IF WALLS COULD TALK: Practice of bridal showers began in 1890s

by Katie Ouilette

WALLS, y’know, I’m having a hard time believing that 2018 is our year already, but I have had a lot of reminiscing to do, as I’ve been cleaning out a lot of papers that I’ve been saving for ideas to write about for you.

I came across a write-up about shower parties. Yes, I’m sure there are marriages being planned and, frankly, so many young folks are having outdoor weddings these days. In fact, there is a ‘wedding spot’ created just up the road from our house here in East Madison. Well, I had saved a clipping-from-something about the origin of shower parties. Can you believe the author said that it all started in the 1890s. Read on for a shocker! It seems that a shower party was first planned by the bride, who filled an umbrella with wrapped gifts that she would need as she started her marriage. Now, the husband was to have a dowry, but time wore on and the custom became what it is today. Now, I am thinking of an advertisement that appears on our television these days. “Life doesn’t get better by chance. It gets better by change.” Well, weddings and shower parties sure have changed!

Y’know, WALLS, we’ve promised our faithful readers something old, something new and something different. Well, the only thing that is different here is a column that I wrote before The Town Line became a part of my life. The newspaper was called Hometown Newspaper, but you were talking even back then, WALLS! A snippet from that article may find you thinking back. Yes, it isn’t summer yet, but you do remember when the boat used to bring folks from their cottages to the Trolley at Lakewood. It seems that when Lloyd Bridges was at Lakewood Theatre, he became curious about the Margaret B. blown up as a July 4 celebration event. So, Lloyd decided to take a dive. No luck! Wrong place! What’s more, no one has ever found the boat, but it has made for good conversation!

WALLS will be back next week, faithful readers!