Wedding Dresses Then & Now fills Olivas Adobe with romance

VENTURA, Calif.-Every wedding dress has a story and perhaps that is why "Wedding Dresses Then & Now attracted people to the special event at Olivas Adobe Historical Park in Ventura on Sunday.

Historian Glenda Jackson asked an audience who popularized the white wedding dress.

Her answer: Queen Victoria.

"Of course anything Queen Victoria did the whole world followed suit, but in the very early years they were green red and lots of colors that just weren’t white, ” said Jackson.

Jackson invited Edna Mae to be her special guest.

EDNA MAE "I think it is amazing that people are interested."

Mae turns 99 in July and shared her wedding dress and veil and wedding photo.

Her war hero husband wore his army uniform for the wedding photo taken on Dec. 20, 1945.

Edna Mae said she was surprised people were interested in her dress.

“I wrapped it up in tissue paper, put it in a box and put it in a closet,, "said Mae, " It must have been very good material because it didn’t change color.”

Some brides wore their church clothes and hats instead of veils.

Other wedding dresses filled the rooms of the historic Olivas Adobe home.

They also filled the chapel .

One of them donated by Jackson is a Emma Domb of California dress purchased from the Peningers shop in Santa Barbara foe $75.00.

That would amount to about $620.00 today.

The dress still has its tag on the back zipper.

Event chairwoman Donna Nelson told visitors about the dresses.

“The dresses really vary, they go from a dress never worn purchased in Santa Barbara, a dress form 1960s, a bridesmaid's dress, the height of fashion back then.

She also pointed out a dress in the corner fashioned after Princess Diana’s dress and another one worn at a wedding held on the Olivas Adobe property.

Nelson's own modern wedding photo was shared on a table with others.

Yours truly shared a photo with Jackson of my own wedding. I wore a white top and skirt of my late grandmother's when I eloped to Catalina almost three decades ago.

The Oliva Adobe rose garden is in full bloom.

Visitors and volunteers are enjoying their scent.

Before heading home, Mae had some advice for new brides.

“Love the man that you marry, " said Mae.

This free exhibit was held just for one day, but everyone present encouraged volunteers to host  “Weddings Then & Now” again.

Fore more information visit cityofventura.ca.gov