Wedding dresses grace the Skaneateles Creamery
By Karen Lewis
The Skaneateles Historical Society Museum at The Creamery celebrates the summer with a display of five antique and vintage wedding dresses from their collection.
On June 26, 1890, Anna Walsh of Syracuse married James Dougherty of Skaneateles in a two-piece dress of wool and silk brocade.
It is lined in cotton and trimmed with ten yards of silk grosgrain ribbon.
The dress is asymmetrical in design with a silk brocade strip down one side and two silk grosgrain ribbons cascading down the opposite side ending in two large bows.
The waist is hidden by a silk brocade pointed belt and, in the back, a silk grosgrain ribbon bow. The Doughertys lived at 3841 Fennell Street, Skaneateles for years and their son, James, now resides in the same house. The dress was a gift of their granddaughter, Barbara Dougherty.
A lovely dark green and black dress was worn by Mary Cuddeback Welling at her wedding to Manasseh Smith in 1870. This was her second marriage.
Its construction is typical of the 1860s with a fitted bodice, large open sleeves, and bell shaped gathered skirt.
The bodice is trimmed with four faux lace edged buttons as are the sleeve tops.
It would have been worn with white undersleeves and a hoop.
Most wedding dresses in the 19th century were colored. It was only when Queen Victoria was married in white that the fashion of white wedding dresses began. This dress was donated by great granddaughter, Sally Holben.
Mary Smith’s daughter, Grace Isabel Welling, was married to William G. Stuart of Skaneateles in 1896.
She wore a two-piece white silk and lace gown with pink satin bows. This dress was donated by granddaughter, Sally Holben.
Virginia Beatrice Clayton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Grant Clayton III, married John Waller Thorne on Oct. 22, 1938.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Tallcot Thorne. Virginia’s dress is a shirred satin straight gown with long train. Her photograph shows her wearing a veil and holding a large bouquet.
A dress of lace and tulle with a jeweled headpiece was worn by Daryl on the day she married James Braun on November 9, 1957. They raised a family in Skaneateles.
