Celebrating 65 Years Of Marriage

In celebration of my grandparent’s 65th wedding anniversary, my super talented Aunt Therese set up this 1940s vintage tea on her vineyard in California.  Almost everything you see in these photos was handmade by my Aunt, including all of the yummy desserts.

The photograph is from my grandparent’s wedding in 1947.

For a modern touch of whimsy, homemade brownie bonbons decorated with candy pearls applied with tweezers.

Cupcakes are topped with small heart shaped cookies, decorated with candy pearls and frosting rose buds.

Tiered cupcake pedestal is decorated with ribbon and pearls.

My grandmother’s vintage beaded headpiece was used as a table decoration.

Tea bags with heart shaped tags and bows.

Glass candle holders were used as vases for small flowers.  Paper hearts were decorated with dried roses and ribbon.

The basket tied to the front of the bike holds hydrangeas, gerbera daisies and roses.  The handmade “Celebrate” sign is made of paper, ribbon and dried roses.

Attached to the chairs, are fabric covered cones holding live flowering plants and moss.  They are lined with vintage doilies and decorated with vintage earrings and dried roses.

The china is the same set that was used at my grandparent’s wedding breakfast.

My grandmother’s wedding dress…

A photo of my beautiful cousin Kelly in her vintage dress.

My grandmother recently gave Kelly her wedding dress, so she wore it for a few photos.

Homemade cookies…

This quilt was made by my great grandmother.

My grandmother’s necklace…

My grandparent’s wedding photo draped with a vintage lace scarf.

These next 3 photographs were shot with 35mm film.

George and Eleanore have been happily married for 65 years.

My grandmother’s secrets to a lifelong successful marriage –  “Always have faith in one another and never go to bed angry.”

The pedestal plate is actually a vintage candle holder and plate with crystals hanging from cut outs.

DIY candles have decoupage hydrangea pictures, lace, ribbon and lamp crystals.

Some things just require cake – so true!

… and they lived happily ever after…

This last photo is not wedding anniversary related, but I wanted to share it anyway.  It’s a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not from 1944 featuring my grandfather who was injured and received a Purple Heart while he was in the Navy during World War II.  The cartoon says “George Walton had a spark plug in his body for 8 days and didn’t know it!”  This is not exactly true.  He knew he had something in his shoulder, he just didn’t know it was an aviation spark plug.  My grandfather still has the 3.5 inch, .25 lb spark plug.  As a child, I always loved to look at it and hear his stories about his time on the USS Birmingham and the violent USS Princeton explosion.

My grandfather, George Walton, had this to say:

“When I got hit, it knocked me down, but didn’t knock me out. I got up and ran under the six inch gun. When everything stopped falling, I was walking back to my compartment and a friend said to me “Walton, you have been hit.”  I said “Where?”  He said “In your back.”  It took 4 days to get to the hospital ship.  I was on the hospital ship for 3 days before they x-rayed me.  That’s when I found out it was an aviation spark plug.  It is 3.5 inches long.  I was in the hospital for 9 months.  I knew I was hit, but didn’t know it was a spark plug.”

You can see photos and read more about the USS Birmingham and USS Princeton here.

Happy Anniversary and Congratulations on 65 years of marriage, Grandma and PapPap!  We love you!

xoxo

Juliane