Wedding Bells in Bossier

 June is such a popular month for marriages. Did you know that the month of June derives its name from Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage? Here is a look in the History Center’s collection to learn about the traditions and fashions of Bossier’s historic weddings.  

Wedding of: Thomas P. Adger and
Clyde Louise (Herndon) Adger

There are many photographs of wedding parties and brides in our collection.  Thomas P. Adger and Clyde Louise Herndon wed at the First Baptist Church in Plain Dealing on June 17, 1914.  We have an entire series of candid photos from their wedding day taken by John Allen, including one of the young couple climbing into an automobile after the ceremony. This series highlights the fashions of the couple and the wedding party, as well as the many attendees. 

The Bossier Banner frequently would include wedding announcements and ceremony descriptions.  B.F. Smisson and his new bride, Sallie M. Arnold Smisson, sent the Banner more than just a write-up of their 1875 wedding – they also sent cake!  William Scanland, editor of the newspaper, received a box filled with “the most delicious cake – from the richest fruit to the snow-white bride’s cake, emblematic of her purity.”  The couple was married at the home of T.J. Tidwell, one of Bossier Parish’s well-known citizens.  

In fact, sending wedding cake “in exchange” for an announcement seems to be business as usual for editor Scanland. When the couple Mr. Henry Bodenheimer and Miss Cora Well were married in the bride’s mother’s Shreveport home on May 26, 1880, Scanland wrote that, though both bride and groom had been residing in Shreveport the past several years, they “in fact have been raised here and have many warm friends of all classes and creeds. The fair bride is one of the handsomest and most lovable young ladies in the city, and certainly Henry has won a rich prize … We acknowledge the receipt of the usual printer’s fee--delicious cake and sparkling wine. We wish them all imaginable happiness.” 

The majority of brides today wear white dresses for their weddings, but colorful dresses were common in the past.  Leila Wyche wore a dark brown dress with a matching hat for her marriage to Harry M. Carter on November 15, 1887 in Bellevue. This practical dress was donated with its coordinating hat by her family to be preserved in the History Center’s collection. It was fashionable enough for a wedding and Leila could wear it for other occasions, too.  

The Bossier Banner printed the Carters’ marriage announcement two days after the wedding, noting that the bride is a “lovely and accomplished lady and a favorite in Bossier Parish social circles,” while the groom is a “worthy young gentleman of excellent character and energetic habits.”

 Maugrete, wears her mother’s
wedding dress on “Dignity Day,” ca. 1930.

The History Center’s collection also contains a photo of a young woman with wavy bobbed hair wearing a high-necked Victorian-style long-sleeved, floor-length gown covered entirely in lace, possibly ivory or another light color, and two strands of pearls. It is not, however, her wedding day! It is a photo of the donor’s friend, “Maugrete T in her mother's wedding dress on ‘Dignity Day’ c. 1930.” Another reference to such a day is found in the Shreveport Journal in October of 1930. It describes members of Shreveport’s Fair Park High School Class of 1931, the first graduating class of Fair Park, who “observed their ‘Dignity Day’ last Tuesday. The girls were dressed in the sweeping skirts, ornate blouses and waists (shirts) and fantastic hats of bygone days. The boys turned out in full dress.”  It appears that roughly a century ago, a Dignity Day is when you dress up for fun in very formal, noticeably old-fashioned clothes and, of course, accessories. 

Mary Emily (Arnold) Vance in her
 wedding gown, 1902.

Like the photos mentioned above, many of our photographs are black and white, so it helps to research the wedding announcements in the local newspapers to get a better idea of bridal fashions. William Calvin Vance, Jr. and his fiancée, Mary Emily Arnold, married on February 6, 1902.  The following week, an article about their wedding ran in the Bossier Banner.  We learn that Mary’s dress was much more vibrant than the photo leads us to believe.  “The beautiful and charming bride wore a dainty gown of green Venetian cloth, with trimmings of delicate pink appliquéd in white.  An exquisite boa of soft white chiffon gave an elegant finish to this lovely costume.  She carried a bouquet of bride’s roses, white carnations, and ferns.”

Please visit the History Center to look at these and other photos of weddings in Bossier Parish, or to utilize our genealogy resources to research the marriages in your family tree. The History Center is always looking to expand our wedding collection.  We're looking for photos, marriage licenses, fancy invitations, clothing, jewelry, and any other mementos from those special days in Bossier Parish (including “Dignity Days!”).  If you can't bear to part with treasured originals, we'd love to have the chance to scan your photos and paper documents. We can add the copies to our collection.  The History Center is located at 2206 Beckett St, Bossier City, LA. We are now open: M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org

For other fun facts, photos, and videos, be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB @bplhistorycenter on TikTok.

Article by: Pam carlisle