A Pageant of Christmas Brides In Gowns Inspired by the Past

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 543, 21 December 1928, Page 5

A Pageant of Christmas Brides In Gowns Inspired by the Past

WYLDE-BROWNE—RATHBONE The daintiest of Old World gowns was chosen by Miss Leila Isabel Ratlibone, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Ratlibone, of Victoria Avenue, last evening, when she was married by Canon Percivai James in St. Mary's Cathedral, Parnell, to Mr. Ralph Vernon Merrick Wylde-Browne, the only son of the late Mr. F. WyldeBrowne, and nephew of Mrs. A. Masefield. Satin beaute of dull ivory tones fashioned the high waisted corsage of the bridal gown, and frills of exquisite french lace cascaded almost to the ankles. A softly-shaded pink rose was caught in the frills of the skirt and a large satin bow finished the waist. Her veil of honiton lace which fell into a graceful train was attractively fastened round the hair with orange blossom buds. A special feature of the bride’s toilette was the beautiful string of pearls, a WyldeBrowne family heirloom, given her by Miss Wylde-Browne as a wedding gift. The shower bouquet was of pink and white carnations. Mr. Randell, organist, played the Wedding March as the bride entered the church on the arm of her father.

A picturesquely modern note was introduced by the frocking of the bridesmaids, Miss Daphne Rainger and Miss Grace Wylde-Browne. Their frocks were similarly made of shrimp pink georgette, with close-fitting bodices and frilled skirts. Pink and blue roses were caught among the frills of the skirt and their large crinoline hats were of larkspur blue with pink roses trimming the underside of the brim Their shoes were of blue kid, with gold heels. They carried posies of pink and blue flowers.

Ailsa Ratlibone was a charming train-bearer in shrynp pink frilled georgette worn over palest blue chiffon. Her satin sasli was of duchess blue and her quaint leghorn poke bonnet was trimmed with ruched blue georgette. She carried a tiny posy of pink flowers. Mr. Stewart Kinnear was best man, Mr. Douglas Rathbone groomsman and Messrs. W. Patterson, R. Barr, C. Partridge, S. Allarman and O. Rainger acted as ushers.

After the wedding a reception was held at “Otanga,’’ tlie home of the bride, where Mrs. Rathbone and Mrs. A. Masefield received the guests. A large marquee had been erected in the garden and had been decorated with trails of pink rambler roses. Mrs. Masefield wore black and white sequinned chiffon over palest flesh pink georgette. Her hat was of black straw and she carried a posy of pink, flowers.

Mrs. Rathbone, who was unable to receive her guests owing to indisposition, appeared for a short time at the wedding breakfast wearing a beige georgette and lace frock with black wrap and beige hat. Her posy was of pink and blue delphiniums. The bride’s going-away ensemble was an atrtactive jumper suit of cherry jersey silk worn with a closefitting straw hat of beige and cherry fi;ikiii£d with a dagger pin of brilliants. Among the guests were:

Miss Wylde-Browne, Mrs. Baker, Mrs Warburton, Mrs. H. M. Rathbone, Mrs. E. T. Baker, Miss M. Rathbone, Mr. and Mrs. J. Robertson, Mr. and Mrs. M McCallum, Mr. and Mrs. Broughton, Mr. and Mrs. C. Leys, Mr. Norton Hammond, Mr. and Mrs. Tonks, Miss Linda de Renzy, Mr. and Mrs. Nalder, Mrs. Rex. Gam bier, Mr. and Mrs. St. Clair Brown, Miss Olga Read, Mr. and Mrs. Frater, Dr. and Mrs. McKelvy, Mr. and Mrs. Buddie, Mr. and Mrs. Croft, Mr. and Mrs. Biss, Miss Nance Biss, Lady Lockhart, Miss Gee, Dr. and Mrs. Murray, Rev. and Mrs. Percivai James, Mr. and Mrs. Mahon, Miss Mahon, Mn and Mrs. Noakes, Miss Nance Noakes, Mr. M. Noakes, Mr. and Mrs. Asser, Miss Helen Asser, Mr. and Mrs. Witherow, Mr. and Mrs. J. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, Mr. and Mrs. Rainger, and the Misses Rainger, Mr. A. Seccombe and Mrs. Seccombe, Mr. and Mrs. A. Burt, Mrs. Fenton, Dr. and Mrs. McDiarmid, Mr. and Mrs. E. Baker, Mrs. Mitchelson, Mr. and Mrs. Inder, Mr. and Mrs. Eccleton, Mr. and Mrs. A. Coutts, Mr. and Mrs. Bailey, Miss Bailey, Mr. and Mrs. C. Frazer, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and Miss Thompson, Miss Yonge, Dr. and Mrs. Scott, Mr. and Mrs. Tilly, and Miss Tilly, Mrs. Corbet, Mr. R. Barr, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Partridge, Mrs. S. Upton, Mr. and Mrs. T. Alexander Low, Mr. and Mrs. W. Wynyard, Mr. and Mrs. Henry, Mrs. Bayley, Mr. and Mrs. Marler, Mr. H. Fisher, Mr. Allerman, Mr. and Mrs. P. Upton, Lauri Ormiston, Mr. and Mrs. Whitelaw and Miss Whitelaw, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Culpan, Mrs. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. G. Creagh and Mr. Eric Creagh, Dr. and Mrs. Somerville, Mr. and Mrs. J J. Kingston, Mr. and Mrs. Ballentyne, Mr. and Mrs. Ashton, Mr. and Mrs. Owen Rainger, Mr. and Mrs. Rickerby, Mr. and Mrs. Saunders, Dr. and Mrs. Grant, Mr.

and Mrs. Brooke, Mrs. M. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Marton, Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mr. and Mrs. Walkley and Miss Walkley, Mr. O. Butler, Miss Wakeman, Sir Edwin and Lady Mitchelson, Mr. and Mrs. Watson-Airey and Miss Airey, Mr. A. Masefield, Miss E. Partridge, Mr. C. Partridge, Mr. and Mrs. burn, Mr. and Mrs. Lintott, Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Mobray, Mr. and Mrs. Parker Upton, Miss May Upton, Mr. Haig Upton, Mr. Stuart Kinnear Mr. and Mrs. H. Mowbray, Mr. and Mis. Campbell, Dr. and Mrs S. A. and Mrs. Johnson and Miss Johnson, Miss Marjorie Suter, Mr. and Mrs. Noel Mat-son-Airey. SHORLAND —BARROW Zoe Eileen, the youngest daughter of Mrs T. J. Barrow, of Normandie, Wynyard Street, was an attractively dressed bride last evening when, at St. Matthew’s Church, she was matried by the Rev. S. Smallfield to George Hardwick, the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Shorland, of Giafton Mr. Noel Barrow, brother of the bride, gave her away, and the bridegroom was attended by Mr. Charles Reid and Mr. Jack Shorland as best man and groomsman. . , For her wedding gown the bude chose a picturesque old world style, expressed in sheer satin of ivory tin , with a slenderly-fitting corsage ana a full skirt that fell in rich folds to her ankles. Over all the frock a delicate floral design was traced in Kleaming silver thread, and the veil of tulle and embroidered net that fell from a chaplet of orange blossoms formed a pretty train. A Victorian posy of massed pink and white rosebuds was carried. „ . .. . The bride had four attendants, their frocks of leaf green, yellow and blue making an effective background of colours to offset the simplicity of her white attire. The bride’s sister, Mrs. E. J. 1‘ oley, was matron of honour, and wore a period frock of leaf green satin with a bouffant frilled skirt of tulle reaching to the ground. Her picture hat was of crinoline straw with a swathe of velvet tied in a bow in front, and she carried a posy of red rosebuds. Miss Mabel Fairburn was bridesmaid and her frock, fashioned of satin and tulle in the same way as the matron of honour’s, was of a piquant yellow tint. She also wore a picture hat and carried a red rose bouquet. Little Miss Pattie Gaylor was the train-bearer, wearing a dainty ICat-e Greenaway frock of mist blue satin frilled with georgette and a cap of ivory lace. A debonair young page, Master Clinton May, completed the bridal retinue, wearing a smart little suit of white satin with cavalier collar and cuffs of cream lace.

CHESTER—BEWS Bouffant frills of ivory tulle drifting in delightful fashion to the ground from a slender corsage of lace-veiled satin gave a piquant air of daintiness to the exquisite wedding gown worn by Marion Hope (Tui) Bews, the third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. Wallace Bews, of Sea View Road, Remuera, when, at St. Luke’s Church, Remuera, last evening, she was married by the Rev. J. A. Thompson to Russell Elliot Chester, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. W. G Chester, of Winnipeg, Canada. The bodice of her pretty gown, which was finished with an interesting little flat rolled collar of satin, caught in front of the waistline, a posy of orange blossom. The Spanish lace that veiled the corsage of the bridal frock was also used for her juliette cap over which a veil of embroidered tulle was arranged with clusters of orange blossoms. Lilies, carnations and roses mingled their fragrance in the bride’s bouquet.

Two picturesquely dressed bridesmaids and two dainty flower-girls composed the bridal retintie, and all were dressed in delightful, blending soft nuances of rose.

The bridesmaids were the Misses Heather and Helen Bews, and their frocks of pompadour rose georgette were made in similar manner with chic rows of diagonal tucking adorning the bodices, the flounced circular skirts being edged with rose coloured satin. The top tier of each pretty gown was narrowed into streamer ends that fell with a trail of roses down one side of the skirt to the hemline. Picture hats of cerise crinoline straw were worn, their brim edges being of transparent tulle, with a swathing of velvet ribbon and a cluster of crimson roses caught under the brim. They each carried a bouquet of roses, sweet peas and carnations.

The flower girls were the Misses Jean Mackenzie (niece of the bride), and Barbara Macky, and their roseshaded frocks of organdie were composed entirely of frills tapering from the hem to the yoke in width. Bows of taffeta trimmed the backs of their dresses, and they wore head-dresses of rosebuds and carried silver baskets of rose petals to strew in the bride’s path. The bride was given away by her father and the bridegroom was attended by Mr. Leonard Swan as best man and Mr. R. F. Johnson as groomsman. The ushers were Messrs. Monte Steel, lan Bews, F. L. G. West, Frank Mackenzie and Dr. Frank Macky. The church had been exquisitely decorated

by friends of the bride with pink roses and fern, with a large wedding bell over the altar. The decorations at the reception, which was held at “Strathcoma,” the bride’s parents’ residence in Seaview Road, were of rose-coloured sweet peas and carnations. To receive her guests Mrs. Bews was smartly gowned in black chiffon with deep hem of black persian lace embossed in shades of mauve and cerise, worn coat fashion over cedarwood georgette, tucked and pleated. Her hat was of beig€i rose straw, flower trimmed, and she carried a small bouquet of red flowers.. Mrs. F. E. Mackenzie was wearing a distinctive gown of beige lace and georgette with a wide-brimmed hat to tone. Mrs. lan Bews chose a frock of gentian blue georgette and a cherry-red hat. The bride and groom will leave Auckland by the Aorangi on December 31, and will make their home in London. Among the guests were:— Dr. and Mrs. Allen (New Plymouth), Misses Alderton, Misses Bews (Huapai), Mr. and Mrs. lan Bews, Mrs. D. J. Bews (Wellington), Dr. and Mrs. Bull, Mr. and Mrs. Blerinerhasset (Cambridge). Mr. and Mrs. H. R. Burrett, Mr. and Mrs. Angus Bunting, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, Miss Braund, Miss Bush (Gisborne), Madame Edith Baird, Mr. W. Baird, Miss Joy Bartley, Miss Thorold Clerk, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Chambers, Mr. and Mrs Carpenter, Mr. A. C. Dahl, Mr. Digby, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Goudie, Miss Jean Goudie, Mrs. Angus Gordon, Miss Jean Gordon, Mr. Jack Gordon, Mr. Colin Gordon, Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie Blakely (Rotorua), Mrs. and Miss Meg Gamble, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Grey (Hamilton)), Mr. and Mrs. Hammond (Wellington), Mr. and Mrs. Les Hawke (Hamilton), Miss King, Mr. and Mrs. R. King, Mrs. Theo. Kissling, Miss Mueller, Mrs. Frank Macky, Mr. J. D. Mackie, Miss Matier, Mr. D. MacDonald, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Meredith (Cambridge), Miss Eileen Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Monte McCallum, Mr. and Mrs. F. MacKenzie, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell Paterson, and Miss Paterson, Mr. Guy Pearce, Mrs. Richardson and Miss Richardson (Wellington), Mr. F. C. Shaw (Huapai), Mrs. Leonard Swan, Miss Sloman, Mrs. J. A. Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. James Taylor (Cambridge), Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Walker (Gisborne), Mr. and Mrs. Colin Taylor (Hamilton), Mr. and Mrs. N. K. Taylor (Waikato), Mr. and Mrs. Batchelor (Cambridge), Mrs. Arthur Taylor, Miss Young, Mr. and Mrs. Eric Yates, Mrs. Elsa Niccols, and Mrs. A. W. Donald.

DOUBLE WEDDING ARMSTRONG—ROBERTSON A double wedding of considerable interest was celebrated in £st. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Otahuhu, on Wednesday evening, when Vera, the third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Robertson, of Panmure Road, Otahuhu, was married to William Geary, the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Armstrong, of Auckland, and previously of Dunedin. The Rev. W. T. Currie officiated, and Miss E. Moffatt presided at the organ. Mr. Frank Ferrell fulfilled the duties of best man. The bride, who entered the church on the arm of her father, wore a dainty gown of ivory georgette, with petalled skirt, finished with a shoulder posy and streamers of silver ribbon. Her daintily embroidered veil fell from a coronet of orange blossoms to form a train, and she carried a shower bouquet of sweet peas and carnations, with sprays of maidenhair fern and asparagus, tied with streamers of white ribbon. Miss Elsie Petrie was bridesmaid and wore a frock of ciel blue crepe de chine, effectively embroidered with a floral design, and a picture hat to tone, and carried a bouquet of summer blooms. Little Madge Skeen acted as flower girl, wearing a pretty frock of rose du barri silk crepe and a head-dress of tulle in matching tints. She carried a quaint little flower posy. The bride’s travelling frock was of beige crepe de chine, worn under a. coat of black wool crepe de chine, and a beige hat. LYND—ROBERTSON The other bride was Hildred Victoria, fourth daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Robertson, and her groom was Edward Norman, the only son of Mrs. and the

late Mr. Thomas Lynd, of Auckland, and late of New Plymouth. Mr. Kenneth Wright was best man. The bride, who entered the church on the arm of her uncle, Mr. Garfield Robertson, had .chosen a gown of ivory silk georgette, with petalled skirt, and finished at the shoulder with a posy and silver ribbon streamers. A handsome embossed veil, held in place with a coronet of orange blossom, completed her toilette. A shower bouquet of summer blooms, asparagus and maidenhair fern was carried.

Her attendant was Miss Inez Tucker, in blush rose silk georgette, under an overdress of string lace, with a picture hat to tone. She carried a bouquet of matching shades. The flower girl was little Ailsa Webster, daintily dressed in moss rose georgette, with a tulle head-dress to tone. She carried a posy of flowers to match her frock. The bride’s going-away frock was of beige green crepe de chine, worn a coat of pussy willow wool crepe de chine, and a fur to match. A hat to tone, with trimmings of rose, was worn.

The bride's parents afterwards entertained 100 guests in the Gas Company’s social hall. Mrs. Robertson, acting as hostess, wore a frock of navy crepe de chine, with relief of guipure lace, and small hat to tone, and carried a bouquet of violas and carnations.

Mrs. Lynd was in black crepe de chine, with pipings and vest of fawn, and carried a bouquet of scarlet flowers.

The hall was prettily decorated with multi-coloured streamers and a wedding bell was suspended over the bridal group. The tables carried vases of gay summer blooms.

MERRYWEATHER—SMITH The Pitt Street Methodist Church was the scene yesterday afternoon of a pretty wedding between Doreen, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Smith, of Mount Albert, and Daniel, the youngest son of Mrs. J. Merryweather, of Dominion Road. Tlie service, at which the bride was given away by her father, was conducted by the Rev. Leonard Dalby. The bridegroom was attended by Mr. J. Merryweather as best man and Mr. E. J. Hewitt as groomsman. Ivory crepe de chine and georgette were happily combined with silver lace in the bride’s dainty gown, which was adorned with trails of orange blossom and silver ribbon at the shoulders and waistline. A veil of embroidered tulle was held in place with a circlet of orange blossoms and the bride com-

The bride carried a sheaf of Christmas lilies and sweet peas. The Misses Muriel Ryan and E. Gunman attended the bride, wearing dainty frocks of crepe de chine, the former in a shade of sea foam green vandyked, with silver lace and the latter in beige with panels of fine beige macrame lace Each maid wore a. bandeau of tulle and carried a bouquet of gay flowers. After the ceremony a reception was held at the Masonic Hall in Northcote, where the bride’s mother, who wore a smart gown of bois de rose crepe faille and a matching hat, welcomed a large number of guests. CURD—LAING On Wednesday evening St. Luke’s Church in Remuera was the scene of a very dainty wedding, when Audrey