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For
many women (and some men!) their wedding day is the most glorious
moment of their lives.
Luton
Museum and Art Gallery decided that was a very good reason to have
a look at how weddings have changed in the multi-cultural town over
the years.
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| The
bride's dress has been a talking point at weddings through the
ages. |
From
initial courtships through preparations, customs and traditions,
to the ceremony and celebrations afterwards, the exhibition will
look at how different people have celebrated their weddings across
time and different communities.
Much
of the information for the exhibition has come from Luton's own
residents, reliving their individual happy day.
Eye-catching
costumes
Alec
Brown, while stationed with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
at Falmouth (now aged 89 years) remembers his sweetheart writing
to ask for his hand in marriage.
"I
wrote back and said 'yes, of course I will' and I went down into
Falmouth into a jewellers there and bought a ring, and sent it through
the post to her…"
There
are memories such as a wartime engagement and the first ever marriage
in the Synagogue, Bury Park. These stories, along with people's
souvenirs, and information and objects from museum collections form
the basis of the exhibition.
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| Alfie
looks in admiration at his new bride Kat. |
The
most eye-catching part of the exhibition will be a wonderful display
of different wedding costumes.
The
earliest on display is an 1870s wedding dress but there will also
be a Scottish groom's outfit, contemporary Pakistani dress as well
as the star item, the red and gold dress worn by Kat Slater in the
EastEnders Christmas special, which the museum is lucky to have
on loan from the BBC.
Throughout
the exhibition there will be hands-on exhibits and activities for
children and adults including colouring sheets, the summer prize
quiz and a book with traditional wedding vows from different cultures
featured in the exhibition.
"This
is a colourful and interesting exhibition and covers a wide range
of cultures," said Siobhan Kirrane at Luton Museum.
Week
late bride
"Weddings
these days in Luton involve many different cultures and there are
many examples in the displays.
"A
lot of people see their wedding day as the biggest event of their
lives.
"We
have used pictures, interviews, mementos with some lovely wedding
stories coming out."
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| Children
help the bride remember her big day. |
Among
these is the bride who turned up a week late for her wedding
- she had it in her diary as the following week.
And
there was the bikers wedding, with a registry office full of leathers
and studs!
Many
remembered marrying in the midst of World War Two, while others
travelled further afield from their native Luton - Ireland and Pakistan
among them.
But
whatever the ceremony, all were memory filled - though hopefully
not as action-packed as an EastEnders' Christmas Special.
Wedding
Days runs from 24 July to 21 November. Admission is free.
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