Thursday, March 4, 2010

March 4, 1953

Fifty-six years ago today my parents were married. This is their formal wedding portrait which was taken in a studio before the wedding. Both 19, they look so young. I don't know if the photos were taken early because there weren't photographers at weddings or for another reason. They had a church wedding and a reception that included a dinner at a local restaurant. It was a very small affair. I have the guest book from the reception, and there were less than 30 people there.

My mother wore a suit rather than a gown. She was poor as the proverbial church mouse. When she and my father met they were both 16, and my grandparents basically took her in. She tells of her first Christmas with them when just about every gift under the tree was for her.

Three years later they married. Just 19 years old, they expected my father to be drafted and sent to Korea. Rather than get their own apartment, after their honeymoon they went home and continued to live with my grandparents. The war ended later that year, and he was never drafted.

For their honeymoon they went to New York City and stayed in the Abbey Hotel for four nights. According to the receipt I still have, the room rate per night was $8.93 including taxes. The bill shows one charge for the valet for $1. They made three phone calls; two at 15¢ each and one long distance call for 84¢, no doubt a call to home.

Below are room service menus from the hotel. Take a look at these prices! Click on any to get a closer look.








And here are two matchbook covers with photos of them taken at the Latin Quarter, a club which in those days was located on Broadway.


Here's the drawing from the matchbook that I grabbed from the Internet. Looks like it must have been a fun place.



I'm so glad my mother hung onto these things over the years. It's so much fun to look back. Dad died in 2001 but it's still impossible to see this date come up on the calendar and not remember what happened on March 4 1953.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

15 comments:

Pam said...

Happy Anniversary to Nana June and Papa Mac! Those keepsakes are such treasures. I love the photo of your parents. What a fun trip down memory lane.

Michele said...

I love family treasures like these. Thanks for sharing.

Katherine said...

It's so wonderful that you have these things! It makes me wish that I had kept things from my honeymoon like that (other than just pictures.)

Unknown said...

I have loved this post!! I love the photos, the old menus, the Latin Quarter education, I love it all.
I am so happy you have all these things too.
My mom was 17 when she married in 1945, and she wore a suit too. I'll have to post their wedding picture someday.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

What a sweet post. How wonderful to have all of those items. Times were so different.

Sultan said...

This is nice. Amazing menus.

Arlee Bird said...

That is so utterly cool to have those momentos. I was looking through some old papers that my mother still has when I visited her at Christmas. It is so fascinating to go back in time looking at keepsakes.
Lee

Anonymous said...

Family treasures like this are wonderful. They let you take a glimpse at how life was in the past...

Have a great weekend...

Anonymous said...

It's amazing when a marriage lasts so many years...always impressive to me. Your Mom is so beautiful & is just beaming in her wedding picture.
The date popped out at me because my birthday was March 9, 1953. So they were married 5 days before I was born. It was a very good year : )

kayerj said...

a lovely post Sandy, happy anniverary to your parents

ain't for city gals said...

What great memories you have...my mom and dad are going to celebrate their 60th anniversary in May...I'm so proud of them...

A 2 Z said...

I have a similar picture of my parents. No white gown or fancy flowers just 2 young people very much in love. I like the red lipstick that women used to wear. Its great that you still have all these souvenirs!

Badass Geek said...

Neat! What an awesome way to be able to look back in time.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary - definitely worth celebrating the day.

What wonderful things your mom kept.

BONNIE K said...

What a beautiful couple, and how neat that you still have these things. Oh to have prices like that today!

 

Blog Design By Lindsey Joy Design © All Rights Reserved.