Beeks line: Anna Mae Beeks gets married

I'm breaking a rule here, because normally I don't write about people who are living.  This is such a wonderful article, however, with names that are near and dear to us, that I am choosing to share it now.  I hope it brings smiles to the faces of some, and I certainly hope that the wonderful lady in the title doesn't mind.

This article is from the August 1,1946 issue of the Huntington Herald-Press, page 6.

"Miss Anna Mae Beeks and Clyde L. Osborne United in Marriage"

"Miss Anna Mae Beeks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Beeks, Andrews, and Clyde L. Osborn, son of Fred Osborn, Attica, exchanged vows of the double-ring ceremony solemnized at the First Christian Church in Andrews at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon.  Greenery, white gladioli and phlox banked the altar, at which the Rev. R. M. McBride officiated at the ceremony.

Miss Mary Margaret Beeks attended her sister as maid of honor and Cleve Harshbarger acted as best man.  Ushers were Norman Beeks, the bride's brother, and David Boone.

Preceding the ceremony Mrs. George Kellam at the piano presented a program of bridal selections including "Oh Promise Me" (deHaven), "At Dawning".(Cadman), "Intermezzo" (Mascagini), "Indian Love Call" (Frimi), "I Love You Truly" (Bond), and "To a Wild Rose" (MacDowell), which was played softly during the ceremony. The traditional wedding marches were played.

Mr. Beeks gave in marriage his daughter who for the wedding was attired in a street length frock of pink taffeta fashioned with sweetheart neckline, short puffed sleeves and gathered bodice which joined a full skirt.  She wore a shoulder corsage of white glamellias and a single strand of pearls which was the bridegroom's gift.  A half hat of white straw trimmed by tiny pink rosebuds and a pink veil, and other accessories in white completed her ensemble.

The maid of honor work a silk dress of aqua blue styled with a v-neckline and cap sleeves.  Her accessories were in white and pink gladioli formed her corsage.  The single strand of pearls she wore was her sister's gift.

The bride's mother chose to wear a flowered jersey dress accented by white accessories and a corsage of tiny orchid pompom asters.

Immediately following the ceremony sixty guests assembled in the church basement for the reception.  A three-tiered wedding cake topped by a miniature bridal couple centered the table laid in white linen.  Assisting with the serving of the guests were the Misses Norma Jean Beeks, sister of the bride, Marilyn Stech and Donna Jean McBride.

A graduate of the Andrews high school with the class of 1944, the new Mrs. Osborn is now employed at the J.C. Penney company in Huntington.  Her husband was recently discharged from the navy after serving three years, and is an employee of the Caswell-Runyan company.  Following a short wedding trip the couple will reside in a newly furnished apartment in Andrews."

I've been reading newspapers of the time period for several months now, and can confidently state that people got married at all hours of the day and night, and all seven days of the week, so a Sunday afternoon wedding wasn't unusual.  It also wasn't unusual to get married in a street length gown (or even a suit) in a color other than white.  Customs have changed but we can feel the joy of that day, and we can honor the long and happy marriage of Clyde and Anna Mae.

I'd love to know, if someone can tell me, how long Clyde had known Cleve Harshbarger, and how they met. It was a surprise to us to find that Cleve and Mary Margaret had been in a wedding together, about 11 months before their own marriage.  If anyone knows more about this wedding, or has memories of this day, I'd love to hear them! 

Update July 28,2017:  I've heard from Anna Mae' and Clyde's son Gary, who assures me that his father Clyde's middle initial was "S" for Seward.  I copied the article correctly but apparently there was a typo in the article.