June Brides - Fact or Fiction?

June – the most popular month for weddings, right? Well, perhaps not always. The early Romans considered June, sacred to the goddess Juno, a lucky month, especially on the full or new moon. But it is interesting to see that very few of The Charleston Museum’s wedding articles were from June marriages. Of the 58 garments, accessories and wedding gifts in Aisle Style dating between 1768 and 1967, that have specific months associated with them, only two were used in June. The most popular month for our brides was December with ten weddings, followed by January (9), April (9) and November (7). The least popular was July, with no weddings represented.

One of our June brides was Louisa Rebecca McCord, who married Augustine Thomas Smyth on June 27, 1865, carrying a lovely ivory and silk fan (pictured left) that is on exhibit in Aisle Style. It is a pierced ivory brisé fan with cream watered silk petals or “feathers,” a popular style in the mid-19th century. It is sometimes referred to as a Jenny Lind fan, said to have been favored by the renowned opera star of that period. The Swedish singer toured Europe extensively and became an American favorite after her concert tour from 1850-1852, organized and promoted by P. T. Barnum. Jenny Lind performed 93 large-scale concerts, quickly becoming a well-loved idol. Louisa and Augustine were married shortly after the war ended, finding it difficult to acquire fabric and accessories for the wedding. Perhaps this beautiful fan was a treasured possession before the war and carried proudly by Louisa for the ceremony. More of this couples’ wedding attire will be featured in the Museum’s next textile exhibition, Threads of War: Clothing and Textiles of the Civil War.



Our other June bride was Oriole Walsh who married Julian Francis Nohrden on June 29, 1911, here in Charleston. His gift to her was a beautiful Art Nouveau necklace with amethysts and a freshwater pearl which she wore for the wedding. It is on display in Aisle Style courtesy of a loan from her granddaughter, Oriole O’Neill, of Newark, Delaware. The ceremony took place at the bride’s home, officiated by Rev. George Kraft of St. Mary’s Church. Mr. Norhden, a Citadel graduate, was the principal at the Julian Mitchell School in Charleston.

In this old English rhyme, January, April, September, November and December seem to be the best wedding choices, as suggested also by the Museum’s collection pieces.

Married when January is new, he’ll be loving you, kind and true.

When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate.

If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you’ll know.

Marry in April when you can, joy for maiden and the man.

Marry in the month of May, and you’ll surely rue the day.

Marry when June roses grown, over land and sea you’ll go.

Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bread.

Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see.

Marry in September’s shine, your living will be rich and fine.

If in October you do marry, love will come, but riches will tarry.

If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.

When December’s snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

Perhaps yesterday’s bride paid attention to these adages, for she seems to have followed this rhyme in selecting the day of the week to be wed:

Marry on Monday for wealth

On Tuesday for health.

Marry on Wednesday the best day of all.

Marry on Thursday for losses

And Friday for crosses

Marry on Saturday for no luck at all.

The old English rhyme, still often quoted, picked Wednesday as the best day of all to be married. It also relates that one marries on Saturday for no luck at all. Of all the exact dates known for the Museum’s wedding garments, none were married on Saturday until 1928, the most popular choice today. In early New England, no one married on Friday – hangman’s day. Sunday was originally considered a good day for weddings but in the 19th century it became known as a day of rest and lost favor as a day to married. Of the Museum’s 52 known wedding days, only three were Saturdays (1928, 1931, 1949). The most popular days were Wednesday (16) and Thursday (13).

pictured above right: Dark green silk taffeta dress, 1884 worn by a December bride.  Trimmed with brown velvet and chenille tassels, this two-piece dress has a separate matching bustle drape. It was worn by Effie McDougal at her marriage to William Walker Evans on December 26, 1884 in Marion, SC. The couple wed on William’s birthday. Effie attended the Charlotte Female Academy and Queens College, becoming a teacher in Marion County.

-Jan Hiester, Curator of Textiles