Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: July 20th, 2007
Wallpaper Wedding, Somewhere, USA, 1953
Bright red cardinals among leafy greens and blossom bouquets in a repeating wallpaper pattern provide a perfect backdrop for a fresh-faced young couple posing for their official wedding cake cutting portrait.
For this momentous occasion the modest bride wears a simple suit of oyster white linen with abalone buttons and hip pocket flaps. Her Peter Pan collar is finished with a short brown tie matching the veiled hat camouflaged by her home-permed hair. She joins her hand with his holding the cake knife pointing directly at the more traditionally attired mini bride and groom cake topper.
The bridegroom sports a timeless classic blue gray suit over a proper pearl gray shirt and fashion forward tie clipped in place with a golden bar. His carnation buttoner matches the flowers circling the three-story cake.
Big, fluffy flowers and twin pairs of unlit tapers frame the simple-but-smart tablescape. Glass desert plates rise nearly two cake layers high. Cocktail napkin are stacked both head on and on the bias.
Out of all of the wedding portraits I’ve run across this is for sure my fave. The harmony blend of elements is practically hypnotizing. And… if that isn’t enough we can learn from it. A wedding doesn’t have to be grand to be great! If you can’t afford proper wedding attire, no problem just make sure that you have amazing wallpaper!
Here’s to the newlyweds, the wallpaper and YOU!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
July 2007
8 Comments on “Wallpaper Wedding, Somewhere, USA, 1953”
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July 20th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
How lovely this cute young couple is. Just winding down the Korean War and moving hard into the cold war. When you see pictures like this you wonder what happened to the couple. Did they stay together to “death do us part”? Have kids? Are they still alive? And did they make the infamous Astro Weenie Christmas trees too? Hmmm. I guess I am just an old softy for the 50s. As always, thank you Charles! You are the best. Mom told me so.
July 20th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Wow! Look how young they are and how teeny the bride is! Are they even old enough to toast champagne? I hope they are still together so they can toast their 54th wedding anniversary! My parents, who married in 1954, had wallpaper in their dining room (of their house built in 1955) with the same background color. My Mom called it “battleship gray”. I would love to see the groom’s shoes. My Dad’s wedding shoes were navy blue suede. Oh, it reminds me of looking at old pictures of my parents. Thanks for the smile!
July 20th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
This picture reminds me of a pictue of my parents as newlyweds.(about 1952) Isn’t it interesting that when weddings were simpler affairs there were fewer divorces? there’s a lot to be said for just being plain folks.
July 21st, 2007 at 11:57 am
They look so young!
With weddings nowadays becoming garish, uniform affairs, it’s almost quaint to see a simple one like this.
July 21st, 2007 at 11:57 am
Oh my goodness, so that is why my napkins are always placed in thier baskets this way! I remeber that wallpaper well as mom and dad bought thier first house in 1950. We had the wonderful job of stripping it with the folks using a steamer some years later. Mom wanted three walls grey and the other dark marone! Love you Charles, of course!
Lynn
July 21st, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Oh My God! God bless you Charles for this beautiful picture. The fifties years: I’d like to live there and be in America in this time. This picture has made my day! Congratulations! Ezio
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Wife and I are children of the Fifties. Keep up the good work.
Sam & Cathy
July 24th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
This is a nice picture. My wife and I got married outside at the Whetstone Park of Roses in Columbus. We kept ours simple also and it turned out just fine. We just moved into our house over the weekend from a small apartment.