Tag Archives: 1940s

Photos

Dorothy & Charles – July 8th, 1942

Going through a stack of photos this afternoon, I found this lovely couple, Dorothy E. Beebe and Charles W. Wilson, who would be celebrating their 74th wedding anniversary today.

Dorothy and Charles - 1942 {TheySaidIDo.com}

Dorothy and Charles - July 8th, 1942 {TheySaidIDo.com}

Dorothy and Charles - July 8th, 1942 {TheySaidIDo.com}

 

Photos

Rod & Sophie 1940s Reception

Rod & Sophie - 1940s Detroit Wedding Reception at Home {TheySaidIDo.com}

I came across this single photo amongst a basket of  paper ephemera at a local antique store sale a couple of weeks ago. The candid pose of the couple, the cake, and the table spread of a reception at home instantly drew me to it. But of course, it had no identifying information. I looked through the rest of the papers it was with but didn’t find anything to help me out. After picking around the rest of the tent, I finally made my way up to pay for it. Initially, the clerk seemed confused as to why I would want a single torn wedding photo but offered that he knew who the couple was (I was delighted). He mentioned that they had lived in the area and the husband, Rod Rieser, had been a photographer for the Detroit Times (I was even more delighted!).

I later discovered that beyond his work at the Times (a Hearst newspaper that was sold to the rival Detroit News in 1960) he was a freelance photographer who had his work featured in Life magazine. He was also a founding member of the Detroit Press Club. In the early 1990s a retrospective of his work that featured photographs of Marilyn Monroe, Richard Nixon, and Jackie Gleason, among others was exhibited in the lobby of the Fisher Building in Detroit. I’m so pleased to be able to share a photo of a fellow photographer here on my blog dedicated to wedding photography!

 

Photos

Leonard & Marian – July 22nd 1944 (Part II)

As promised, here are several of the snapshot photos of my grandparents on their wedding day outside of St. Mark’s Evangelical Church in Detroit (now Grace Assembly of God).


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Leonard & Marian - July 22, 1944 {TheySaidIDo.com}

My grandma and grandpa – Just Married!

My grandpa looks so happy in this photo. He loved my grandma so much. Until the end of his life he kept a Valentine’s Day card he had sent to her in February ’44 before they were married in the top drawer of his dresser. He missed her terribly.

Leonard & Marian - July 22, 1944 {TheySaidIDo.com}

My grandparents and great-grandparents from left to right: Leonard’s parents, Louis and Julia, Marian and Leonard, Marian’s parents Dorothy and Arthur.

Leonard & Marian - July 22, 1944 {TheySaidIDo.com}

My grandparents with my grandma’s parents, Dorothy and Arthur.

Gerrie & Freddy - Wedding Attendants July 22, 1944 {TheySaidIDo.com}

My grandma’s younger sister Gerrie, the maid of honor, and their cousin Freddy, a groomsman in the wedding.

 

Photos

Leonard & Marian – July 22nd 1944

Today I’m honoring a very special couple on the blog – my grandparents Leonard and Marian. Although they are no longer with us,  this would have been their 70th wedding anniversary. They were able to celebrate 60 years together before my gram passed away in 2005.

One of my favorite memories of time spent at their house, among so many that I can’t even begin to count, is of looking through their boxes and albums of family photos. I would always reach for their formal wedding portraits in the large foldable stands first. I was in awe of my gram’s beautiful dress (in fact, she borrowed it from her sister-in-law Isabelle who was a bridesmaid in her wedding) swirling veil and bouquet.

They were married while my grandpa was home from leave from Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland during World War II.

Leonard & Marian - July 22, 1944 {TheySaidIDo.com}

Leonard & Marian - July 22, 1944 {TheySaidIDo.com}

Leonard & Marian - July 22, 1944 {TheySaidIDo.com}

Attendants from left to right: My grandma’s sister Geraldine (Gerrie), my grandpa’s brother George, George’s wife Isabelle and my grandma’s cousin Freddy.

Their professional photos were taken by Bonish Studios in Detroit.

Bonish Studio Detroit, MI {TheySaidIDo.com}

My mom is on assignment to find some of the snapshots from their wedding day, so look out for those coming up later this week.

 

 

Photos

Jack & June – 1947

This is the first in a series of photos from the weddings of two sisters. They look so much alike that first I thought they might be twins, but were actually born a year apart. The younger sister, June, and her husband, Jack, were married in May of 1947 in Lansing, Michigan.  She’s wearing a tailored bridal suit so common to brides of the 1940s. Obviously this was a trend necessitated by the scarcity and expense of material for wedding gowns during (and in this case just post) WWII, but I quite like to see these smart and sophisticated looking brides.

Jack and June cut the cake.  The reverse is imprinted: Linprints - Linn Camera Shop, Lansing May 19, 1947

Jack and June cut the cake.
The reverse is imprinted: Linprints – Linn Camera Shop, Lansing
May 19, 1947

The reverse is imprinted: Linprints - Linn Camera Shop, Lansing May 19, 1947

The reverse is imprinted: Linprints – Linn Camera Shop, Lansing
May 19, 1947

Sister Inez is pictured on the right. Presumably the Maid of Honor. The reverse is imprinted: Linprints - Linn Camera Shop, Lansing May 19, 1947

June’s sister Inez, presumably the maid of honor, is pictured on the right.
The reverse is imprinted: Linprints – Linn Camera Shop, Lansing
May 19, 1947

Jack and June survey wedding presents from their guests. The reverse is imprinted: Linprints - Linn Camera Shop, Lansing May 19, 1947

Jack and June survey wedding presents from their guests.
The reverse is imprinted: Linprints – Linn Camera Shop, Lansing
May 19, 1947

 

Sister Inez’s wedding from the 1950s will be coming soon!

 

Articles Photos

Wartime Valentine – Toronto Star

My husband and I spent Valentine’s weekend in Toronto. During our stay at the Royal York we were given the option of receiving complimentary editions of either the local paper, The Toronto Star, or the national paper, The Globe and Mail, delivered to our room each morning. We opted for The Star and this turned out to be a very good choice as Friday morning I was happily surprised by this article:

Wartime Valentine: Three “Happily Ever After” stories from a 1940s wedding photographer’s album

It featured Toronto wedding photographer J. Taylor Maclagan’s recently discovered studio portfolio album from the 1940s. As the article notes, beginning in the 1930s,  Maclagan was one of the first Toronto photographers to offer more than just posed wedding portraits but the whole “camera story of the day” (And of course I love a photo journalistic approach to weddings!). Maclagan received many of his referrals from Eaton’s Bridal Salon, which was the largest department store in Toronto at that time (now defunct, downtown Toronto’s Eaton Centre shopping mall still bears its name).

In a story all too familiar to TheySaidIDo.com, the photos in the album are largely unidentified. The Toronto Star was able to identify several couples as their photos were also printed in the paper’s society pages at the time. Stories of three couples pictured in the album were featured. Only one bride was still alive at the age of 91. Family members of others helped fill in the details of the couples lives together after they said “I do.”

J. Taylor Maclagan Album (photo credit: RICK MADONIK / TORONTO STAR)

J. Taylor Maclagan Album (photo credit: RICK MADONIK / TORONTO STAR)

J. Taylor Maclagan Album (photo credit: RICK MADONIK / TORONTO STAR)

J. Taylor Maclagan Album (photo credit: RICK MADONIK / TORONTO STAR)

J. Taylor Maclagan Album (photo credit: RICK MADONIK / TORONTO STAR)

J. Taylor Maclagan Album (photo credit: RICK MADONIK / TORONTO STAR)

More photos are available in a slideshow on the Toronto Star site. If you think you may be able to help identify them, contact the reporter Katie Daubs.

Photos

Father of the Bride – 1940s

In this little square candid, a bride and her father make their way to the church as a group of bystanders look on. I love the scalloped edges on this print, so I decided to leave it on in the scan. The photo is unmarked but appears to be from the 1940s.

Father of the Bride - 1940s {TheySaidIDo.com}

Photos

A Little Bit of Leg! – 1940s

How fun is this bridal party from the 1940s? Bride, bridesmaids and a groomsman all showing some leg!

Showing some leg - 1940s {TheySaidIDo.com}

Photos

Rice Toss – 1940s

This unknown couple from the 1940s exits to a hailstorm of rice. The guy in the background looks like he’s having a great time!

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Photos

Wee Kirk o’ the Heather – 1940s

This couple was married at the Wee Kirk o’ the Heather located within Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Built in 1929, it is a replica of 14th century church in Glencairn, Scotland. The photographs are undated but appear to be from the late 1940s. All of the captions are taken from notations written on the backs of the photos.

The first step! Our dash from the church - and the photographer just "caught" us. If you look real closely - you can see the candelabra inside at the altar.

The first step! Our dash from the church – and the photographer just “caught” us. If you look real closely – you can see the candelabra inside at the altar.

Wishing Chair

Ronald Reagan and first wife, Jane Wyman were married at the Wee Kirk o’ the Heather in January of 1940 and were also photographed sitting in the Wishing Chair. According to a 1989 article by the L.A. Times, “”In the ’40s, if a couple wasn’t married in the Wee Kirk, they just weren’t married.” This couple apparently did it in style!

Ye Wedding Party again - at home for the reception - all mighty amused at sumpin'!

Ye Wedding Party again – at home for the reception – all mighty amused at sumpin’!

Some of the relatives and guests at the reception. Dr. MacKay - the minister is to my left. Our Swiss friend Freddie is smiling over his shoulder - third from the left is our Indian friend Charlie Roberts. Next to the minister is Lorraine Richards - who is a wonderful friend to me.

Some of the relatives and guests at the reception. Dr. MacKay – the minister is to my left. Our Swiss friend Freddie is smiling over his shoulder – third from the left is our Indian friend Charlie Roberts. Next to the minister is Lorraine Richards – who is a wonderful friend to me.