Weddings have always been news

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jun 27, 2004 by Capital-Journal

1854

There were no newspaper records of weddings for Topeka reported. The first reported Topeka wedding was announced in Lawrence's Herald of Freedom in the June 2, 1855 edition. S.J. Thomas and Harriet N. Hurd, both of Spring, Crawford County, Pa., married on May 24, 1855.

1879

Wedding announcements started showing up, but in a random fashion. The following story that appeared in a Jan. 2, 1879, Topeka newspaper didn't identify the bride and groom. It was randomly placed on the last page of the paper with no headline, among other unrelated items:

"Last month a young man, who is stronger financially than he is mentally, surprised his friends by wedding a strikingly handsome young widow. Nobody knew exactly who she was or where she came from, and during the past year she had consumed and thrown overboard five devoted lovers, who through her passion for jewelry, camel's-hair, shawls, etc., had not been able to stand the pressure of her society.

"His friends naturally remonstrated with him on his selection of a life partner, and tried to make him understand that the result of the marriage could not fail to be unhappy. 'Precisely,' said he, with a chuckle; 'I know all about it. Those other fellows got spoony on her; I've married her so as to keep her from ruining me!' "

1904

Wedding announcements were now placed in a specific section called "In Society." The headings are similar to that of today's, but only carried the bride's name. There was also more attention to detail. The Jan. 2, 1904, Daily Capital carried this announcement:

Marriage of Miss Louise Smith

"Topeka society will receive with uncommon surprise the announcement of the marriage of Miss Louise Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Blood Smith, and Mr. Eugene Sallee, of Cunningham, Kan.

"Miss Smith had just returned Thursday evening from a visit to a friend's in Chillicothe, Mo. The wedding preparations were necessarily hurried and the ceremony was extremely quiet, only the immediate members of the family being present. Dean James P. de Bevers Kaye officiated, the ceremony being performed at 3:30 o'clock New Year's afternoon, at the Smith residence on Topeka Avenue. Miss Smith was married in her going away gown, a combination of black and white.

"Mr. Sallee is the son of a prominent lawyer of Emporia and is himself a prominent insurance man of Cunningham, where they will make their home. Mr. and Mrs. Sallee left immediately for a wedding journey in the East."

1929

"In Society" had become "Social and Personal" by 1929. Brief wedding announcements were placed here, as were longer descriptions of the nuptials of the daughters of prominent Topekans.

The bride in the following announcement, which appeared in the Capital on Jan. 1, 1929, was the daughter of a material man for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, according to the 1929 city directory. The family's home was at 1254 S.W. Fillmore, on the same block in Holliday Park as the Woodward home.

"Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Dangerfield announce the marriage of their daughter, Helen Louise, to Mr. William Morgan Coe, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Coe of Lawrence.

"The wedding took place at 8:00 New Year's Eve at the home of the bride's parents.

"Dr. S.S. Estes, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, read the marriage service in the living room before the fireplace, which was banked with ferns and palms. A low basket of pink roses and white snapdragons decorated the mantel.

"Proceeding the ceremony Miss Jean Beverly sang 'The Hand of the Son' and 'At Dawning.' Miss Marjorie Reese played the piano accompaniments for the songs and Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March' for the entrance of the bridal party.

"The bride was lovely in her wedding dress of white transparent velvet made with tight bodice and full skirt made with uneven hem line. She carried an arm bouquet of butterfly roses.

"Miss Anna Laura Dangerfield, who was her sister's maid of honor, wore a rose crepe Elizabeth frock and a cream-colored filet lace coat. She carried American Beauty roses.

"Mr. Coe and his wife left immediately after the ceremony for a short wedding trip. The bride's going away gown was a winter ensemble of black cloth and gray squirrel fur with which she wore a small closed fitting hat of gray felt.

"They will be at home at 1011 N. Main, Hutchinson, where Mr. Coe, who is a nephew of Mr. W.Y. Morgan, will be a member of a staff of the News-Herald, Mr. Morgan's paper.

"Out of town guests for the wedding included Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Coe, Miss Mary Coe and Mr. Charles Coe, Lawrence, and Mr. Bryan K. Perrenult of Wichita."

1954 By the 1950s, it was commonplace to see photographs of the brides with the wedding announcements. The social news section in 1954 featured a column, "Over the Coffee Cup," in the Sunday edition. The following was one of the wedding announcements from the Jan. 17, 1954, Daily Capital.

Cogswell-Raab Marriage Solemnized on January 10

"The marriage of Miss Evelyn Martha Cogswell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Cogswell, to Mr. Alfred Eugene Raab, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred E. Raab, was solemnized January 10 in the Elmont Methodist Church. The Rev. Mr. Johnson officiated at the double-ring service with Mrs. David Pence Jr., as organist. Jere Tice sang 'The Lord's prayer.'