham (born on October 26, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois) in the school library and they began dating.  After Hillary graduated from law school, the pair took a trip to Europe and while in England Bill proposed.  Initially, she said no and he asked several more times until she finally said yes.  The small wedding took place in the living room of their new home on October 11, 1975, Hillary wore an off the rack Jessica McClintock lace dress.  Later a larger reception was held in the backyard and the couple spent their honeymoon in Acapulco, Mexico.  The couple had one daughter, Chelsea, born in 1980.

Bill and Hillary Clinton on their wedding day

Clinton would go on to serve as Arkansas attorney general from 1977 to 1979, then Arkansas governor from 1979 to 1981 and then 1983 to 1992.  Relatively unknown nationally, Clinton ran for President as a Democratic candidate.  He won and served two terms from 1993 to 2001, but in 1998 he was impeached by the House of Representatives.  At the time he was only the second U.S. President to be impeached, Andrew Jackson was the first.

Hillary would go on to be elected as the first female senator from New York in 2000, she was re-elected in 2006.  Then, from 2009 and 2013, she served as the U.S. Secretary of State in the Obama Administration. 

George W. Bush – the 43nd U.S. President (2001 to 2009)

George Walker Bush was born on July 6, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut.  He was the eldest son of George and Barbara Bush, he holds the distinction of only two Presidents to be the son of a President (the other one was John Quincy Adams who was the son of John Adams).  The Bush family eventually moved to Texas and George attended the local schools and then went the Phillips Academy, a boarding school in Andover, MA for high school.  He attended Yale University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1968, after failing to get into the University of Texas School of Law, he went to Harvard Business School and graduated in 1975 with an MBA degree.

George met Laura Welch (born on November 4, 1946 in Midland Texas) at a friend’s backyard barbecue in July 1977, at the time Laura was a schoolteacher and librarian.  After dating for only a few months, Bush proposed to Laura in September and they were married on November 5, 1977 at the First United Methodist Church in Midland, they honeymooned in Cozumel, Mexico.  The couple have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna born in 1981 (the girls were named after their maternal and paternal grandmothers)       

George and Laura Bush with his parents on their wedding day

After a failed attempt at a House of Representative seat in Texas, the family moved to Washington, D.C. and Bush Jr. went to work on his father’s Presidential campaign.  A few years later Bush Jr ran as a Republican candidate for the governor of Texas, he served from 1995 to 2000.. He became the first governor in Texas history to b elected to two consecutive four-year terms.  Bush Jr. ran for President and after a controversial win against Al Gore, he serve two terms in office from 2001 to 2009.    

After leaving office in 2009, Bush and his family returned to their ranch in Crawford, Texas and also bought another home in Dallas, Texas.  The Bush family would also spend time at Walker’s Point in Kennebunkport, Maine. 

Barack Obama – the 44th U.S. President (2009 to 2017)

Barrack Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii (he is the first President to be born outside the continental United States).  After his parent’s divorce and his mother’s remarriage, he lived in Indonesia from the time he was six to ten years old.  In 1971, he returned to Hawaii to live with his maternal grandparents.  He attended Punahou School from fifth grade until he graduated in 1979.  He attended Columbia University and graduated in 1983, later he worked as a community organizer in Chicago, Illinois.  In 1988 he enrolled in Harvard Law School and after graduating he would return to Chicago to work as a civil rights attorney. 

In 1989, Barack interned at a Chicago law firm and met Michelle Robinson (born January 17, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois).  Although Barack was interested in Michelle, she resisted because she felt it was not appropriate for co-workers to date.  Eventually, Obama’s charm wore her down and the two began dating.  Barack proposed during a finishing the bar exam celebratory dinner in which the engagement ring was brought out on the dessert tray.

The wedding took place on October 3, 1992 at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, a small reception followed at the South Shore Cultural Center.  Michelle wore an off the shoulder long sleeved wedding dress with a veil and drop pearl earrings.

Barack and Michelle Obama with their mothers on their wedding day

From 1992 to 2004, Barack taught constitutional law as the University of Chicago Law School.  Then, he decided to enter politics and served in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004, during that time he traveled back and forth to Springfield.  In 2004, Barack won a seat in the U.S. Senate; he served from 2005 to 2008.  He would go on to get national attention that same year when he gave well-received speech at the Democratic National Convention. 

In February 2007, Barack announced his run for President in a very symbolic place.  It was in front of the Old State Capitol building in Springfield, IL where Abraham Lincoln had delivered the historic speech regarding a house divided cannot stand.  He ran on the theme of hope and change and won the 2008 election to become the 44th President of the United States serving two terms in office.  Nine months after his inauguration, Barack received the distinction of being named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. 

The couple have two daughters, Malia born in 1998 and Natasha (“Sasha”) in 2001.  Before moving their family to Washington D.C. for the duration of the presidency, the Obamas sought the advice from past first ladies regarding raising young children in the White House.  To aid in handling the transition Michelle’s mother, Marian Robinson, also moved into the White House to assist in taking care of Malia and Sasha.           

Donald Trump – the 45th U.S. President (2018 to current)

Donald Trump was born on June 14, 1946 in the Queens section of New York City.  He attended the coed college preparatory school Kew-Forest School from kindergarten to seventh grade.  He then attended the New York Military Academy, a private boarding school located 60 miles north of New York City.  After graduating from there, Trump attended Fordham University and then transferred to the Wharton school of the University of Pennsylvania, he graduated with a B.S. in economics in 1968.

During his time at Wharton, Trump was able to obtain student draft deferments and also a medical deferment for bone spurs and was eventually classified as 4-F, meaning he was permanently disqualified from military service.  Then, in 1971, Trump took over the family’s real estate business, which he renamed the Trump Organization.  He expanded the business from Queens to Brooklyn and Manhattan.

In 1977 Trump married Czech model Ivana Zelnickova and they had three children – Donald, Jr. born in 1977, Ivanka born in 1981 and Eric born in 1984.  The couple divorced in 1992 after Trump had an affair with actress Marla Maples.  Maples and Trump had a daughter, Tiffany, born in 1993.  Trump and Maples married in late 1993 and divorced in 1999.  (Trump is the only U.S. President to be twice divorced)

In 1998, while in the process of divorcing his second wife, Trump met Melania Knavs (born on April 26, 1970, her name was later Germanized to Melania Knauss).  Melania was a former Slovenian fashion model that would later relocate to the United States in 1996.      

Trump married Melania on January 22, 2005 at the Bethesda-by the Sea Episcopal church in Palm Beach, Florida with a lavish reception held afterwards at Trump’s nearby estate Mar-a-Lago.  Melania wore a very extravagant wedding dress designed by John Galliano of the House of Christian Dior.  It was made of white satin and featured a strapless bodice and a 13 foot train, the dress was heavily embroidered and accented with crystal and pearls.  Melania wore a 16 foot veil and accessorized her bridal ensemble with a diamond necklace and three diamond bracelets.  Since the dress weighed about 60 pounds, she would later change into a Vera Wang gown for the reception.  The couple have a son named Barron who was born in 2006. 

Donald and Melania Trump on their wedding day

Trump has the distinction of being the oldest elected U.S. President, the first without military or government service experience and also the only reality television personality elected President.           

A British Royal Bride – Queen Victoria

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Previously I featured a post about the British Royal Wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert which took place on February 10, 1840 at the Chapel Royal, St. James Palace.  Queen Victoria set many trends during her long reign and she directly influenced the traditions of the British Royal weddings, such as the use of myrtle in the bridal bouquet. She is also credited for starting the custom of a bride wearing a white wedding dress which is still a popular choice for many modern brides.  This post will be about Queen Victoria as a British Royal bride and I will discuss what she wore on her wedding day including all the items of her bridal ensemble and jewelry.

 Queen Victoria’s wedding dress and bridal accessories

The wedding dress custom until the Georgian Era was that ordinary brides of the working class often wore their “best dress” on their wedding day, usually made in a dark and durable material.  Brides of the upper class would wear dresses especially made for the occasion to show their wealthy status.  Royal brides wore elaborate dresses made in gold or silver fabric sometimes embroidered with silk threads and embellished with semi-precious stones as was befitting their royal status.

When it came time for Queen Victoria’s wedding, she decided that she wanted to wear a white or ivory bridal gown and she also wanted to used the opportunity to promote the British fabric manufacturing industry.  Her dress was made of the finest white satin provided by Spitalfields in London and featured a bodice top and a full pleated skirt.  The skirt included Honiton lace and had a detachable train that measured 18 feet in length and was accented with a border of orange blossom sprays.  The separate top also featured Honiton lace accents across the bodice and on the sleeves. (Special Note: Queen Victoria’s wedding gown has been carefully preserved and is now part of the British Royal collection and was most recently put on display at Kensington Palace in 2012.  It is questionable as to whether the dress will be further exhibited due its fragile condition)

Queen Victoria’s wedding dress

Queen Victoria’s bridal shoes were made by Gundry & Sons of London.  The shoes were made of white satin to match the dress, it has been noted that the shoes were approximately a size 3.  The shoes was a typical design of the Georgian Era and had flat leather soles with no heels and featured a square toe trimmed with six bands of ribbon with additional ribbons used to tie the shoe onto the foot.

         

Queen Victoria’s bridal shoes

On her wedding day, Queen Victoria wore a bridal veil made of Honiton lace but instead of wearing a diamond tiara that would have befit her royal status she chose to secure the veil to her head with a wreath of orange blossoms.  Orange blossoms were often worn by brides to symbolize chastity and fertility.

Queen Victoria bridal veil and wreath
(photograph from royalcollection.org.uk)

Historical Note: Queen Victoria wore her bridal veil many times in the years following her wedding day for such family events as her children’s christenings, the wedding of her eldest daughter Princess Victoria in 1858 and her youngest son Leopold’s wedding in 1882.  She loaned the bridal veil to her youngest daughter when Princess Beatrice married in 1885, she was the only one of the five daughters to be given this honor.  Queen Victoria wore her bridal veil for the last time underneath her famous small crown for the formal portrait of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.  When she died a few years later in 1901 her request was to be buried alongside her beloved husband, Prince Albert, who was laid to rest almost 40 years earlier in 1861 at Frogmore in the Windsor Great Park.  As a final tribute to her beloved husband, the Queen also requested the she be buried wearing her wedding veil)

Queen Victoria wearing her bridal veil at the time of her Golden Jubilee

On her wedding day Queen Victoria carried a small bouquet of snowdrops which were Prince Albert’s favorite flower.  Legend has it that clippings from the myrtle in Queen Victoria’s bridal bouquet have been used by every royal bride since the time of her wedding including most recently by Catherine Middleton when she married Prince William in 2011.  The tradition of the myrtle first started when the Princess Royal Victoria, the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, used a clipping of Queen Victoria’s myrtle when she married Prince Frederick of Prussia in 1958.  The tradition continued thereafter for the weddings of Queen Victoria and Price Albert’s other four daughters.  (Special Note: The myrtle planted during Queen Victoria’s time, that still grows in the garden at Osborne House, did not come from her bridal bouquet but originally came from a nosegay presented by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Prince Albert’s homeland of Germany several years after her wedding)

Queen Victoria’s wedding jewelry

In 1847, Queen Victoria commissioned Franz Xaver Winterhalter to paint a portrait of her wearing her wedding dress as an anniversary present for Prince Albert. In the Winterhalter portrait the Queen is seen wearing the Turkish diamond necklace and earrings and the insignia of the Order of the Garter.  Back in 1838, Queen Victoria was given a collection of several diamonds by Sultan Mahmud of Turkey.  The next year, the Queen commissioned the Royal jewelers, Rundell & Bridge, to create a necklace and earrings using the Turkish diamonds.

Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

The necklace featured three diamond rosettes connected by three strands of diamonds; the center rosette was larger than the two rosettes on either side.  Strung behind the second rosettes are two rows of diamonds connected by two large oval diamonds; the necklace clasp had a large diamond framed by smaller diamonds.  The matching Turkish earrings featured two small rosettes connected by three rows of diamonds; it has been noted that the earrings were very heavy to wear.  In the years following her wedding, Queen Victoria wore the Turkish jewelry set for several important events in her life, such as the christening of her children. (Special Note:  After Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, the Turkish diamond set was given to her son, the Duke of Connaught.  Unfortunately, the set is no longer a part of the British Royal Collection)

Queen Victoria’s Turkish necklace

On the bodice of her wedding dress Queen Victoria pinned a large sapphire and diamond brooch that was a wedding present from Prince Albert which he had given to her the day before their wedding.  The center stone is a large oblong blue sapphire surrounded by twelve round diamonds and set in gold.  (Special Note: After Prince Albert’s death in 1861, the brooch became very sentimental to Queen Victoria and she wore it frequently on many occasions during her long life.  When Queen Victoria died in 1901, this important historical brooch was given to the British Crown. Several Queen Consorts have worn the brooch over the years that followed including the present Queen Elizabeth II)

Queen Victoria’s sapphire and diamond brooch

Queen Victoria’s going-away outfit

After the wedding at St. James Palace and the reception at Buckingham Palace, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert departed London to travel to nearby Windsor Castle for a four day honeymoon.  Before leaving, the Queen changed into a white satin pelisse dress trimmed in swan feathers.  She also wore a white velvet bonnet trimmed with orange blossoms accented with marabou feathers.  The Prince wore a plain dark traveling suit with a dark coat.

Queen Victoria’s going-away dress

Queen Victoria’s going-way bonnet
(photograph of the bonnet is from the royalcollection.org.uk)

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s anniversary photographs

In researching this post, I found several photos that were labeled as the wedding photos of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.  This is misleading because at the time of their wedding they were both 20 years old and on closer examination of the photographs the couple is noticeably older.  In fact, there were no photographs taken on the day of the wedding in 1840 the reason being that photography was a relatively new technology and camera techniques were still being developed.  (Special Note: As photography methods improved over the following years Queen Victoria and Prince Albert became increasingly interested and felt that the relatively new photographic technology should be included in the Great Exhibition of 1851)

The Queen felt that the new medium was important and from a historical perspective her reign should be recorded in photographs  On May 11, 1854 a series of photographs were taken by Roger Fenton at Buckingham Palace.  By that time the Queen and Prince had been married almost fifteen years and the photographs would be used to mark the occasion.  The Queen was dress in flowing white dress with a small train which were embellished with orange blossoms, she also wore her bridal veil and a wreath of orange blossoms.  The Prince was dressed in military uniform.  (Special Note: These are the photographs most often referred to incorrectly as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert wedding photographs)

One of the photographs of a series taken on May 11, 1854

For more detailed information about the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, please click on the links.

Christian Dior – the French Fashion Designer

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In this post I will discuss the life and career of Christian Dior who was the French designer which changed the clothing industry in 1947 with his revolutionary “New Look” fashion collection that still continues to influence the fashion industry in modern times.  (Special Note: The timeless Dior designs detailed in this post would be a great inspiration for a classic wedding style for either a bride and/or bridesmaid dress)

A brief history of the life and career of Christian Dior

Christian Dior was born on January 21, 1905 in Granville located in northern France.  When Dior was five years old his family moved to Paris and he dreamed of becoming an architect.  But his parents wanted him to be a diplomat and with this family pressure Dior enrolled in the Ecole des Sciences Politques in 1925 to study political science.

After graduating in 1928 Dior chose to follow his artistic ambitions and, with the financial assistance of his father, he opened an art gallery.  Dior had a mild success for a few years until the collapse of his father’s company causing Dior to run out of money which forced him to close the gallery.

While struggling to overcome this set back, Dior supplemented his income by using his artistic talents to sell fashion sketches and people began to notice his design talents.  As a result, he was soon hired to work as an assistant to the well-known fashion designer Robert Piguet.  But, once again after only a few short years, Dior’s plans were altered when he enlisted in the French army in 1940.  After his military service ended in 1942, Dior was hired by another designer, Lucien LeLong.  During this time he worked in German-occupied Paris designing dresses for the wives of Nazi officer living in the city.

After World War II, business in the recently liberated France greatly increased and Dior had a unique idea for women’s fashion.  With wartime supply shortages and a general lack of creative design resulting in relatively androgynous styles that were often made in inexpensive but durable fabrics.  In December 1946, funded by Marcel Boussac, Dior established the House of Dior.  By February 1947 Dior had created his first Spring/Summer fashion collection, it became known as the “New Look”’. The debut collection featured 90 outfits that were distinctly feminine in style with cinched waists aided by a corset and full skirts with mild padding at the hips, the clothes were also made in luxurious fabrics.  Dior received widespread press coverage for his designs when the British Royal family and Hollywood movies stars were seen wearing Dior’s clothing.

To create the feminine silhouette that Dior had envisioned an intricate interior support system for the dresses.  In the photo shown below, the back of a dress is opened to reveal a cotton bobbinette corselet inside.  The W-shaped underwire uses boning with additional support in the bust area to create the proper shape for the bodice, to secure the assembly sturdy hooks and eyes were used for closure.  This clever mechanism created the cinched waist and the attached petticoat made of tulle netting with slight padding completed the feminine silhouette.

photo of a 1955 Dior dress interior
showing the corseted bodice and attached tulle net petticoat

Dior’s innovative “New Look” fashion designs sometimes meet with opposition from feminist groups which felt that his style overly sexualized women.  Another complaint was that the corseted designs with the boned underpinnings that created the feminine silhouette could also be extremely uncomfortable and restrictive for women to wear for extended periods of time.  An additional concern was the extensive use of expensive fabrics so recently after the rationing brought on by World War II and for this reason the Dior clothes were often considered an extravagant expense.  But despite these comments, Dior was undeterred and he continued to design and make his clothing in this ultra-feminine style.

In 1957 Dior appeared on the cover of Time magazine to mark his ten successful years in the fashion industry.  Then, a short time after the issue was published Dior left for a vacation in Italy and while there he died from a heart attack.  Yves Saint Laurent, who had been personally hired by Dior as his head assistant in 1955, was quickly appointed the artistic director of the House of Dior.

The fashion designs of Christian Dior           

Dior was known for changing the world of fashion with his innovative designs featuring tailored suits and dresses with defined waistlines and full or flared skirts made in the best silks and wool fabrics.  His designs were not limited to daytime fashions and he also created stunning evening dresses made in luxurious fabrics and accented with beautiful beading or embroidery.  (Special Note: Any of the Dior designs detailed below would be a great inspiration for a classic wedding style for either an elegant bridal dress or perhaps lovely dresses for the bridesmaids)

Perhaps the most iconic dress from Dior’s famous debut fashion collection of 1947 was the Bar suit.  The ivory tussore silk jacket with a button closure featured a tailored collar and lapels.  The black wool crepe skirt had an underpinning of a stiff taffeta petticoat for fullness which was lined in cream silk and the hip are slightly padding to further the illusion of an smaller waist.

                                            The Bar Suit
photo from the www.metmuseum.org

Shown below are three examples of Dior cocktail dresses from the mid-1950s showing distinctly feminine silhouettes.

Dior was not limited to day and cocktail dresses and he also designed lovely evening dresses using fabrics such as silk, satin and tulle which were embellished with beading and embroidery.  Shown below are several examples of dresses dating back to Dior collections from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s.

  1949 Venus evening dress

1949 Junon evening dress

1952 Palmyre evening dress

1955 Soiree Fleury evening dress

A Coral Wedding – ideas and suggestions

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This post will be the second in the ongoing series about the annual Pantone color of the year.  The Pantone Color for 2019 is called Living Coral and it is a warm pinkish red-orange shade which is the color of a type of sea reef animal known as coral. 

The Pantone Living Coral color would be a great wedding color and in this post I will include ideas and suggestions for creating lovely coral wedding decorations for the ceremony and reception as well as bridal accessories including beautiful bridal bouquets and other coral items that could be incorporated into the wedding design.     

Ceremony decorations

The color coral would be a wonderful for either an indoor or outdoor wedding ceremony and would be especially pretty in the late summer or early fall.  Shown in the photos below are two ideas for chair decorations to use at a wedding ceremony.  The first one shows a floral arrangement of coral flowers and greenery attached to the chair; this would look very pretty for the end chairs bordering the aisle.  The second photo shows a coral chair wrap, this look would look great not only for a wedding ceremony but also for the chairs at a reception. 

Reception decorations

Coral reception decorations would beautifully contrast with guest tables set with crisp white tablecloths for an indoor or outdoor reception.  Shown below is a photo set with a low centerpiece of coral roses and greenery and coordinating coral napkins. 

The next photo shows a wonderful idea featuring a floral coral flower napkin ribbon which would be a lovely idea used with either white or coral napkins for the guest place settings at a wedding reception. 

In keeping with the coral color theme, shown below
is a simple white multi-tiered wedding cake featuring coral roses.

Below is a photo shown a beautiful floral embellish coral square tablecloth
layered on top of a simple white tablecloth and would be a great idea for a cake table.

Bridal accessories and other wedding items

As seen in the photo below, adding a coral ribbon sash
with a coral and white feather accent to a white wedding dress
is another great idea for a subtle touch of color. 

For just a pop of color coral shoes would also be a fun idea
for a bride to wear under her wedding dress

Coral roses can also be used for a bride’s bouquet and shown below are two variations of this idea.  The first features white and coral roses in a traditional style bouquet and the second features a bouquet created with all coral roses that could be used for a bridal bouquet or for the bridesmaids.

There was a lovely English tradition which dates back to the Regency period and the time of Jane Austen when the tradition was to give children coral necklaces to protect them.  So, shown below is a coral bead necklace that would be the perfect gift to give to a flower girl (or bridesmaids).       

Historical Note:  Princess Victoria (later to become Queen Victoria) had received a coral necklace as a child from her mother, the Duchess of Kent.  Later Queen Victoria continued the tradition with her own daughters.  Many years later, Princess Elizabeth (later to become Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) also received a coral necklace as a child from her parents and this necklace would eventually be given to her daughter, Princess Elizabeth (later to become the current Queen Elizabeth II).  

These last few items take the theme of a coral wedding literally, the first shows three different types of resin coral that would look wonderful placed around the room of a reception room or on the guest tables or for a unique cake topper.

Shown below is a beaded coral napkin ring which would look great on a quest table!

Shown below is an idea for a ring pillow that features a coral pattern

So, as you can see from the numerous examples given in this post there are is a large variety of items that can be used to create a beautiful coral wedding. 

The History of Lockets

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In this post, I will start will the history of lockets and the various types that have been available throughout the years.  To conclude the post I will discuss a few special historical lockets.  A locket by definition is “a small ornamental case for a photograph or other keepsake which is usually worn as a pendant” on a simple chain but lockets an also be made in the form of a ring or brooch.  A traditional locket can be in the shape of an oval, a circle or a heart and can be available is gold or silver or other precious metals.

A locket would make a wonderful gift for the groom to give to the bride perhaps with photos of the bride and groom carefully tucked inside.  An heirloom locket would be a very sentimental gift given to the bride from her parents on her wedding day.  This could be especially poignant if one of her parents has passed away.   A locket can also be given to the bridesmaids and/or a flower girl presented to them at the bridal shower as a commemorate item to remember the wedding day.

The History of Lockets

Modern day lockets evolved centuries earlier from amulets (an ornament or small piece of jewelry) which were thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease.  In Middle Time or the Renaissance, early lockets were worn by either women or men and could be a pendant, a ring, a brooch or as a watch fob.  People would frequently display miniature portraits of loved ones or sometimes small pictures of the King or Queen to show their loyalty to the crown.  Sometimes the lockets were made with small openings in which small perfumed fabric squares were placed to camouflage the stench for the unpleasant sanitary conditions.

Mourning jewelry became popular in the 17th century with the execution of Charles I in 1649, supporters of the former King secretly wore miniature portraits of him set in lockets and rings.  Later in the 18th century, mourners wore intricately decorated lockets in which locks of a “dearly departed” family member were arranged in a special way. Mourning jewelry increased in popularity in the Victorian era after the Queen’s husband, Prince Albert, death.  As the Queen went into a long period of intense mourning she wore a special locket dedicated to the memory of her beloved husband which set a fashion trend.  An entire jewelry industry was soon started that specifically produced affordable items for the upper and middle classes.

Today, lockets are available in a variety of shapes and sizes; the most popular is the sentimental heart shape.  Lockets make great gifts for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, christening or other religious ceremonies and also for holidays like Valentine’s Day and Christmas.  Traditional styles are available in a variety of precious metals such as gold or silver and can be embellished with gemstones such as diamonds or pearls.  Most recently the more modern “floating charm” lockets have become very popular and are available with several different choices of charms and other inserts such as engraved discs with special messages.

Different Types of Lockets

Described below are the various types of lockets that are available, some new ones can be purchased at a fine jewelry or department store while the vintage or older ones can be purchased at antiques stores or online at sites such as eBay.  Special Note: When shopping for a vintage locket here are some tips – the locket should be in good condition, check the hinges and interior, also avoid lockets that are damage or heavily scratched.

  • Keepsake Lockets – This type of locket can make a wonderful gift to commemorate a special occasion such as a birth, a first communion or wedding. Usually keepsake lockets have a space in which to place a small photo behind a plastic cover or a glass enclosure to place a lock of hair or other small memorabilia.  This style of locket is perhaps the most popular one.

  

  • Vintage Perfume Lockets – As previously mentioned, centuries ago lockets were sometimes made with small filigree style openings in which perfumed fabric squares were placed inside to camouflage the stench due to unpleasant odors from limited personal hygiene and rather disagreeable smells from sanitary conditions in the streets. Today, perfume lockets can be made as a DIY craft project and if you are interested in creating your own I would recommended a search on the internet for the supplies required and instructions to create your own.

  • Vintage Daguerreotype Picture Locket – This variation of a keepsake locket featured a Daguerreotype photograph. The process was first introduced in 1839 and in the following decades it became less expensive to produce so that small daguerreotypes could be used in watch cases, fobs brooches and lockets.  The soft metal daguerreotypes could be reduced in size and then set and sealed behind glass.  These types of lockets were very popular in North America at the onset and during the duration of the Civil War.

  

  • Mourning or memorial lockets – Mourning lockets have been around for some time and in England, during the Victorian Era, they were especially popular. This might be possibly due to the fact that Queen Victoria was in deep mourning after the death of her husband and she wore a locket which contained a small daguerreotype of Prince Albert and a lock of his hair, this set a fashion trend.

  

Historical Lockets from the Past

Below are listed some examples of historical lockets from centuries ago:

  • In the late 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I commissioned a special locket ring which contained a portrait of herself and one of her mother Anne Boleyn (who was the 2nd wife of King Henry VIII that died in May 19, 1536).  The ring was possibly made in 1575 and it features a mother of pearl band with diamonds and rubies set in gold.  The ring has an “E” set with six diamonds placed over a blue enamel “R” and a hinge opens to reveal the portraits inside.  Elizabeth wore the ring until her death in 1603 when it was removed; it eventually found its way to the Home family that acquired some of the possessions of King James I.  The ring is now the property of the Trustees of Chequers and that is currently on display there, Chequers is the official residence of the Prime Minister and is located in Buckinghamshire, England.  (Special Note: During the Elizabethan era, artists were commissioned to paint miniature portraits and many were placed in elaborately designed lockets which were very expensive pieces owned the nobility or the very wealthy of the upper class who could afford to pay the artists)

  • The “Penicuik Locket” once belonged to Mary Queen of Scots is an enameled gold locket which features miniature portraits of Mary and her son James. The companion necklace has 14 large oval filigree beads with several small circular beads that originally contained perfume.  The piece received its name because after Mary’s execution in 1587 the locket fell into the possession a former servant named Giles Mowbray, it then passed to his granddaughter who married into the Clerk family of Penicuik (hence the name) and is currently on display at the National Museum of Scotland located in Edinburgh.

  • The next locket holds a historical piece of wartime memorabilia and it contains the bullet that killed Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalagar in 1805. The locket is currently part of the Royal Collection Trust.  The bullet was fired from a French naval ship the “Redoubtable” and hit Lord Nelson’s in the left shoulder passing through his spine and vertebrae and lodging just below in his right shoulder.  Lord Nelson was carried below deck and the bullet was removed by a surgeon named William Beatty on board the HMS Victory but the wound caused fatal damage to Lord Nelson’s lungs and spine and he died three hours later. Lord Nelson’s posthumous victory over the French and Spanish fleets made him a national hero and afterwards the bullet, with a piece of Lord Nelson’s naval uniform still attached, was set in a crystal case locket which Surgeon Beatty gave to Queen Victoria in 1842.

  • Shown below is a small memorial locket which is said to have belonged to Lord Nelson. The gold locket features an oval onyx and a diamond “star” set in the middle with an blue enamel inscription around the boarder that reads “Die reine Seele schwingt sich auf zu Gott” in German, the English translation is “The pure soul flies up above to the Lord”.  Inside the locket on the left is a lock of hair and on the right is a small photo of Prince Albert who was Queen Victoria’s husband.  When he died in 1861 at Windsor Castle, the Queen went into a deep period of mourning and she ordered that the Blue Room in which the Prince died would be left perpetually as it was on the day that he died, the “Albert Locket” was place in the room, and this promise was kept until her own death in 1901.

  

Special Note: This post originally appeared on my other blog, the Enchanted Manor.

Queen Alexandra – the Fashion Icon

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The Princess of Wales was a fashion icon in her day … but wait … I’m not talking about Princess Diana but Princess Alexandra.  Princess Alexandra of Denmark married Prince Albert Edward, the son of Queen Victoria, at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on March 1863.  Princess Alexandra was barely 18 years old at the time of the wedding and she was very beautiful and tall in stature with a slim figure which was in sharp contrast to the women of the time who had much fuller figures.  (Queen Victoria was barely five feet tall and rather plump!)

Princess Alexandra’s wedding dress was created by Charles Worth, an English fashion designer working in France, who dominated Parisian fashion at the end of nineteenth century.  Following the tradition started by Queen Victoria, Princess Alexandra selected an ivory gown, with a separate bodice top and full skirt made of English silk with a Honiton lace overlay featuring elaborate embroidered symbols of an English rose, an Irish shamrock and a Scottish thistle.  The gown was further embellished with orange blossoms and myrtle garlands and the silver moiré train was 21 feet in length and she wore a veil of Honiton lace with a wreath of even more orange blossoms and myrtle.  Her bridal bouquet was made of white rosebuds, lilies of the valley, rare orchids, orange blossoms and of course the traditional sprigs of myrtle said to have been grown from a planting taken from Queen Victoria’s wedding bouquet 23 years earlier.  Prince Albert Edward gave her a wedding present of a pearl necklace, earrings and brooch which she wore along with an opal and diamond bracelet that was a gift from Queen Victoria.  (For more information about the wedding of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra and A British Royal Bride – Princess Alexandra, please click on the link )

 Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra at the time of their engagement Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra on their wedding day

At the time that Alexandra came to England to marry the heir to the throne it had been a few years since the death of the Queen Victoria’s husband, her beloved Prince Albert, and the Queen had withdrawn from society stifled by her grief and a self-imposed period of prolonged mourning.  Prince Albert Edward was heir to the throne and as the Prince of Wales he was put into service as the Queen’s representative for official functions and together the royal couple proved to be extremely popular with the public.  Prince Albert Edward soon became obsessed with royal protocol and dressing in proper clothes for every occasion and it was not unusual for him to completely change his clothing a dozen times a day.  Taking on her new role as Princess of Wales, Alexandra was always acutely aware of her royal duty to dress appropriately for official functions and whenever she was seen in public she was always elegantly dressed in fashions made with the finest fabrics that flattered her.

Princess Alexandra was also very creative in adapting her style of clothing to mask several physical impediments.  It was said that she had a scar on her neck, possibly from surgery when she was a child, and she would wear day dresses with high collars and in the evening she wore multiple layers of pearls or diamond necklaces that would cover her neck, these were known as collier de chein meaning collar necklace.  This style of jewelry became very popular with society ladies and a fashion trend was soon started.

Princess Alexandra also developed a curvature of the spine which was a complication from rheumatic fever that she contracted in 1867.  As a result, she walked with a distinct limp for several years and she very cleverly adapted her clothing to distract from the physical disability thereby minimizing attention to the problem, or so she thought!  The public noticed anyway, calling it the “Alexandra Limp”, and in a strange way it caused another fashion trend.  Ladies so admired everything about Princess Alexandra that they were soon emulating the limp by wearing special pairs of shoes in different heel heights or walked with canes.  The strange trend did not last long because women fashions were soon changing from dresses with full skirts to more tapered ones causing women to walk with smaller steps and thus eliminating the “need” to limp.

In 1901, Queen Victoria died and Prince Albert Edward became King Edward VII.  As Queen Alexandra prepared for the coronation she knew she wanted a very special gown and she called upon her friend, Lady Curzon, to help her.  The Coronation Day was set for June when the weather in London would be hot and since the Queen would already be wearing a heavy velvet robe as part of her coronation regalia the material for the dress was made of lightweight net with metallic embroidery.   Lady Curzon oversaw the making of the beautiful material which was created in India and the fabric was embroidered with the symbols of England (rose), Ireland (shamrock) and Scotland (thistle) which would represent the countries that King Edward would rule.

Part of Queen Alexandra’s coronation regalia included a Queen Consort crown that was especially made for her to wear.  In 1849, the East India Company had acquired the large 186 carat diamond, known as the Kohinoor Diamond, which was given to Queen Victoria.  The Kohinoor diamond was said to be cursed and if any male wore it he would surely lose the throne.  Queen Victoria, being female, did not fear the curse and the Kohinoor diamond was cut into a smaller 105 carat diamond which Queen Victoria wore set in a brooch.  After the death of Queen Victoria, the Kohinoor Diamond was set into the Queen Consort’s crown instead of King’s crown to avoid the possibility of the validity of the curse.  Queen Alexandra’s crown had a platinum frame designed as circlet accented with four large crosses (the center cross was set with the Kohinoor Diamond and the other crosses and four large fluerde-lis were set with “smaller” diamonds) and formed the base of the crown.  Four arches were set with three rows of diamonds each and gently curved to join together and then topped with a diamond encrusted orb and cross at the center, approximately 3688 diamonds were used.    An inner lining of purple velvet was used under the arches and ermine lined the base so that it would set comfortably on the Queen’s head.

(Special Royal Note: The custom continued afterwards with the Kohinoor Diamond always worn in the Queen Consort’s crown, this was done for Queen Mary at the coronation of George V and Queen Elizabeth at the coronation of George VI but for their daughter’s coronation, Queen Elizabeth II wore the St. Edward’s Crown that has been used to crown every sovereign since 1661.

To complete her coronation ensemble, Queen Alexandra wore Queen Victoria’s diamond bracelet and earrings.  Then she layered even more jewels across the front her coronation gown and they were stitched onto the fabric.  At her waist she wore the Dagmar necklace (a reminder of her Danish heritage) as a stomacher and several diamond earrings were added to the necklace as pendants.  She also wore a set of Queen Victoria’s diamond bow brooches pinned down the front of the gown with additional emerald earrings suspended from the bows as pendants. Around her neck Queen Alexandra wore Queen Victoria’s large diamond necklace and her customary strands of several pearl necklaces.  Needless to say, the bodice of her coronation dress sparkled beautifully!

During the reign of King Edward and Queen Alexandra, which became known as the Edwardian Age (1901-1910), women fashions changed from dresses with full skirts worn with several layers of undergarments to dresses with tapered skirts, tight laced corsets and bustled trains accented with layers of lace and beaded appliques.  Queen Alexandra continued to influence fashion and King Edward spent lavishly on a large wardrobe of dresses and countless pieces of jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, brooches and tiaras.  The King was very interested in what the Queen wore and he was always aware of royal protocol and correct dress, in fact the King once reprimanded the Queen for wearing her Garter sash incorrectly and had her change it immediately before leaving the palace!

     

After the death of King Edward VII in 1910, Queen Alexandra took on a smaller role as Queen Mother and she quietly retired to her country home Sandringham to allow her son, King George V to begin his reign.  The youthful appearance that had remained with her throughout the years had begun to fade and she took to wearing heavy make-up and veils to shield her aging face.  She slowly removed herself from public as her hearing and eyesight began to fail and she spent an increasing amount of time with her children, grandchildren and her beloved dogs.

Over the following years, Alexandra health slowly declined and she developed severe rheumatism in her legs and she lost her eyesight as well as her hearing due to a hereditary condition inherited from her mother, she was almost completely deaf.  On November 20, 1925 the Dowager Queen Alexandra died at Sandringham after suffering a heart attack.  She is buried next to her husband in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Ideas for a pink wedding

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Inspired by last week’s post on the Movie Wedding – Steel Magnolias, this post will be about pink weddings.  In the 1989 film, Shelby’s “bashful and blush” wedding was a vision of pink decorations!  In this post I will include ideas for creating a lovely pink wedding ceremony and reception decorations. I will also discuss suggestions for bridesmaids and flower girl dresses, bridal accessories including beautiful bridal bouquets and several ideas for wonderful wedding cakes.

So, let’s get started …

Ceremony decorations

Although in the Steel Magnolias movie the wedding ceremony takes place in a beautiful church filled with flowers and draped with pink fabric the following ideas are for an outdoor wedding but could easily be adapted for an indoor ceremony.

Below are photos showing a lovely wedding canopy decorated with an abundance of white and pink flowers accented with pink fabric.  This type of canopy would make a very picturesque backdrop for a wedding ceremony.  

photos from pinterest

Another idea is to use beautiful pink fabric to decorate the guest chairs at a wedding ceremony and shown are two variations with the fabric laced through in two different ways, one plain and the other embellished with flowers.

Photos from Pinterest

Reception decorations

Although the Steel Magnolia movie showed a wedding reception that took place at the home of the bride’s parents, shown below are several ideas for decorations for a sit down dinner/luncheon reception.  The first features an elegant table set with pink table linens and a large white and pink floral arrangement.  Pink decorations for a wedding can be beautifully mixed with gold or silver china and utensils.    

Photos from Pinterest

Below are shown several ideas for incorporating pink into reception tables, of course the first choice could be pink tablecloths and napkins. Another choice could be to use white napkins tied with pink ribbons which would be a beautiful contrast with pink tablecloths.

Photos from Pinterest

Pink napkins could also be accented with either fresh or artificial pink roses artfully tucked inside or perhaps a sparkling rhinestone napkin ring.

Photos from Pinterest

When selecting food items for a wedding reception here are several ideas and suggestions using the color pink.  The first ideas are forthe wedding cake and shown below are two examples, one features a traditional white multi-tiered cake with pink flowers and the other is another multi-tiered cake but with pink frosting.

Photos are from Pinterest

The color pink can also be used when selecting the cake flavor.

Photo from Pinterest

The color pink can also be used when selecting the type of champagne for the wedding toast at the reception.  What could be more delightful that pink champagne!

Photo from Pinterest

Bridal accessories and other wedding items

For a bride’s bouquet, pink flowers could be used and shown below are two variations.  The first features pink roses incorporated into a tradtitonal white bouquet and the second features a bouquet created with only pink roses that could be used for a bridal bouquet or in a smaller version for the bridesmaids.

Photos from Pinterest

Another idea for a pink bridal accessory could be shoes and shown below are two very different styles, one is a classic pink pump and the other is a fun and very comfortable pink converse athletic shoe.

Photos from Pinterest

Most often the bride will select a blue garter for her traditional “something blue” but for a pink themed wedding shown below is a beautiful pink and lace garter.

Photo from Pinterest

For the groom and groomsmen, a tie or bowtie could be selected in a pale shade of pink, a pocket square could also be used to coordinate. Another idea would be maybe a white vest for the groom to set him apart from pink vests for the groomsmen.  Pink accents would coordinate well with either the tradtional black tuxedo or suit but would also look great with a grey tuxedo or suit for a spring or summer wedding.

Photos from Pinterest

Shown below is a wonderful idea for a bridesmaids dress in a lovely shade of dusty rose.  This particular type of bridesmaids dress has been very popular over the last few years because it allows the bridesmaids to twists the upper bodice fabric into a variety of ways that would be most flattering to their individual style or body shape.

Photo from Pinterest

Sometimes included in a wedding party are a flower girl and a ring bearer and the color pink can also be used for their clothing or accessories.  Shown below are two different ideas for a flower girl dress, one is a white dress with a pink sash and floral accent and the other is a pink dress with a dotted-swiss net overlay.

Photos from Pinterest

Below is an example of a white ring pillow embellished with a pink satin bow for the ring bearer to carry at the wedding ceremony.

Photo from Pinterest

So, as you can see from the numerous examples given in this post there are is a large variety of items that can be used to create a beautiful pink wedding. 

Movie Wedding – Steel Magnolia

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As part of the ongoing Movie Wedding series, in this post I will discuss the memorable pink wedding in the 1989 film “Steel Magnolias”. (If you are looking for ideas and suggestions for a Pink Wedding please click on the link). I will also discuss the story behind the play written by Robert Harling that was the inspiration for the very successful movie directed by Herbert Ross and starring Sally Fields as the mother and Julia Roberts as the daughter. Then, to finish this post, I will take a quick tour of the town of Natchitoches, Louisiana where numerous scenes, such as the movie’s wedding ceremony and reception, were filmed.  

“A Blush and Bashful Wedding”

One of the highlights In the “Steel Magnolia” movie is the wedding of the characters of Shelby Eastenton and Jackson Latcherie. In the movie, the ceremony takes place in the local church and then a smaller reception is held at the home of Shelby’s parents. In the days leading up to the event, Shelby is asked by one of the ladies in Truby’s Beauty Salon what are her wedding colors and she answers “blush and bashful”.      

In the movie, the interior of the church is decorated with yards and yards of pink fabric hanging from the rafters, draped across the altar and from pew to pew down the main aisle.  The church is also decorated with an abundance of white and pink floral arrangements at the altar and at the end of each of the pews; also several pink wedding bells are strung at the front of the church.  Special note: Many of the extras sitting in the church during the wedding ceremony scene were people that lived in Natchitoches and had originally attended the wedding of Susan Harling Robinson, the inspiration for both the play and the movie. 

Shelby, played by Julia Roberts, is escorted down the church aisle by her father, played by Tom Skerritt.  She is wearing an elaborate wedding dress featuring an off the shoulder neckline with full skirt and decorated with a multitude of bows and fabric roses.  She wears a long veil with a pouf at the back and her curled hair is worn pulled back in a bouffant style with a crown of small artificial flowers placed at the top of her head.    

The groom, played by Dylan McDermott, is wearing a classic morning coat with a grey striped tie and a white rose boutonniere on his lapel.  Standing with him at the altar are the eight ushers wearing matching morning coats and eight bridesmaids wearing long pink dresses with a round neckline and large puffy sleeves, they are also wearing large brimmed hats.

Special note: Robert Harling, the writer of the “Steel Magnolias” play and screenwriter of the movie, plays the minister in the film.

After the church ceremony, the bridal party and invited guests go back to the home of the bride’s parents for an outdoor reception.  Typical of most Southern wedding, in the “Steel Magnolias” movie there is both a traditional multi-tiered wedding cake and a rather whimsical groom’s cake. The popular idea of a groom’s cake is usually something that the groom will choose and will often reference his college sports team or mascot, a favorite hobby like fishing or hunting and sometimes an animal like the family dog.  The cake that Jackson (the groom in the movie) chooses is an armadillo red velvet cake.  Special note: The memorable cake in the movie was actually made by a local Natchitoches resident.

The story behind “Steel Magnolias”

In 1987 Robert Harling was a Tulane University Law School graduate who had changed his career path and relocated to New York City to find work as an actor.  His sister, Susan Harling Robinson, had died two years earlier from diabetes complications leaving behind her husband and a young son.  Originally Robert intended to write about the life of his sister so that his nephew would understand her wonderful life that she had lived in a small southern town and also explain her struggles with diabetes that sadly ended with her tragic death from kidney failure.

Although Robert focused the story on the life and death of his sister, it also includes a group of strong women that surrounded his sister with love and support.  First is the mother who had such great compassion for her daughter’s struggles with her illness and a group of friends that offered their support to both the daughter and the mother.  For this reason the title of Robert’s eventual play became “Steel Magnolias” which by definition means a southern woman who has the strength of steel but yet the beauty of a magnolia bloom. 

The story was quickly made into an off-Broadway play that opened at the WPA Theatre in New York on March 28, 1987.  With the instant success of the play, in a very short time the story was adapted and made into a 1989 blockbuster movie, Robert wrote the screenplay for the film and expanded the story to include additional characters.  The film was directed by Herbert Ross, Sally Fields played the mother M’Lynn, Julia Robert played the daughter Shelby (she received an Academy Awards nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work in the film), Shirley MacLaine played the cranky neighbor Ouiser, Olympia Dukakis played Clairee who was another family friend, Dolly Parton played Truby the beautician and Daryl Hannah played the shy and mysterious Annelle who recently started working at the beauty parlor.

Natchitoches, Louisiana

Robert Harling grew up in Natchitoches, Louisiana (although he was born in Dothan, Alabama in 1951).  When it came time to film the movie “Steel Magnolias” it was decided that many of the scenes would be filmed on location in Natchitoches, although the town is known as Chinquapin in the movie. 

From July to September 1988 a film production crew and the movie’s principal actors stayed in Natchitoches, including the movie director Herbert Ross, the producer Ray Stark and actors Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah, Tom Skerritt and Dylan McDermott.

Since the “Steel Magnolias” movie was released in 1989, Natchitoches quickly became a tourist destination for people that loved the movie.  In fact, every fall there is a special event known as the “Blush and Bashful” Weekend which normally includes a showing of the film at the Parkway Cinema where the movie originally premiered, tours of some of the movie sites, an Armadillo Cake Bake-Off and a Character Look-Alike Contest.                

The Steel Magnolias House – This location was used for exterior scenes as the home of Drum and M’Lynn Eatenton, the parents of Shelby, in the film.  The real-life house was built before the Civil War and is situated along the Cane River.  It was a Bed & Breakfast Inn popular with tourist and fans of the movie that came to visit the town; it was recently put on the market for sale. For more information on the Steel Magnolias house, please check out an excellent post at https://hookedonhouses.net/2012/05/29/the-steel-magnolias-house-for-sale-in-louisiana/

St. Augustine Church and Cemetery – St. Augustine is a historic Catholic church located in Natchitoches was established in 1829 and is now part of the Cane River National Heritage Area, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. The original structure was burned down in 1864 by Union Forces during the Civil War.  A second church was built but it also did not survive and the current church building was completed in 1917.  It is known as the first church in Louisiana to be built for free people of African descent and has become a cultural center of the historic Cane River Creoles community.     

As a writer, producer and director Robert Harling currently divides his time between New York and Louisiana.  After the success of both the “Steel Magnolias” play and movie he was able to purchase the Oaklawn Plantation in Natchitoches, it was a place he always wanted to own since his childhood.  The quintessential Southern three story house was built in the French creole style in 1830 and currently sits on 4 acres.  The house survived the Civil War and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.  At this time the house and surrounding grounds remain a private residence but will occasionally open to public tours during special events.

For information about other “Steel Magnolias” movie sites, please click on the link      https://www.natchitoches.com/listing/steel-magnolias-tour-filming-sites ) 

A British Royal Wedding – Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank

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In my ongoing series on British Royal weddings, this post will be about the wedding of Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank which took place on October 12, 2018 at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.  At the time, Princess Eugenie was ninth in the line of succession to the British throne and since the wedding of Princess Anne to Mark Phillips in 1973 it has been 45 years since a British Princess has been married. (although her older cousin Zara Phillips married Mike Tindall in 2011 she does not hold the Royal title of Princess)

The wedding of Princess Eugenie also marked the second Royal wedding to take place in 2018, her cousin Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in May also at St. George’s Chapel.  Previously the most recent Royal weddings held at the Chapel include her uncle Prince Edward (the Earl of Wessex) to Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999 and her cousin Peter Phillips to Autumn Kelly in 2008 while her uncle Prince Charles (the Prince of Wales) had the blessing for his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles at the same site in 2005.

Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena was born on March 23, 1990 and she is the second daughter of Prince Andrew (the Duke of York) and Sarah Ferguson.  Sadly her parents divorced in 1996 but the former couple has remained on very good terms. 

Princess Eugenie and her sister, Princess Beatrice received a proper British education.  She attended NewCastle University and graduated in 2012 with a degree in English Literature and Art History.  In 2013 she moved to New York to work at Paddle8 as a benefit auctions manager then moved back to London in 2015 to work for the Hauser & Wirth art gallery as a director.

Princess Eugenie met Jack Brooksbank through friends while on a ski trip to Switzerland in 2010, he was working there at the time.  Jack was employed as a wine merchant and then later as the European brand ambassador for Casamigos Tequilla.  The couple dated for seven years before Jack proposed while on a holiday in Nicaragua. 

The engagement was announce on January 22, 2018 by the office of the Duke of York at Buckingham Palace and the wedding would follow in the fall of 2018.  After the engagement photos were taken in the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace the couple gave an interview to the BBC which was an opportunity to see the engagement ring that Jack gave Princess Eugenie.  It was an oval-cut Padparadscha sapphire surround by a circle of diamonds set on a gold band with two addition diamonds place on either side of the band.

When announcing the plans it was describe that it would be a family wedding and not a public one like her cousins Prince William’s grand ceremony in Westminster Abbey or Prince Harry’s earlier in the year at St. George’s Chapel.  In addition, since Princess Eugenie is a supporter against plastic pollution, it was noted that she would like a “plastic-free” wedding.  This decision aligns with her personal views on sustainability and also with her role as an ambassador for Project O, which is a charitable initiative committed to protecting the ocean from pollution involving single use plastic. 

Prior to the wedding, it was confirmed that Princess Beatrice, the bride’s sister, would be the maid of honor and Thomas Brooksbank, the brother of the groom, would be the best man.  The six bridesmaids and two page boys selected would be Prince George and Princess Charlotte (son and daughter of her cousin Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge), Isla and Savannah Philips (daughters of her cousin Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn), Mia Tindall (daughter of her cousin Zara Phillips and her husband Mike Tindall), the bride’s godchild Maud Windsor (daughter of Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor), Theodora Williams (daughter of Robbie Williams and Avda Field) and Louis de Givenchy (son of Olivier and Zoe de Givenchy).  Two special attendants would be her cousins Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn (son and daughter of her uncle Prince Edward and Sophie)

On the morning of the wedding almost 850 invited guests gathered in St. George’s Chapel.  The interior and exterior floral arrangements were designed by the London based florist Rob Van Helden and featured a beautiful autumn floral theme using roses, hydrangeas, dahlias and berries that were sourced from the nearby Windsor Great Park.

The bride’s mother, Sarah Ferguson arrived wearing a Kelly green dress and coordinating hat and Princess Beatrice, the bride’s sister wore a royal blue dress.  The groom and best man arrived wearing dark morning dress suits.  The groom wore a navy blue vest and light blue tie with a tie pin featuring the white rose of York (remember the bride’s father is the Duke of York) and Padparadscha sapphire that was a gift from Princess Eugenie. 

Just after the arrival of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip (the bride’s grandparents), the bride and her father, Prince Andrew the Duke of York, arrived in a 1977 Rolls Royce Phantom VI. In a very sweet gesture Prince Andrew helped to arrange Princess Eugenie’s bridal dress train before they climbed the steps to enter the Chapel as a specially composed fanfare “Adventus” played.

Then to the music of “Piece d’Orgue” by J.S. Bach, the bride was escorted by her father through the Nave to the Organ Screen where the groom and the best man were waiting.  They were greeted by the Dean of Windsor, David Conner, who gave a brief introduction and then the couple with the bride’s father and the best man proceeded through the Quire of the Chapel and to the Main Altar to the music of “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken” by John Newton.

The Dean of Windsor officiated the vows and ring ceremony, the bride’s wedding ring was a simple band made of Welsh gold that was a gift from Queen Elizabeth.  Next, Andrea Bocelli performed two songs with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, “Ave Maria” by Bach/Gounod and later “Panis Angelicus” by Cesar Franck. Charles Brooksbank, the groom’s cousin, gave the first reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians which was followed by Princess Beatrice who gave a second reading taken from “The Great Gatsby”, a novel by F.S. Fitzgerald. 

The Dean of Windsor gave the sermon and the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, gave the prayer for the service.  After the signing of the register, the bridal couple and their invited guests sang the National Anthem.  Then with a deep curtsey from Princess Eugenie and a bow from her new husband to Queen Elizabeth, the couple proceeded down the aisle followed by their attendants and family members. 

The Princess Eugenie and Jack emerged from the chapel and they shared a kiss on the steps to the cheers of the crowd gathered outside.  Members of the Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards, of which the Duke of York is Colonel, lined the West Steps of the chapel.  Then, there was a carriage procession in the Scottish State Coach through the streets of Windsor, it has been estimated that 3,000 people lined the streets to watch.  The procession route was slightly smaller in length than the one that Prince Harry and Meghan took just a few months earlier after their wedding.

The bridal couple returned to Windsor Castle and there was an afternoon wedding reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth.  It has been reported that Prince Andrew gave a very touching father of the bride speech.  At the luncheon Princess Eugenie and Jack cut their 5 tier red velvet and chocolate wedding cake which was made by London-based cake designer Sophie Cabot.  The cake featured white icing with the couple’s intertwined initials on the bottom layer, sugar ivy to represent their new home at Ivy Cottage and decorated with a beautiful cascade of sugar autumn flowers and leaves.

Later that day Princess Eugenie and Jack were seen leaving Windsor Castle for the nearby Royal Lodge which is the country residence of Prince Andrew.  The car was a silver Aston Martin DB10; it was one of eight cars used for the 2015 James Bond film “Spectre”.

An evening reception was held at Royal Lodge and Jack worn a black tuxedo while Princess Eugenie looked amazing in a stunning blush color silk gown made by designer Zac Posen.  The gown featured “pin tucked plisse” (material specially made to give a permanent crinkled effect) cut on the bias which beautifully draped, the White Rose of York was embroidered on both shoulder and back to hold a cape.  In her hair Princess Eugenie wore brooches borrowed from her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.  The brooches are known as the Queen Victoria Wheat Brooches which date back to 1830.  The brooches were originally commissioned by King William IV for Queen Adelaide and were inherited by Queen Victoria in 1837 and later by Queen Elizabeth in 1952. 

        

History of Charm Bracelets

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In this post I will discuss the history of charm bracelets and I will also showcase several examples of interesting historical and famous charm bracelets.  In general, the charms for a bracelet are collected over several years and as a result it becomes a type of record of the special milestones of the moments and accomplishments in a life.  (Special Note: A charm bracelet with a beautiful wedding charm would make a wonderful gift from a groom to a bride that could be added to over the years to commemorate the birth of children, an anniversary, a new home or family vacations, etc.)

People have been wearing charms or pendants, for hundreds and even thousands of years.  In fact, the ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, Romans and the medieval knights all wore charms as decorative pendants or amulets to ward off evil spirits and sometimes these trinkets were worn into battle for good luck.  Charms were also worn to signify a person’s heritage or their religious belief.  Early Christians in Rome wore small charms in the shape of a fish called ichthys (the Greek word for fish) to let other Christians know of their religious commitment during the time when it was dangerous to be a Christian.

The role of charms changed during the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901.  She became well-known for wearing personalized charm bracelets and she also gave charms as special gifts to family and friends.  As with most fashion trends set by Queen Victoria, charm bracelets or necklaces became an enormously popular jewelry item.

During their marriage Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria a very sentimental charm bracelet which had nine gold heart lockets made in different semi-precious gemstones to represent each of their children, the lockets opened to reveal the name and birth date of each child and also contained a lock of their hair.  The charm bracelet was given to the Queen in 1840 to commemorate the birth of the Royal couple’s first child, Victoria.  That first locket to represent the Princess Royal was made of a pink stone then the subsequent siblings lockets were turquoise blue for Albert, red for Alice, dark blue for Alfred, translucent white for Helena, dark green for Louise, dark blue for Arthur, opaque white for Leopold and light green for Beatrice.  (Special Note: Queen Victoria wore her precious charm bracelet for many years and upon her death in 1901 she had given specific instructions to have it placed in the Prince Albert’s room at Osborne House, the room had been preserved for decades as it was on the day that he had died in 1861)

Queen Victoria’s charm bracelet from Prince Albert
which commemorates the births of their nine children
photos from www.royalcollection.org.uk

Another family charm bracelet treasured by Queen Victoria featured small oval sepia photographs of her grandchildren set in gold with the names of each child and their birth date engraved on the back.  The unique item was known as a slide charm bracelet which was another popular fashion accessory during the 19th century.  The charms would literally slide onto a chain or, in the case of the Queen’s bracelet, an elasticized band.  The notable grandchildren of the Queen depicted on the bracelet included the future King George V, the future Wilhelm II the Emperor of Germany & King of Prussia and the future Empress Alexandra the consort of Nicholas II.   (Special Note: Queen Victoria was often referred to as the “Grandmother of Europe” because during her long reign her children and later her grandchildren married into many of Europe’s Royal families)

Queen Victoria’s charm bracelet
which commemorates the births of her grand children
photo from www.royalcollection.org.uk

The last charm bracelet of Queen Victoria’s that I will discuss was a Christmas gift given to her by Prince Albert in 1844, it was personally designed by him.  The intricate charm bracelet features a miniature portrait of the Prince; it is a smaller copy a Robert Thorburn painting.  The miniature is surrounded by a replica of the blue Order of the Garter and the bracelet is set in gold with alternating five braided cord bows and four York and Lancaster roses also surrounded by the blue garter.

Queen Victoria’s charm bracelet
which features a miniature portrait of Prince Albert
photo from www.royalcollection.org.uk

In 1889, at the Paris Exposition, the American luxury jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co. premiered a silver chain link bracelet with a heart-shaped charm.  Like the classic diamond engagement ring that debuted in 1886, the charm bracelet would continue to be a best-seller for the company for many decades to come.  (Special Note: This Tiffany charm bracelet, although a little pricey, would make a wonderful gift from a groom to a bride to present on at the rehearsal dinner or on their wedding day.  Perhaps, when given in the iconic “Tiffany blue” box, it would make a great shower gift and something blue from the bride’s parents!)

www.tiffany.com/jewelry/bracelets/return-to-tiffany-heart-tag-charm-bracelet-GRP01430

Over the years charm bracelets have waned back and forth in popularity.  The first resurgence was during the period of time between the 1930s and 1960s.  The next examples of charm bracelets I will discuss are Disney themed.  When the first full-length animated movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was released in 1937 Cartier, the French luxury jewelry company, designed a gold linked charm bracelet featuring brilliant colored enamel charms.  Lillian Disney, Walt’s wife, wore the bracelet to the movie’s premiere at the Carthay Theater in Los Angeles, CA.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs charm bracelet

Walt Disney had another special charm bracelet made for his wife, Lillian.  The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences allowed an award winner to specially request an 18 karat miniature Oscar statuette charm.  The charms were one inch tall and were engraved on the bottom with the name of the award winner, the film and the year it was released.  By the early 1950s Walt had collected 20 Oscar charms with the intention of making a necklace for Lillian but she requested that the charms be attached to a bracelet instead.  Lillian was very proud of Walt’s achievements and she wore the bracelet for many years.  (Special Note: Today, the Oscar charm bracelet can be seen on display at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, CA)

Lillian Disney’s Oscar charm bracelet

In the 1950s movie stars, such as Elizabeth Taylor, were often seen wearing charm bracelets for their film roles or sometimes photographed in magazines and newspapers wearing them in their private life.   The next example is a charm necklace that originally belonged to Edith Head, the famous MGM movie costume designer.  She had a wonderful friendship with Elizabeth Taylor who greatly admired the necklace and after Head’s death the bracelet was given to Taylor.  Then after Taylor’s death in 2011 the bracelet would be included in the jewelry auction to benefit Taylor’s Aids Foundation.

The unique charm necklace features 13 ivory theatre tokens displayed on a gold link chain.  In the 18th and 19th century, tokens were used instead of paper admission tickets and an ivory token would be for the more expensive box seats while a metal token would be used for the cheaper seats on the main floor used by the general public.

Elizabeth Taylor ivory theater token necklace
which sold at the 2011 Christie’s for $214,500

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who is forever known as a style icon, had an impeccable fashion sense and she loved classic but very expensive clothes and jewelry.  Interestingly, one of her most treasured jewelry items was a charm bracelet that she began wearing when she was a teenager.  Throughout the years Jackie changed or added inexpensive charms which included animals, birds, fruit and even a Moroccan-styled black hand to create a very unique bracelet.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis charm bracelet

Most recently charm bracelets have become popular by the Pandora jewelry company.  Similar in style to the slide charm bracelets from centuries before, this contemporary bracelet starts with a simple bracelet and then charms can be added or removed depending on the wearer’s personal preference.

www.pandora.net/en-us

So, if you are looking for a very special shower or wedding present for a bride, a charm bracelet would make a wonderful gift.  There are numerous charms bracelets available for purchase at retail stores and on the internet.