BioM: Foster, Grace May (1906)

Contact: Michelle Melcher
Email: michelle@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Foster, Thomas, McCoyScholfield, Sommemeyer, Davies, Corry, Wilson, Harder, Hollenberg, Mason, Swanson, Winslow, Albee, Riebeth, Bradford, Cox, Williams, Purnell

----Source: Fairchild Observer (Fairchild, Wis.) 7/19/1906

Foster, Grace May (18 Jul 1906)

Grace May Foster and Harry Hugh Thomas
On Wednesday Eve

Services Read at the Home of the Bride’s Parents. Pink and White Color Scheme

One of the most notable and pretty summer weddings took place Wednesday evening at eight o’clock, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. N.C. Foster, it being the marriage of the daughter, Grace May, to Harry Hugh Thomas. The ring ceremony was used. The service was read by the Rev. John McCoy of the First Presbyterian church of Eau Claire. Only immediate relatives of the contracting parties were present.

Prior to the ceremony, Miss Allie Scholfield, of Greenwood, Wis., gave a pleasing rendition of the familiar and sweet old ballad, “O, Promise Me,” and promptly at the appointed hour, the wedding party descended the stairway to the strains of Mendelssohn’s wedding march, played by Miss Lotta Sommemeyer, of Eau Claire. The usher, Mr. Otto Davies, of Minneapolis, led the march. Immediately after came Miss Florence Corry, of Montpelier, Vermont, wearing a white Swiss embroidered chiffon, and Miss Annette Wilson, of Minneapolis, in pink crepe de chine, carrying the ribbons with which they formed an aisle for the bridal party. The clergyman came next followed by the groom and best man, Mr. William E. Thomas, brother of the groom. Next in line of march was the maid of honor, Miss Sara Harder, of Philmont, N.Y., a former classmate of the bride; and the bride’s maid, Miss Lotta Foster, of Fairchild, nice of the bride. The flower girl, little Miss Margaret Hollenberg, of Minneapolis, a vision of loveliness, in white embroidered Swiss over pink silk, daintily trimmed with valenciennes lace and carrying a basket of pink and white sweet peas, preceded the bride, who came next on the arm of her father followed by Mrs. C.M. Wilson, of Minneapolis, sister of the bride, who closed the procession and took up the ribbons.

The groom and best man met the bride in the drawing room beneath a bower of southerd smilax and trailing asparagus ferns, interspersed with the delicate white flowers of the Achillia. The bride who was given away by her father, stood under a large wedding bell of white Clematis, while the solemn words of the marriage ceremony were spoken. After the congratulations, an elegant three course supper was served. The bride’s cake was cut by the bride and contained a ring, thimble and dime. Each guest was presented with wedding cake in white monogrammed boxes tied with pink ribbons.

The bride was attired in an exquisite imported gown of white radium crepe, heavily embroidered and elaborately trimmed with rose point and duchesse lace. Her veil, of real lace was fastened coronet style and surmounted with orange blossoms. She carried a shower bouquet of white sweet peas. Her going away gown was of grey cloth with braided jacket. She wore a white leghorn hat with pink roses.

The bride’s attendants wore decollate gowns, with crown wreaths of pink rose buds and carried shower bouquets of pink and white sweet peas. The gown of the maid of honor was of white lace over pink chiffon, made en princesse and the bride’s maid was robed in hand embroidered silk mull over pink silk. The bodice was of Brussels lace with bolero of Irish point.

The mother of the bride was gowned in a crepe de meteor and lace Parisian robe over white, trimmed with Venetian point. The groom’s mother wore light grey silk with point appliqué.

The bride’s gifts to her attendants were a pearl and diamond pin to the maid of honor, and a pearl pin to the bride’s maid. To the little flower girl, she gave a gold locket set with diamonds. The groom’s present to the bride was a beautiful pearl pin with diamond center. To his best man he gave a gold signet ring and to the usher a diamond and topaz stick pin.

The bride, who is the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N.C. Foster, is a young woman of culture and charming personality. She received her education at Miss Mason’s school, “The Castle,” at Tarrytown of the Hudson, which she has since supplemented by extensive travel, both at home and abroad. Mrs. Thomas will be an acquisition to Fargo’s social circles and greatly missed from Fairchild, where she has lived from childhood and is deservedly popular.

The groom, who has resided in Minneapolis until recently, is now manager of the collection department of O.W. Kerr and Co. of Fargo, where the young couple will reside. Mr. Thomas is a graduate of the law department of the University of Minnesota, and a member of the Phi Delta Theta, and Delta Chi fraternities and also of the Roosevelt Club. He has, in his frequent visits to Fairchild gained many warm friends, who congratulate him on securing so fair a bride.

The decorations were under the direction of J. Swanson, of St. Paul, and were strikingly artistic and effective, the house being transformed into a summer garden, the color scheme of pink and white prevailing.

In the reception hall red predominated. Yards of trailing Alabama Smilax almost concealed the balustrade, while quantities of ferns and American beauty roses were massed at the foot of the stairway. The mirrors were framed in delicate green vines, while to the left a huge bank of brilliant red holly hocks gleamed under the electric lights.

In the drawing room pink roses and bride’s roses were used in great profusion and the archways and chandeliers were draped with trailing vines in which…..in various other parts of the room. The grill work of the large window embrasure, was covered with a curtain of festooned smilax, which converged to the center, with window seats being banked with ferns, giving a glimpse of the conservatory beyond.

In harmony with the decorative color scheme, the dining room was in pink and white. The side board was decked in delicate green vines and banked with sweet peas. The bride’s table was trimmed with pink ribbon and maiden hair ferns, the candles having pink shades. The center piece was a basket of exquisite pink La France roses, intermingled with maiden hair fern tied with white tulle.

After supper was served, Miss Vivian Winslow of Eau Claire, niece of the bride, sang two songs in a charming manner. The Mandelin Club, of Eau Claire, furnished music throughout the evening.

The presents were numerous and costly, attesting to the love and esteem of many friends.

Preparatory to her going away the bride threw her bouquet, which was caught by Miss Bess Albee.

The bride and groom, who were to leave on the 10:45 limited, left in an auto for the station, but “vanished in mid air” before reaching there, much to the discomfiture of their friends, who had invested heavily in rice and gathered to bestow it, together with good wishes, on the couple. It was since developed that they went to Merrillan taking the train from there to Milwaukee. From thence they will go east for a trip before going to Fargo where they will be at home to their friends after September first.

The out of town guests were: Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Thomas and the Misses Helen and Elsie Thomas, of Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. F. Winslow and Miss Vivian, of Eau Claire; Mrs. C.M. Wilson and Miss Annette Wilson, Mrs. H.W. Hollenberg, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Riebeth and Miss Bess Albee, of Minneapolis; Mr. A.E. Bradford and Miss Clara Cox of Augusta; Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Williams, of Merrillan; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Purnell and Miss Harriet Williams, of Grand Rapids, Wis.