Best wishes for a long and happy life together

Now that the ceremony is over, it’s time for a pause - first with the flower girl, Sandra Dick.  This picture is so sweet and just like any little girl would be, Sandy was probably so excited to be dressed up for the occasion and no doubt was dreaming about the day she would be a bride.



And then it was time to read the notes of congratulations that came pouring in!



And the next page of the Bride’s Book shows the telegrams they received.  Telegrams were so popular back then but aren’t used anymore.  I can imagine it was very exciting to receive a telegram.



Again, my grandmother wrote the address on the telegram, probably so that my mother could send a note of thanks at some point.  Having an address will give me good information to research in the future.  Interesting that just a few years ago all of these names wouldn’t have meant a thing to me but now several are familiar.

Heartiest congratulations and best wishes Cecile Cohen Leah Jacbos	Congratulations and best wishes on this very happy day with many more years to follow May Cerkel Marks

It’s hard to see here but someone, probably my grandmother, tried to fix the spelling from Jacbos to Jacobs.

Heartiest congratulations.  May all your days be as happy as this one. Gussie and Paula Levy	Sincere and hearty congratulations.  Long life and happiness. Mrs. and Mrs. K Simonian

Here’s a special one – Aunt Bella was Bella Steen Benas.  Bella was my grandmother’s cousin and was married to Max Benas, brother of my grandfather’s mother.  This is my first example of a cross over where my grandparents’ relatives married each other.  I’ll never know for sure but my gut tells me that Bella and Max were the individuals who introduced my grandparents.

May your wedded life be one continuous honeymoon Aunt Bella

Uh-oh, here’s another example of relatives marrying each other.  Lionel Benas was the son of Max and Bella Benas – his wife, Hesper Hertz, was the daughter of Bella’s sister, Myrtle Steen, and Harry Hertz.

May your marriage lot be years of happiness and love Hesper and Lionel Benas

We both congratulate you on this wonderful occasion and wish you a long and happy wedded life Louise and Jerry Riese	My sincerest congratulations and best wishes for your continued happiness Al Mendelson

Lionel Traube was the brother of Natalie Traube Gunzendorfer, wife of my grandmother’s brother, Wilton Gunzendorfer.

Our love and best wishes for many years of happiness Lionel and Ella Traube

And here’s another Levy mystery.  My grandmother added Mr. and Mrs. Melville Levy, 1037 N. Fulton, Fresno.  Need to add that name to my research to-do list.

Sincere wishes for much happiness.  Sorry cannot be with you Levy’s and Markovits	Congratulations to you and young couple wishing all abundant happiness Ethel and Arnold Friend

And this last one is appropriate for two Stanford grads, although I don’t know who Indian Ray is.  Since back in those days Stanford’s mascot was the Indian, I wonder if this has something to do with the mascot.

Congratulations and best wishes for all the years to come and keep the cardinal waving Indian Ray

I’m sure all of the people who sent congratulations to my parents in 1950 had no idea their telegram would still be out there today.  Who knew?