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Guests Gather in 1894 for Formal Wedding

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On Sept. 4, 1894, one hundred guests gathered for a double-wedding at the Guerin farm, near Port Orford, Ore.  The nuptials were for Harry Guerin to Ella Bigelow and Tom Guerin to Anna Tichenor.
The brides’ gowns were trimmed with a satin stripe, wide lace, and ribbon, special-ordered from San Francisco, and orange blossoms, full-length veils, white gloves, and slippers.
They held the ceremony on the front porch, surrounded by a magnificent climbing rose.  A red carpet spread over a thick layer of straw, and long cedar boughs twined together to make an overhead canopy.
Guests enjoyed a sumptuous feast with bride’s cake, groom’s cake and bountiful garden produce.  Party favors contained bonbons, fancy paper hats, and fortune-telling verses.
At dusk, the four newlyweds departed on their honeymoons in a carriage with two double seats, drawn by two horses.  Friends and family threw old shoes after them.  They would discover when they reached their destination that mischievous bridesmaids had stuffed rice into their luggage. 
The guests stayed behind on the Guerin farm, dancing through the night until daylight.
Source: Bigelow, Dora. "The Double Wedding." Curry County Echoes, Nov. 1985.

 

Episode
3544
Date
Author
Laurel Gerkman