What? Were You Married in a Barn?

By Janice Lane Palko

“They’re getting married in a barn?” asked my mother-in-law incredulously as she made a face and read the wedding invitation she’d just gotten in the mail. Now deceased, she received that invitation when she was in her early nineties and couldn’t fathom why anyone would choose to have their wedding in a barn. You see, she grew up on farm, and when she got married in the early 1950s, she had no choice but to have her wedding reception in a barn as her family was not well off enough to have reception at hall or restaurant. 

We are approaching wedding season and wedding trends come and go. When I got married bridal registries were not all that popular. Most people just called my mom and asked what I needed to set up housekeeping. Now couples have you contribute monetary gifts online to various accounts such as honeymoon, nest egg, or downpayment for a house. 

Wedding food has evolved as well. In the past, if it was a buffet, you had rigatoni, stuffed cabbage and breaded chicken. If it was a sit-down dinner, you got a choice of beef or chicken. Spreads became more elaborate over time and innovations like chocolate fountains and signature cocktails became popular. My nephew got married last summer, and they had a mashed potato bar, where you could garnish your bowl of mashed potatoes with a variety of toppings like cheese, bacon, chives, etc. That was something new to me, and we quite enjoyed it. 

Wedding attire has changed with the times as well. I got married the year after Princess Diana wed Prince Charles. As I perused the bridal magazines back then, I envisioned choosing one as regal as hers was. When I went to buy my wedding dress at the Patti Anne shop in West View, many of the gowns there were styled after hers. However, I am only 5-foot, 3, and when I tried on those styles, I looked like a cocoon, with only a head peeking out of yards of fabric. I was too short to drag that much drapery down the aisle, so I chose a more simplified, classic profile.

My maternal grandmother got married in the early 1930s, and her wedding dress was like a long straight satin slip with a satin over- jacket, and she wore a cloche satin hat with cascading train. How do I know that? Because I wore her wedding dress to a Halloween party when I was in high school. My mom got married in 1958, and she and her bridal party wore tea-length dresses with full skirts over crinoline petticoats and spiked heels.

Several years ago, a lot of the women in our neighborhood thought it would be fun if we got together for an evening and brought our wedding pictures. It was interesting to see the evolution of styles. There were women who were wed in the hippie era of the ‘70s who wore long flowing gowns that looked like choir robes and added garlands of flowers in their hair. Some brides had humongous hats and wore elbow-length gloves. The ‘80s brides had shoulder pads like linebackers. Some of the styles were ghastly in retrospect, but we nonetheless, we had a fun time seeing what we wore on such a big day.

So, brides-to-be out there, my wish is that your wedding is everything that you hope it to be, that you book the venue that suits your style, and that you find the dress of your dreams. However, don’t be surprised if decades later, you’ll be chuckling at the styles. I also hope that your marriage is a happy one and far outlasts the latest trends.