50/60's Weddings

[Slooow_Jo]

what would have been eaten?
what was the first dance to?
was it a sit down meal, buffet or both?

[bunkmoreland]

my mother was married in 1955 Jo,and as far as i know, there was just the church/chapel service and an afternoon formal wedding meal for the guests. The happy couple left around teatime for their honeymoon. The're wouldnt have been an evening/musical do. Things changed in the 60s ,but as far as I know,it was the 70s before the evening do started to emerge.

[Slooow_Jo]

thank you bunkmoreland, do you think you could find out what was served at the wedding meal?

[woofgang]

My mother in law had an evening do (married late 1940's) she told me they were the first to leave and that was at midnight. They went to an hotel for that night and off on honeymoon the next day. The first dance is a very new addition. I married in 1974 and it wasn't done then. I had an afternoon buffet reception.

[coccinelle]

At my parents' wedding in 1955 they had soup, a beef lunch (with vegetables served seperately) and trifle. Then the bottom part of the three tier wedding cake was cut. Tea was served with the meal, no alcohol and as far as I can see in the video no water!! There was no evening do. My parents' reception was in the hall of the local school as this was the only public place in the village. In the 60s a village hall was built.

[Slooow_Jo]

woofgang I wonder when the 'first dance' started then?
coccinelle you say the bottom tier of cake was cut, am I right to think the other tier was saved for their childs chrisening??

[coccinelle]

Yes, tradition had it that the bottom cake was shared with guests, the second cake was shared with neighbours, friends and family not attending the wedding and the third cake wrapped up and kept for the first child's christening.

[mallyh]

i just about remember my uncles wedding late 50s or early 60s my aunt wore a short white dress(mid calf) with loads of petticoats ,jive music was played but i don't remember first dance and there was a buffet all the usual stuff sanswiches sausage rolls salad ham thats about all i can recall.

[Slooow_Jo]

well I'm engaged have been since last year but wedding isn't till 2016, me n hubby will have known each other 15 years so no rush lol
I've my heart set on a 50's style dress, as mallyh said mid calf loads of petticoats :) so it got me wondering then about a 50's theme wedding, have been googling & most ideas are '50's diner' so I'd like something other than burger n fries lol I've decided on a knickerbocker glory for dessert though!

[cupotee]

I was married in 1958. We had a buffet reception at a local hall. The food was prepared by a local Baker who also did catering.

As far as my memory serves me we had small sandwiches and small cakes. I am pretty sure we never has anything fancy at 3/6 [17.5p] a head.

[cupotee]

My dress was made of ice blue lace, 3/4 length [calf length] with long sleeves. I wore high heels that were sparkly, a bit like I see in the shops again now. I carried a white bible with a spray of White Freesias hanging from the bible via a ribbon tucked inside the book.
It was fashionable to have a pale coloured dress. A friend had a pale pink dress around the same time.

I don't remember there being a first dance but music was provided by a record player & our own records.

Compare that with my Grandsons wedding later this year that is running into many thousands..just glad I'm not footing the bill.

[dancecaller]

Weddings then varied (as now). Some had 'catered' weddings others were more DIY. My father worked as a hospital chef and did the food for some friends at our church, with friends helping out to serve. Soup, roast (if I remember right) and maybe a pudding or cheese and biscuits. The soup was a choice, tomato or oxtail. Can't really remember details of the other courses.
Couples in the 50s didn't live together before the wedding so were assumed to be in a hurry to leave for the honeymoon.
I remember my cousins wedding, it was a meal in the afternoon for guest (family) and an evening do (disco perhaps) for the 'young people' - the friends of the bride and groom.

I call at ceilidhs, so see a lot of present day wedding dos. I've been to some in church halls where friends have catered / provided flowers / etc. etc. others in expensive venues where every detail had to be correct. And all sorts in between.

In the 50s you'd never have thought of spending out on fancy skirts for chairs! The war and rationing was not that far behind us, money was tight for most. (And we had more sense)