The Wedding Party.

There’s nothing like a big family wedding. It’s a chance to get everyone you love together to celebrate the happy occasion of your wedding.

It’s a chance for future in-laws to carry out minute social inspections of each other. (The results of which will inevitably be damning, and will be aired after any occasion at which alcohol is served.)

It’s an opportunity for certain unattached male relatives on both sides to take advantage of the refreshments as soon and as often as possible.

And, for Edwardian and Victorian ladies, it was an opportunity to adorn one’s hat with as many ribbons, flowers and feathers as one can lay one’s hands on.

A Western Queensland Wedding, c. 1885.

Whatever was happening off to the side, the groom was prepared to ignore it. His bride, and one of the groomsmen, sensed trouble.

Wedding of Friedrich Wilhelm Venz and Anna Luise Poelitz, 1899.

“The Mueller boys have taken off their hats and shoes; cousin Gottfried is drinking before the photograph has even been taken. Are you sure this was a good idea, Friedrich?”

Wedding group in front of Queenslander-style house, c. 1900-1910.

Left: “You can add all the blooms you like, Flora, but no-one beats my hat game.” Right: The groom wore glasses, the vicar a look of abject terror.

The millinery of it all.

Left: Someone didn’t get the memo about hats. She will die a slow and painful social death. Centre: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who has the tallest hat of all?” Right: “I got the memo about hats. Mine doubles as a beach umbrella.”

The bridesmaids at Thomas Long’s wedding appear to be balancing tiers of the wedding cake on their heads (Brisbane, c. 1907).

The Turner-Burstall wedding party, 1900. The bridesmaids have bouquets on sticks, which prove to be both charmingly decorative, as well as surprisingly practical when the groomsmen start to get flirty. Note the awe-inspiring millinery being shown off. A rug on the grass was a way of keeping The Dress clean, whilst posing for photos under all that expensive iron lace Father insisted on.

A beautiful woman can wear a hat like this and not look ridiculous.

The perils of having children attend…

Left: Grandpa to the rescue for this little boy as he starts to fuss. Right: You’d start to cry too if you had to sit on the ground wearing this ensemble.

The misery of being placed next to Great-Aunt Bertha. And having to Behave.

Grandma had custody of little Herbert, who was either hugely surprised by the wedding photographer, or had just had an accident of the sort that produces *that* facial expression.

How not to take a wedding photo.

The amateur:

Wedding of Edward Ellevsen and Beatrice Ludlow, Stanthorpe, 1907.

Whoever took this picture nearly blinded the flower girls by making them squint into bright sunlight. The bride almost disappeared in the harsh light. Never mind that it’s also wildly crooked.

Little Winifred was convinced she’d never see again. Young Beatrice was grateful for the brim of her hat, but it was barely doing the job.

The professional.

The wedding of William and Mary Jane Stothard, 1905.

I’m sure none of these people were quite as sullenly unattractive as this photographer made them look, as he shrouded them in unflattering shadows, and clicked at the moment before the bride blinked.

Photographs and Details:

Bride and groom with friends and family at a Western Queensland wedding, ca. 1885. Original version photographic print: sepia, 1885? Summary: Guests are standing on the verandah. Some of the younger women are wearing large picture hats. The male members of the party are attired in suits with buttonholes. State Library of Queensland.

Curtis family wedding party, ca. 1901. Original version photographic print: black & white, ca. 1901, Negative number: 14007. State Library of Queensland.

Turner – Burstall wedding party, 1900. Original version photographic print: black & white, 182, Negative number: 177773.

Summary Wedding party pictured from left are: Miss Evelyn Burstall, Mr E. J. Matthews, Miss Booty, Miss F. Burstall, Mr C. S. Turner, Mrs Turner (formerly Miss Violet Burstall), Miss M. A. Hunter and Mr H. Burstall. State Library of Queensland.

Wedding group in front of a Queenslander house, 1900-1910. Original version photographic print : black & white, 1900-1910, Negative number: 10910. State Library of Queensland.

Wedding of Edward Ellevsen and Beatrice Ludlow, Stanthorpe, 1907. Original version photographic print: black & white, 1907, Negative number: 24998. Summary Marriage of Edward George Diedrich Ellevsen and Beatrice Annie Ludlow on 2 March 1907. State Library of Queensland.

Wedding of Friedrich Wilhelm Venz and Anna Luise Poelitz, Templin, 1899. Original version photographic print: black & white, 20 April 1899, Negative number: 20517. Summary: Friedrich and Anna Luise were married at Dugandan on 20 April 1899. Family and friends of the bride and groom are gathered for this photograph. State Library of Queensland.

Wedding of Mr and Mrs Christensen near Charters Towers, Queensland, ca. 1904. Original version photographic print: black & white, ca. 1904, Negative number: 20673. Summary: The bride was Miss Daisy Robb. The corrugated iron dwelling was situated at Six Mile Creek near Charters Towers.(Descriptions supplied with photograph.) State Library of Queensland.

Wedding portrait of Thomas Long and Edith Verrall, Brisbane, 1907. Author / Creator Valley Studio. Original version photographic print: black & white, 1907, Negative number: 76315. Summary: Wedding portrait of Thomas Long and Edith Verrall, married in All Saint’s Church of England, Wickham Terrace, 30 January, 1907. Standing are Bertir Cockcroft, Edith Verrall and Troylus Verrall. Seated are Sarah Verrall, May Verrall, Thomas Long, and the sister and niece of Thomas Long. The photograph is taken by the Valley Studio, R. A. Ruddle, Brisbane (Description supplied with photograph).

William and Mary Jane Stothard, 1905. Original version photographic print : black & white, 1905, Negative number: 163196. Summary: The wedding of William and Mary Jane Stothard, 1905. State Library of Queensland.

Williams-Mills wedding party, Mackay, 1908. Author / Creator Mills, J.H. Original version copy print : black & white, 17 June 1908, Negative number: 33154. Summary: Portrait of the Williams – Mills wedding on the 17 June, 1908 in Mackay. Back row, left to right: Nell Culverhouse, baby, Mr. Hudson, Granny Mills, Cyril Mills, J.H. Williams, Mrs J.H. Williams (Elsie), J. Culverhouse, and baby. Middle row, left to right: Frances Williams, J.H. Williams Snr., Harry Williams, Edie Mills, Hetty Williams. Front row, left to right: Flora Mills, Mand Mills, ?, Maurice Williams, Dafydd Williams, Rita Culterhouse, Ethel Culverhouse, Stanley Culverhouse and Albert (Bert) Williams (Description supplied with photograph). State Library of Queensland.