WEDDING AT PARIROA PA.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1933, Page 14

WEDDING AT PARIROA PA.

RONGONUI—BLAKE. Considerable interest centred in a wedding which took place at Pariroa Pa, Patea, recently when Riria (Leila) Heremaia Blake, Pariroa, was married to Nikora Rangiira Rongonui, Whenuakuia. The wedding was the first to be solemnised in European fashion at the pa and the first occasion on which the new meeting house was used for an important function. The Rev. Hakaraia and Rev. Piko officiated, while a choir of girl friends of the bride sang the 100th Psalm in Maori.

The bride, who entered the meetinghouse with Tahu Potiki, wore a gown of satin charmaine, made with diagonal hip yoke, and with long sleeves, puffed above the elbow. Chenille georgette in an iris design formed a long train, while a hand-embroidered tulle veil was caught round the head with orange blossom. A double-row pearl necklace, white gloves, white kid shoes and a sheaf of Christmas lilies completed her gown. Two little train-bearers and a page boy followed her, these being Maxie Taiaroa and Patty Wakarua, in floral lettuce green dimity voile frocks made hi Victorian style, with large white organdie bows on their curls. Kani Heremaia Blake, brother of the bride, wore a white satin suit with white organdie ruffles at neck and wrists.

Emma Pullen and Jean Taiaroa were two little flower-girls, wearing long flounced frocks of floral sola satin .in pastel blue and pink with alternative flounces of sunset pink organdie. Blue Dolly Varden hats tied on the side of their heads and bouquets of blue delphiniums and pink ' pelargoniums and carnations completed their ensembles. Miss Rene Taiaroa was the bridesmaid, and wore a beautiful frock of ivory angelskin lace and ivory adonis satin, with bolero coat with long sleeves of ivory lace, the whole frock being trimmed with flowers in pastel blues and pinks, repeated in the headband. White kid gloves and satin shoes and a sheaf of Christmas lilies made the complete, ensemble. Tuwhaka was best man. Among important witnesses of th’k ceremony were Mr. Taite te Tomo (M.P. for Western Maori), and Mrs. Taite te Tomo (in black and white figured silk frock with threequarter coat and black Baku straw hat), and Chief Whakarua (Nukumaru). After the ceremony in the meetinghouse, the 300 guests were entertained at a wedding breakfast in the new hall, where coloured streamers and small decorated Christmas trees added a gay note. A three-tier wedding cake was cut by the bride, as well as a birthday cake, her birthday being celebrated on the same day.