The Bride's Book of Etiquette

Six days until the wedding!  June and Art concludes on September 1, 2011.

At some point, June received a copy of The Bride’s Book of Etiquette by the editors of The Bride’s Magazine (published 1948).  Approximately 95% of the content remains relevant today.  Here are a couple of passages that June may have thumbed through as she prepared for her wedding:

The Bride

“YOUR PRIVILEGES:  As a Bride, you are privileged, with the consent of your family, to choose the type of wedding you will have, to choose the time and place.  Within the bounds of tradition, you may pick the dress you will wear and all the accessories that go with it.  It’s your privilege to look as lovely as you know how…

“You are privileged to choose the flowers you want, the music you want, the reception you want.  You are privileged to make your wedding anything you want it to be.

“You are privileged to have all eyes center on you.”

The Groom

“The Groom is the other half of the raison d’etre for all this fuss and flurry.  He may feel completely out of things and very confused with all of the feminine running around that goes on.  However, he is a most important personage…

“No matter how hectic things may seem to him, he will try to observe every little tradition and courtesy dear to the hearts of women.  He will remember to thank the Bride’s parents for all they have done, and he won’t forget to tell his Bride how lovely she looks.”

(Tomorrow – News from the Shower reporters.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Wedding Responses

Seven days until the wedding!  June and Art concludes on September 1, 2011.

“Would be very glad to attend wedding of my cousin Arthur and your daughter June and nothing but fire, flood or sickness could keep me away…”

The responses poured in…

In the end, approximately 80 friends and relatives responded that they would be attending.  A small sampling of their replies is below.

(Tomorrow – The Bride's Book of Etiquette.)

© 2011 Lee Price

The Wedding Invitation

Eight days until the wedding!  June and Art concludes on September 1, 2011.

“If the wedding’s to be postponed, it will be alright.  But if the wedding’s on, this is already the last week of June and I just have to get the invitations made out!”

                                                                                    June Anderson

                                                                                    Letter to Art Price, June 20, 1951

June’s eye was on the calendar.  While she was very understanding about the need for the delay in firming up the wedding date, her anxiety was definitely rising.  She knew there were many details that needed to be addressed if the wedding was to go ahead as planned on September 1.  When Art finally committed to the date, June launched into wedding preparations with her parents and Art.

Since June’s mother and father were both from out of state (Virginia and Connecticut, respectively), many of the people receiving invitations would have to plan to travel in order to attend.  The final list of

invitees included local friends, work acquaintances, and

relatives.  Among the friends frequently mentioned in the letters, Shirley Stahl, Bruno Marcincuk, Joe Cerullo, and Frank Hoffman were invited.

According to this scribbled calculation, it appears that 144 people were invited.

(Tomorrow – Responses flood in.)

© 2011 Lee Price

House for Rent

Nine days until the wedding!  June and Art concludes on September 1, 2011.

With Art out of the hospital and quickly recovering, June and Art made a firm commitment to September 1, 1951 as their wedding date.  Final arrangements were made with the Riverhead United Methodist Church.  They planned for an afternoon wedding at the church followed by a reception at June’s parent’s house on Lincoln Street in Riverhead.

Meanwhile in Southampton, the owner of the house next to Art’s parents decided to put the house up for rent.  He asked for just $20 a month, which was very reasonable at the time.  June loved the idea of renting the house at 26 Cooper Street and thought the little five-room home was “adorable.”

Art agreed to rent the property very shortly after getting out of the hospital.  While still on crutches, he painted the whole interior.  It would be all ready for them to move into when they returned from their honeymoon in Quebec and Montreal.

(Tomorrow – The wedding invitations.)

© 2011 Lee Price

The Last Letter

With the wedding tentatively scheduled for September 1, 1951, Art decided to address a long-standing health problem in June.  He was admitted to Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and underwent an operation on June 15 to address the pain in his left knee.

Friday, June 22, 1951

Presbyterian Hospital

168th Street, 5th Floor

New York, NY

Dear June:

Art at Montauk Point,
circa 1951.

I’ll be seeing you long before you get this but I’ll write anyway.  My mother just left a few minutes ago.  The Minister got lost coming up here but he finally arrived, too.

I love you so much, darling.  I’m certainly looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.  I hope my wheelchair is strong enough for both of us.  I can’t wait till my arms are around you again.

You’ll probably get this the day I get home so I guess I’ll make it short.  I’ll just say I love you, you beautiful doll, you.  Good night for now, my darling.

All my love,

Art

(Tuesday – Final countdown.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Coming Home on Monday

With the wedding tentatively scheduled for September 1, 1951, Art decided to address a long-standing health problem in June.  He was admitted to Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and underwent an operation on June 15 to address the pain in his left knee.

Thursday, June 21, 1951

126 Lincoln Street

Riverhead, NY

Dear Art,

Fashion quick sketch by
June Anderson.

I’m so glad you’ll be able to come home Monday and I hope you’ll be coming over to see me soon after.  It’s too bad that you have to come home by train though.

I love you so much, darling, and miss you more each day.  Do hurry, darling – not just home, but back here to me.  I hope to come in to see you on Saturday, provided I don’t have to work.

Mother has started to clear the living room.  What a job!  Grandma plans to arrive the first of July.  You’ll be over to see me before then, won’t you?  But we won’t be able to stay out so late then, I guess.

I love you so much, darling.  I wish you were here with me tonight – I miss you so much.

All my love,

June

(Tomorrow – Hope my wheelchair is strong enough for two.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Get Well Cards

With the wedding tentatively scheduled for September 1, 1951, Art decided to address a long-standing health problem in June.  He was admitted to Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and underwent an operation on June 15 to address the pain in his left knee.

Thursday, June 21, 1951

Presbyterian Hospital

168th Street, 5th Floor

New York, NY

Dear June:

You’ve heard the news:  I’ll sure be glad to get home Monday.  The sooner I’ve got you in my arms again the better.  I love you, darling.

I’m sure now that we’ll be getting married the first of September.  Gee, that’s only about two months and a week away.  I’ve got to get busy when I get home.

I watched baseball on TV this afternoon and the rest of the time I read or roamed around.  I’ve been getting lots of get well cards.  Did I tell you the grocery store across the street from Rod’s sent me a fruit basket?

I’ll call you tomorrow, darling.  I miss you very much, sweetheart.  Be good now.

All my love,

Art

A get well card from some of Art's friends and neighbors in Southampton,
including George and Shirley Hudson, Helen Hudson, Hazel Halsey,
and June Halsey.

(Tomorrow – Too bad you have to come home by train.)

© 2011 Lee Price