TRIPLE WEDDING.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIII, Issue 5534, 4 October 1929, Page 1

TRIPLE WEDDING.

DAUGHTER'S OF PIONEER

SETTLER.

Many Peninsula residents will remember Mrs T. Rasn>ussen of Le Bon's Bay, who left the district about 20 years ago. Recently she : was present at the wedding at Pahiatua of her three grand daughters, who were all married on the same d'ay. Mrs Rasmussen, who is in her 9'3rd. year is very hale' and 1 hearty. The following account of the ceremony was given by the "Pahiatua Herald."

A ceremony unique quite in. the history of Pahiatua, and, for the matter of that, possibly New Zealand,, took place in the local 'Methodist Church (kindly lent for the occasion through the fact of there being no Baptist Church' i'ro Pahiatua), when three daughters of a very old' settler of this district 1 were at one 1 and the same time joined! together in holy matrimony. The event was without precedent in Pahiatua, and added to the fact that the contracting parties were all very well-known- here, it was but natural that the service should be the cynosure of all eyes.

The three happy brides were the daughters of Mr and Mrs Valentine Mekalick 1 , who have 1 .been highly respected settlers of Mangaramararra and district for fully forty years. The brides were Eunice, ißowena and Celina, second, third and fourth daughters respectively.

It is interesting to recount that Mr Mekalick himself is a pastor of the 'Baptist 'Church, while one of the bridegrooms is the> local pastor, and the remaining two are ex-stud-ents of the Bible Training Institute, Auckland. In the words of the officiating pastor at the subsequent wedding breakfast, it was "the union of six Christians who are not ashamed

to acknowledge the fact that they are Christians. 'Mr Mekalick is not losing three 1 daughters—rather is he gaining three sons."

At 1.30 o'clock the church was filled to overflowing with relatives and friends who come from various parts ef the South as well as the North Island, and there were also many interested onlookers. There- were in attendance fromt Palmerston North alone over thirty members of the Ba'p tist 'Church. A very interesting personality among the relatives was Mrs T. Hasmussem ('Mangaramarama.), grandmother of the brides, who is in her 93rd'. year.

The distinction of officiating at this unusual ceremony fell to the lot

of the Rev. F. A. Crawsha-w, secretary for New Zealand for the Mission t< Lspers, and 1 formerly pastor of tht Baptist Church at- Palmerston North who conducted the service with due precision and' impressiveness. There I was- not the slightest hitch throughout the' cerenoony. | The eldest daughter o.f the three. | Eunice, entered 1 the church on the 'aim cf her father, with her bridesI maids in close attendance, followed , iby the second daughter, Rowena, who jwas escorted 1 up the aisle by Mr E. I Weideniboh-m, of Dannevirke, brother-in-law of the' bride 1 and lastly there J came the third daughter, Celina, esI corted l by Mr F. W. Rasmus-sen (Palmerston North),-.uncle of the bride. At the organ) was Mrs G. Thompson, of Palmerston. North. The brides took u,p their positions at the side of their respective bridegrooms, all facing the .'Minister, who then proceeded' with: the service, taking- it, portion by portion, in order of seniority as far as the brides were concerned. The group made a very handsome one. Eunice, the eldest, was united in the 'bonds of holy rr.atrimony to Leslie Royden William Benseman, of Pabi'atua, son of iMr and Mrs F. Benseman, Scotland. The bride was attired in a dress of plain white crepe de chene, triim.med with brilliants. She carried a beautiful bour quet of white chrysanthemums and maidenhair fern, and wore the orthodox veil and orange blossoms. Her shoes were of 1 silver. The Matron of Ho.icur was Mrs C. Weidenbohm (Dannevirke), sister of the bride, who wore a mauve crope ds chene dress and hat to match. The bridesmaid was Miss Elsie Houlbrooke (Palmerston' North), who was in- mauve' crepe de chene and a bandeau of leaves. Little Enid Reichenbach, of Dannevirke, npf-crl no flnmor rrinl . Tiro

Enid Reichenbach, of Dannevirke, acted as flower girl. The duties of .best mam were carried out by MiLeslie Brown, of Masterton, cousin of the bride, and Mr David Green ('Konini) was groomsman.

The contracting parties in the second instance 1 were Rowena, to John McDonald Tol'mie, eldest son of Mr and .Mrs G. Tolmie, Dannevirke. The bri'de wore a' dress 1 of whi'te cre;pe- de chene, with an overskirt of radiumi .lace, and trimmed with .brilliants. Her veil was surmounted by the customary orange

■y blossoms and she carried- a. bouquet ;o of white- chrysanthemums and maile denha.ir fern, and wore silver shoes, n, The bridesmaid' was Miss Gladys .e Hodge, of 'Palmerston North, in e mauve crepe d'e chene, and the secl- ond bridesmaid, Miss .Freda Mekalick, sister of the bride, who wore a d'ress °f green crepe de chene. Leaves e adorned the hair. Ina Daphne Rasnutssen, of Palmerston North, cousin d of the bride, was the flower girl. Mr o Hugh Tolmie- acted as best n-.an t ! o ]. his- brother, while still a younger •- brother, Donald, acted as groomse man. The third marriage- was that ce.le- - brated .between Celina- Kekalisk and !. Douglas John Carr, of Palmerston 1; North, eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. R. Carr, of that town. In a; dress of s white crepe de- chene, with panels- of ._ radium lace and: a trimming of bri,l----0 li'ants, the bride- appeared. Like her S) sisters, she wore' silver shoes, the customary veil, and orange-blossoms, s and' carried a bouquet of white chrysanthemunys and' maiden-hair fern. The' chief -bridesmaid, Miss Ethel) Green, - was dressed in mauve i ! crepe- de chene, with leaves on the | £ hair. Miss -Rita Ki.lford (Palmerston , j North'( wore green crepe de chene, s and the flower was little Nan 3 Moriarty, of Mangaramarama. Mr 'Cliff Carr acted as best man, and Mr: K. Carr \yas the groomsman. j The bridesmaids and flo'wer girls s all wore 1 black shoes. The flower girls were each attired prettily in dresses of pink crepe- de chene, | daintily frilTed l and- smocked, as well [■ as a head-dress of leaves and roses. a They each! wore als'o a string of ' I pearl's, the gifts of the bridegrooms, a and carried quaint baskets of white, ' • pin.k and pale' mauve- chrysanthemums 1 j fc.liage, and pink ribbons. Light rain was falling as the smiling party left the- church amidst a p shower of confetti.