TO SAY "I WILL"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 251, 23 October 1945, Page 3

TO SAY "I WILL"

WAITED THEIR TURN WANGANUI MARRIAGE QUEUES O.C. WANGANUI, this day. Wanganui, in common with the rest of the world, has become accustomed to all sorts of queues, but on Saturday last it had marriage queues. It was a most unusual sight—brides (notwithstanding their lateness) and grooms waiting in cars outside a church for their turn to say "1 will." Apparently so many couples decided that the Saturday before Labour Day was the best possible day for a wedding that ministers had great difficulty in arranging suitable times so. as to spread the ceremonies throughout the day. It called upon the Church to display its powers of organisation. One minister who had a large share of the weddings meticulously planned out the day—no doubt with a prayer in his heart that none of the brides would arrive late—and apportioned out the hours, allowing just enough time between ceremonies in case of any slight delay developing. The schedule did not run as smoothly as planned, however, for because of the late arrival of some of the brides, the weddings were a full hour behind time by the early afternoon, with the result that bridal couples and attendants had to wait in a car queue outside the church. Relatives and friends arriving for a wedding were puzzled to find a marriage ceremony being conducted .for a couple who were strangers to them. Some visitors witnessed two weddings before their relatives appeared before the minister.

A member of the staff of one taxi company said it was the biggest day in the history of the company and the drivers had not found time to get a midday meal. It was difficult to secure a taxi to attend other functions, and several people who had ordered them earlier in the day had to wait until a lull in the marriage ceremonies. In some cases the orders were cancelled after waiting for nearly an hour. A queue was equally noticeable outside photographers' premises. Caterers had one of the most hectic times on record.