WEDDING SUPERSTITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 137, 11 June 1936, Page 18

WEDDING SUPERSTITION

IGNORED BY MANY BRIDES

Brides who deliberately defy old wedding superstitions are growing in number —but very slowly (states the "Sydney Morning Herald"). Miss Barbara Birdsall, the young actress, wore a green costume at her wedding in London recently to Mr. George Hayes, the actor—and this in spite of the fact that actors and actresses are supposed to be "supersuperstitious." A Bradford (Yorkshire) bride not only chose green for herself and her bridesmaids, but had her wedding cake coated with green icing. After her honeymoon she went to live at a house numbered 13. Several well-known brides in recent years have chosen a green colour scheme for their weddings. They, have also'been married on a Friday— the one day in the week avoided by the superstitious. A bride at Pinner, Middlesex, was 'married actually" beneath a ladder. The ceremony was in the parish church, which was undergoing repairs. The ladder was fixed in the chancel. FRIDAY, THE THIRTEENTH. Despite all this, there are still some who are. superstitious—when it comes to their wedding day. Miss Helen Vinson (Mrs. Fred Perry), the film star, is one of these. She and Fred Perry awoke the registrar five minutes before midnight on September 12 last year to avoid being married on Friday, the thirteenth. "Generally speaking, I am not at all superstitious," Mrs. Perry , said when ' she arrived recently in England, "but in a case like this, well, Fred and I wanted to be on the safe side." Perhaps one of the strongest of all wedding superstitions is that May is unlucky for marriage. This is probably the reason why the first fortnight in June is the year's rush period for weddings. Besides dates and colours, there are old boots and rice, symbols of good luck. But how many'brides these days realise that the old boot was j originally a symbol of the husband's authority? In bygone days the father gave a boot to the bridegroom as a! sign that it was now the young man's privilege to • keep the bride in order! RESIDENTIAL NURSERY PARTY A very successful bridge party was held recently at the 1 residence of Mrs. Seabrook-Mason by the members of the Island Bay Circle of the Women's National Reserve to. raise funds for the Residential Nursery, Owen Street. The members provided a delicious afternoon tea. The prizes (which were donated by Mrs. Wells and. Miss Howden) were won by Mrs. Cook (highest score), Mrs. J. J. Patterson (hidden number), and Miss L. Hayes (coasolation prize). A hearty.vote of thanks was passed to Mrs. Seabrook-Mason for the use of her home and to Mrs. Jack Mason for her great help on the day. "COIN AFTERNOON" A successful "Coin Afternoon" arranged by the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Presbyterian Orphanage was held recently to raise funds to help in the refurnishing of the Boys' Home at Berhampore, where extensive alterations have recently been carried out. Friends from the Hutt brought : in beautiful flowers and berries for sale, and brisk business / was done, at this and the home-made cake stall. Mrs. Peter Fraser, J.P., spoke interestingly of her recent visit abroad, and regarding conditions in Japan, India, and Great Britain, especially in regard to women's work and health. Much appreciated elocutionary and musical items were contributed by Mrs. Greville Wiggs. Misses Nola Hyde cand Meryl Daniels.A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to both speaker and performers and a dainty afternoon tea was served by the committee. -