My neighbors Parker and Patty are always telling me how proud they are to be a part of Port O Connor, Texas. They say it is a great community and so friendly. Recently Patty and Parker attended the wedding of their favorite niece. It was quite an affair. They had nine bridesmaids, three cakes and a live band at the reception. Everyone really had a great time. Oddly enough, the family pictures taken before the wedding created a storm of emails, Facebook posts and even a few snail mails being sent back and forth between the great and grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends as they compared, contrasted and labeled an impressive collection of family tintypes, photos and portraits scattered in cedar chests from Missouri, across Texas and into California. Some knew the names, others asked for identity assistance.It was amazing to see just how much the 1928 wedding pictures of now deceased ancestors resembled the gathering of wedding guests in 2015. There was the plain-faced spinster aunt whom everyone loves and relies on for advice and acceptance in both decades. Just to one side was the cousin with the numerous children who slightly resemble out of control chimpanzees in both looks and behavior. The great-grandmother in her soft blue dress and soft blue hair was the spitting image of her grandmother in attendance at the roaring 20’s wedding except for the color in the photos. The dashing uncle and playboy cousin clowned in every shot, the diva posed for maximum affect and the sister and brother of the bride laughed and cried and toasted in picture after picture as the newly formed family unit was celebrated and honored. The similarities and correlations were astounding.
After the tuxes were returned and the flowers tossed out and all the pictures were developed, two startling discoveries were made. First, the short mink fur cape worn by the modern and very hip young bride appeared on the slim shoulders of her great grandmother in honeymoon photos from the early 20’s. The bride had discovered the beautiful vintage fur in the depths of her grandmother’s storage closet on a recent visit. New frog closures and a freshen up cleaning made it new and chic. She wore it proudly never realizing how it thrilled the older generation to see the display of family fashion history.
Secondly, the bride, matron of honor and bride herself carried vintage hand-embroidered and lovingly preserved handkerchiefs carefully created almost 100 years ago by their great grandmother and great aunt who would never be seen in polite society without a fresh ‘hankie’ that at the very least coordinated with their ensemble. While not used commonly today, all three wedding participants’ dabbed tears or twisted nervous hands in their hankies at some point on the wedding day.
Then, as vintage photos posted and shared between family members in the weeks following, there in one picture of a particularly fashion forward couple touring in 1928, who just happened to be the bride’s great great aunt and uncle was a photo legacy.’ Auntie Em’ as she was lovingly called smiled from an old black and white photo and dramatically waved a ladylike hanky with embroidered flowers identical to the bridal party hanky. Amid doubts and questions, squeals of delight and pure pleasure, the bride saw the living legacy of love, the heritage and history, the bequest and birthright of family, of commitment and marriage where people actually meant forever. She was pleased and proud to have the mementos of such an inheritance.
The bride and groom are on their honeymoon. I am sure they will come home to more presents and more pictures and start making memories of their own, but they will never forget their special tokens from their and others wedding days.
As Parker and Patty returned home, they realized that Port O Connor is like that too. Yesterday’s leaders are the parents and grandparents of today’s up and comers. Our community is in good hands with a legacy such as ours.
