The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum has several remarkable wedding dresses tucked away in its collection. When the Museum’s curator attended a local fashion show that featured only wedding dresses, inspiration struck, and a new exhibit was born. “150 Years of Canadian Weddings” showcases a unique selection of gowns, representing the decades from the 1860s to present day and will be at the Museum from March 19 to May 18. At the vernissage on Saturday, April 6 from 2 to 4, Rev. Heather Kinkaid will give a talk on the evolution of marriage.
Rev. Kinkaid owns the earliest dress in the collection, a brown two-piece ensemble from 1865, which is in remarkable condition. Another highlight is the Rosamond family wedding veil and dress, worn by several generations of brides from the family that originally owned the woolen mill which now houses the Museum. A beautiful hand-made dress from the 1920s was never worn, the groom leaving for the west when his future bride was too ill with the measles to meet him at the altar. Although most of the dresses in the exhibit are delicate shades of white, there are some very attractive coloured styles, representing the more practical decades of the ‘30s and ‘40s. A stunning dress from the ‘50s was worn again in the ‘80’s by the daughter of the original bride.
The Museum is open from 10 am to 4 pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Admission is $5 and members are free.
Don’t miss your chance to see these vintage gems. For those planning a wedding—come and be inspired!
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