Wedding Belles - Smile for the Camera

The following are photographs of the wedding of my great aunt Lillian Ruth Iles when she married Victor Brooks in Owen Sound, Ontario on 25 August 1926. It was an outdoor wedding most likely at the home of her father George Iles and step-mother.






They are all, except for the little girls wearing their Salvation Army uniforms.
Right to left - William James, best man - Victor Brooks, groom; Lily Iles, bride and May Iles, maid of honour. In front are two flower girls, names not known.


Of all my paternal great aunts and uncles, it was this couple that I was closest too so I am pleased the family photograph album includes their wedding photographs. We visited them in Toronto and at their cottage at Sauble Beach.

Happy Anniversary

Today, would have been my parents' 62nd wedding anniversary. This week, when I was looking through one of the memorabilia boxes at my house, I found a keepsake book "Bridal wreath: a book for the bride". It contains lots of great information that my mom had entered into the appropriate sections.

They first met in May 1939. A friend of my mother's made the introductions. Unfortunately, World War II intervened and my dad joined the army and eventually was sent overseas. Dad kept in touch with her during the war. Dad proposed on April 14, 1946 and gave her an engagement ring eight days later. Under showers and entertainments, she described who had showers and what they received. From the description of some of the items received, I believe I still have some of them.

In 1946, May 15 was a Wednesday. Businesses were only open in the morning, which allowed the working guests to attend the 2 p.m. ceremony. It was a very small wedding, with a guest list of 25, held at the church manse. The wedding reception was held at the home of her employer, W. P. Telford, Sr. My mother's aunt, Margaret and my dad's mom received the guests. The book gives the names of the guests and the gifts they received and the food served. After the reception, they departed on the CPR train and headed to Toronto for a short honeymoon. The newspaper clippings, describing in detail the wedding and her dress and the descriptions of the showers held in her honour, are part of the book.

The wedding dress

The bride's floor length gown was of white slipper satin, the fullness of the moulded bodice shirred to a V-neckline and lace yoke, satin covered buttons down the front to the waistline and the lace continuing in loose panels over the full skirt. The long sleeves had lily points over the hands and her full length veil of white silk net was caught in a cap of lace on her fair hair. She wore a pearl pendant and white satin slippers and carried an armful of red Better Time roses and bouvardia with wide white satin ties.

How fortunate I am to have this book that my mother wrote in the details concerning their wedding.

"The Bridal wreath: a book for the bride", originally owned by Marion Iles and now in the possession of her daughter.
Wedding photograph of Bob & Marion Iles, May 15, 1946, original in my possession.

Web 2.0 applications - Picasa - gets my vote

After looking at several of the Web 2.0 applications, I decided to download Picasa to my computer to organize and work with my photos. I already have the one that came with the digital camera and also one I downloaded from Adobe.



For a free application, it has a lot of benefits. I had a couple of photos from the wedding where there was red-eye. Wow it was easy to fix. I had a couple of photos that were taken in low light and I didn't take the time to figure how to adjust my camera (hard to do when it is dark). These were improved by using the Picasa features. I was not successful in using the "blog this" feature. I created a collage of pictures. You also can create posters. There are different ways to sort the files. You can watch a slide show. In the editing features cropping, straightening, removing red eye, auto contrast. Some fine tuning includes the fill light, highlights and one shadows and color warmth.

Here is a photo that I fixed up with the features from Picasa.

Heather & Jeff saying their vows

Heather & Jeff saying their vows
Originally uploaded by JanetII

Waterview Resort is on the shore of Colpoy's Bay. What a beautiful setting for Heather & Jeff's wedding. I have posted some photos to my Flickr account

snake cake

snake cake
Originally uploaded by JanetII

Now this is not the typical wedding cake but so appropriate for Jeff and Heather's wedding.

Jeff is studying the foxsnake for his Phd.

To see a photo of a real foxsnake http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1355/561663395_6709a0f8ec.jpg?v=0

See previous post for details on the wedding.

Wedding weekend over - now quiet on the home front

The wedding was beautiful. Waterview Resort was a perfect location. http://www.waterview.ca/ On Friday evening, the evening begin with a barbecue. After the wedding party rehearsed, we gathered around the fire pit and roasted marshmallows and visited. Many stayed at the resort but we headed back home.

Saturday, those at the resort enjoyed the facilities. We took the scenic route to get there. The 4 o'clock wedding was down by the water. The father of the groom played the bagpipes as the bride was escorted down the aisle by her mother (my sister) and her father.

After the ceremony, a large group photo was taken. I wonder if I will be able to find myself in the photo?

The photographs were taken while the guests enjoyed hors d'oeuvres, played horseshoes, bocce or visited.

Each table was given a name. The table names related to either Jeff or Heather's life. The pictures on the name cards were done by Heather's kindergarten students. During the reception, there was no clinking of the glasses to get the newlyweds to kiss. Instead, you had to correctly guess the significance of the name of your table to get the couple to kiss. If incorrect, you kissed someone else.

After a very delicious meal, a slide show highlighted the lives of each of them and then some photos of them together -- very touching - it brought back memories, a few tears and some laughter.

It was not quite yet time for the dancing to begin so time for more visiting outside. The horseshoe game continued. The music began. The bonfire was lit and those who preferred gathered around it. At 10, there was a spectacular fireworks show. The music resumed and those who enjoyed dancing were on the dance floor. Others stayed around the bonfire until it was time for the cake.

As a remembrance of the weekend, the couple gave the guests white spruce saplings to plant. Heather met Jeff when they were tree planting.

We left around midnight but the party continued. All the best to Heather and Jeff in their married life.

Well, it is quiet here now. The family has left. It was a wonderful visit.
The laundry awaits.