WEDDINGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 September 1941, Page 2

WEDDINGS

DONG—MOK ■ PICTURESQUE SCENES IN MASTERTON. CULMINATION OF CHILDHOOD ROMANCE. There were picturesque scenes at St Matthew’s Church, Masterton, last night when a gathering of several hundred people crowded the church and its precincts to witness the marriage of Mok Chow Lunn, daughter of Mrs P. G. Mok, Canton, China, to Norman Gee Dong, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Gee Dong, Masterton. The ceremony was performed by the Ven Archdeacon E. J. Rich and Mr Miller Hope presided at the organ. The church was tastefully decorated for the occasion. The bride, who was escorted by Mr Henry M. Dong, looked charming in a becoming gown of magnolia satin cut on long, slim-fitting line's to form a graceful train. She wore a tulle veil and carried a beautiful bouquet of freesias, white camellias and maidenhair fern. The bridesmaids, Misses Joyce and Grace G. Dong, wore gowns of a deep turquoise blue, cut on classical lines. They carried bouquets to tone.

The duties of best man were carried out by Mr David Wong (Wairoa) and Mr James Gee (Wellington) was groomsman.

Two little flower girls attended the bride, Molly Gee Dong and Catherine Gee (Wellington). They wore pretty pink dresses and carried deep pink bouquets. During the signing of the register, Miss Doreen Jamieson (Masterton) gave a splendid rendering of a sacred solo. The reception was held at the Masonic Hall, where Mr and Mrs Gee Dong entertained over one hundred and fifty guests from all parts of the North Island. The respect and esteem in which the Dong family is held was shown by the fact that well over half of those present were Europeans. Mrs Dong wore a dark coffee coloured Chinese silk costume, with a shoulder spray to tone. The breakfast tables were artistically arranged with bowls of spring flowers. Pride of place was taken by the huge three-tiered wedding cake. At the head of the bridal party’s table hung a Union Jack and the flag of the Republic of China. Following the toast of the King and the Republic of China, a lengthy toast list was honoured. Mr M. C. Iver (Wellington) carried out the duties of toastmaster in a capable manner. Mr Willie Wong (Carterton) interpreted many of the speeches in an interesting and humorous manner. Mr Iver stated that Miss Mok had recently come from China and had only been in New Zealand a matter of a few weeks. She was the daughter of friends of the Gee Dongs, and the bride and bridegroom had known each other since their school days. The ceremony was the culmination of a childhood romance. Mr Darke (Carterton) played a selection of Strauss waltzes during the breakfast. The bridal couple later left amidst showers of rice and confetti, and accompanied by the good wishes of those present. The bridegroom’s present to the bride was a jade pendant on a gold chain and to the bridesmaids and flower girls, strings of pearls. Included among the guests were Mrs H. Wong (Carterton, grandmother of the bridegroom); Mrs G. Kai (Wellington) and G. Tai (Palmerston North), aunts; Messrs Gee Chee, T. Wong She, Guy Wong She, uncles (Wellington); C. N. Wong (Carterton), uncle; Moy Fong Gee (Wellington), cousin; G. W. Moy family (Greytown); Mr and and Mrs Eric Henderson, Mi’ and Mrs A. McKenzie, Mr and Mrs Sr V. Playstead, Mr and Mrs E. J. Brown, Miss Ibbetson, Mr ’ and Mrs A. V. Faulknor, Mr C. G. Faulknor, Mr and Mrs Avon C. Tatton, Mrs C. W. Kerry. Mr and Mrs Norman Gee Dong will reside at Wellington. Following the breakfast the guests were entertained at a dance, for which Mr Eric Henderson was M.C. The music was supplied by Mr J. Barnes’s Orchestra. LAWSON—BEALE. PROFUSION OF SPRING BLOOMS. A pretty wedding of considerable local interest took place at the Masterton Methodist Church on Saturday, when Olive Ada, second daughter of Mr and Mrs Cosmo Beale, was married to Herbert Stowley, youngest son of the late Mr and Mrs David Lawson, of Wellington. The bride, preceded by the officiating clergyman, the Rev. FI. S. Kings, entered the church escorted by her father. She was attired in a beautiful gown of heavy magnolia satin, cut on classical lines with shirred bodice and long bishop sleeves, and a cut tulle veil that fell to form a second train, which was attached to a Juliette cap made of pearls from the wedding gown of 25 years ago of an intimate friend and touches of orange blossom from her mother’s bridal veil. Her gold shoes and a lovely bouquet of freezias, hyacinths and asparagus fern, and a gold'locket, the gift of the bridegroom, completed a delightful toilet. The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Eime Beale, who was dressed in a blue georgette gown with long full skirt, shirred bodice and long full sleeves and a beige picture hat and silver shoes. She carried a bouquet of freezias, blue grape hyacinths and maidenhair fern. She wore a pink cameo pendent, the gift of the bridegroom. The duties of best man were carried out by Sergeant Alex Lawson, brother of the bridegroom. The church was beautifully decorated with spring blossoms by Miss V. Jackson, and Miss C. Donald presided at the organ. On leaving the church, the bride received a silver horse shoe from Miss Janice Henderson. After the ceremony, a reception was held at the residence of the bride’s parents, Villa Street, where Mrs C, Beale received the guests attired in a navy tailored suite, navy bancock hat and fox furs. She carried a posy of lavender hyacinths and pink anemonies. She was assisted by Mrs H. Bennet, of Wellington, who wore a navy ensemble and carried a posy to tone.

The bride and bridegroom received the congratulations of the large num-

ber of guests in the drawing room which was decorated with bowls of spring blooms. Those present then adjourned to the wedding breakfast room which was decorated in pink and blue, a wedding bell being suspended over the three-tiered wedding cake. Prior to the toasts being honoured an appropriate recitation was given by Mrs A. Church. Mr Kings made an efficient toast master and proposed the toast of the King. The health of the. bride and bridegroom was proposed in a happy speech by the Deputy Mayor, Mr W. White. Mr M. Sanson proposed the toast of the bride’s parents and that of the bridegroom’s relatives was proposed by Mr F. Chaffell, of the Y.M.C.A., Trentham Military Camp. Several telegrams from various parts of the Dominion were read. After the wedding breakfast a happy time was spent viewing the many beautiful gifts, which testified to the popularity of Mr and Mrs Lawson. Among the presents were some valuable cheques. Later Mr and Mrs Lawson left by car for the north, the bride travelling in a teal blue pin stripe suit, with hat, fur coat and accessories to tone, accompanied by the good wishes of their friends. The future home of Mr and Mrs'H. S. Lawson will be in Trentham.