Remembering Our Wedding

Yesterday, Sunday August 1st, 2010 was the 63rd Anniversary of Jay and my Wedding. Of course the day was actually a Friday. We both had to work. Pretty hard on Jay as his friends had hosted him at a Batchelor Party the night before and they had loaded his drinks pretty heavy. He was feeling mighty poorly. (For those in the family who have come along late, Grand Dad was not active in the LDS Church in those days). I worked a half a day and then went to town to get gifts for the girls who were part of my Wedding Party. You know as I set here writting, I am not sure I haven't already told a great deal of this, but, what the heck, I have it on my mind. If I have covered it before I may remember something that is not in the first telling?
We got engaged and I received my ring on the Third of July. There was not much time for planning. We set our Wedding Day for the First of August just a few short weeks away. The week after I got my ring, it hit me that the where we would be married wasn't all that important to me as I was not a memeber of any Church, and we had never really discussed it. I rode over to Jays place in Bell and brought the subject up with him. His Aunt Josephine Harris Dover was in the room and when Jay said it really didn't matter to him either, she piped up and said: "Oh yes it does!"
She went on to explain to us that we should be married in the Church. I had no idea what that ment, or what would be entailed, but she was up to the task. Our main problem was this was in 1947 just 100 years since the Latter-day Saints had arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley. Every Priesthood Leader it seemed was in Salt Lake for the big Parade and other Celebrations planned for the occasion. Finally Jay was able to find Bishop Lillywhite, who had been his Bishop when he was a boy and active in Church. Jay had gone to school with one of the Lillywhite sons. He was no longer a Bishop, but due to the shortage of Priesthood Authority in the area he was given permission to conduct the ceremony. The Huntington Park Stake Center was available and so arrangements were made for the Lounge in the Stake building to be used. (The Chapels of the Churchs are rarely if ever used for Weddings it seemed.)
There was a lovely room with a full length mirror that I was able to use to get dress. Oh, and dressing was not the usual as for most girls. I did not want a regular Wedding Dress. Too short notice, and I was not interested in spending a great deal of money on such things. I went to Morris Wardrobe in Huntington Park and picked out an off white buisness suit and found a Cocoa Brown silk blouse and Hat. The shoes became the biggest problem, but with some phoning by the shoe store a pair of ankle strap suede heels had been located in San Francisco and would be sent down in time for the Wedding (I wore sample shoes back then, they were few and far between in the best of circumstances). I borrowed a small book styled pendant (as my jewlery) from Teresa Lessa who was the Maid of Honor and Robert Hildebrands fiance' who was the Best Man. They were to be married in a few weeks themselves, but put it off for another year, as it turned out.
Mother had made arrangement for the flowers, they were all white with two baskets on either side of the Fireplace with a large arrangement on the Mantle. Made a nice back drop for the pictures. They were taken, incidently, by a friend of someone I worked with at Owes-Illinois Glass Company.
When I think about it now, it is amazing that we could get the Invitations printed (probably because of Ronald) and mailed and the ceremony all planned and executed with such completeness in such a short amount of time.
The Cake I arranged from a Baker that was just up the Street and around the corner from where Afton (Jays' sister) lived in Bell. I have never in my life ever had another cake that was a light and fine textured as that one. I wish I could find a Baker that did such fine cakes today.
We didn't have anyone to cut the Cake, and Jay and I had a struggle of how to make the first cut. We finally managed after a fuss. I believe one of the girls from Ownes took over and saw that the Cake was cut and put out for the guests to enjoy. That part of the Reception was held in the Patio of the Stake Center. We took time to open the Wedding Gifts and thank those who had been so generous with us. We had a nice group of Family and Friends that joined us. Betty Powers (Ronalds Sister-in-law and a friend of mine sang the song "Because").
With my not being a Member, and Jay not being active, it is a miracle we were able to have things so grand. There was not one person in the Party that were members of the Huntington Park Ward or any LDS Church for that matter. Jays family hadn't been in the Church for years to my knowledge. I believe now that I think about it, the Lord must have been helping, otherwise I have no idea how we could have been so fortunate.
I was 18 years old and Jay was just short a month or so from turning 21.
When I think about it now, I am not sure just what we were able to get everything done. I guess like most Brides you just 'do it' and take each task at hand as it presents itself. I know I had to have the suit altered which took some time and I picked out a 'top coat' that was chocolate brown. Figuring the money I spent on those things would be of use to a newly married couple who wouldn't have funds for such things for quite awhile. In fact sometime later - I believe it was a year or so I had the suit died Forest Green and wore it for some years along with the coat. Back then I was skinny only weighing 98 pounds. That slim and trim frame has like most other things in my life, came and passed!
I believe I have been complete in telling how terribly broke we were. You know I don't believe we got out of that condition for some time. Like most newly weds, we managed on very little. Just struggling along with so many other return Veterans who had served in the Second World War. There was so many things we could do with guests in our little Apartment that we didn't think we were all that bad off. Most of the friends we had were still single and were most happy to have a place to hang out on the week-ends. They would bring the drinks and snacks. While the fellas played cards in the kitchen, the girls would set in the living room and gab. I don't recall any of us feeling slighted in the least. That is the beauty of youth. At that time we knew how to make the most of what we had and enjoy just being with friends. I don't believe it is something we gave much thought to, but then things were so much different. Housing was at a premium and work was not all that plentiful either. Too many young men returning from the Service experiences to a Society that was not at all ready to take them back into a post-war life style. I wouldn't change things, for I believe we grew together in a way that would not be possible otherwise. Jay always said we had so much to prove. Marriage was something you had to work at and something that needed to be more than just rings or things.
I feel so fortunate that we were able to overcome the basic problems of the time and work together to make a home and family that have proved to be very good. Jay was the financial wizard of the house. What ever we did, we did together. We appreciated the indivuality of each other. He was always welcome to spend time with his friends and I was always encouraged to do the things I enjoyed. We worked together on every project whether it was for the house, Scouts or the Church. We even were envolved many times in projects at places we worked. Everything we did we seemed to grow and become better prepared for the next challenge that came into our paths.
Jays Business venture was something he had to do, and something that we made work. He was able to be 'his own boss' just like he wanted. It was not as great a thing at times as he had hoped it would be, but he was always up to the task. He was inventive and hard working. He planned for the future while he was working for our daily bread. I don't believe he ever started something he did not finish. At least not until he came upon the fence at the Hogan Place address. The ideas he had were not successful, and he became to ill to finish that project. I know it was something that was important to him. The yard is a monument to his hard work and his imagination.
I was so lucky to have found him. Even luckier to have had him as a life long companion. What comfort to know we will be Eternal Companions as well.

Written this 2nd day of August 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg