Remember Erika? She of the lovely blue dress? She of the delightful simple wedding? Well, Erika is the one who got this vintage wedding ball rolling, by requesting them in the comments section. This week Erika sent me her mother and stepfathers wedding from 1981. It’s simple and sweet, and I *believe* you can spy a wee Erika in these pictures, rocking a smocked dress.
Steve and Linda were married in May of 1981, and just celebrated their 28th anniversary. It was the second marriage for both, and between them they had three children under the age of five. So they didn’t want to make a big fuss and they didn’t have a lot of money to spend. They organized it in a couple of months.
The ceremony was held on my stepdad’s parents’ family farm in New Hampshire in the apple orchard. (The apple trees were in blossom, and there’s this corny tune my stepdad still sings to my mom: “I’ll be seeing you, in apple blossom time.” I’ve never heard a recording of it, but I guess it’s their song.) They didn’t send invitations, they just called people and told them when and where they were getting married. They were married by a friend who was a minister, and we three kids were the attendants. Guests stood on the lawn during the ceremony. My mom borrowed a friend’s wedding dress, and our babysitter made the kids’ clothes. My mom wore penny loafers under her dress, with pennies in them, and during the ceremony my brother kept crying out, “Mommy, you’ve got pennies in your shoes!” No one minded (except maybe my brother, who didn’t understand why everyone was laughing.)
They had champagne on the lawn after the ceremony, and a reception in my stepdad’s parents’ house. A friend (a talented baker) made a cake, and other friends made sandwiches and other food. Another friend took pictures. They opened some presents, and then left for their one-night honeymoon before they had to be back at work.
Here’s what I remember of the day: running (not walking) in the processional in front of my parents, playing shuffleboard with my older cousins, eating as many olives as I wanted (I loved olives even then!), and crying because I had wandered off when my mom tossed her bouquet. I had no idea what catching the bouquet meant, I just wanted it because it was my mom’s.
What amazes me is, of course, how young they look, but mostly how happy they are to become a family.
