A Keepsake for the Decades

WENTWORTH--KNERR WEDDING

After the rehearsal at the church this morning, a picnic at the groom's parents' house in Middletown, Pennsylvania and a photo session for the entire bridal party late this afternoon, the ceremony uniting Candace Lee Wentworth and Barry Lee Knerr in holy matrimony was held at the Grace Baptist Church, Carlisle, Pennsylvania at 7 pm on this day, August 30, 1974.  The bride wore a white, floor length organza gown with a sheer overlay embroidered with scattered flowers.  A wide lace collar finished the high neckline and a deep lace ruffle encircled the bottom of the dress.  The veil was cathedral length and double tier, made of tulle trimmed in wide lace.  The bridesmaids wore white floor length gowns paneled with flower sprigged eyelet.  Each carried a white basket filled with colored carnations, blue for the maid of honor and pink for the bridesmaids.  The groom and groomsmen were dressed in brown tuxedos and ruffled shirts with brown bow ties and white carnation boutonnieres.  The bride's bouquet was red roses surrounding white and pink carnations bordered with more white carnations.  The groom wore a white rose boutonniere.  Members of the wedding party included the bride's sister as maid of honor and the groom's brother as best man.

Two organ solos and several hymns sung by the church choir comprised the prelude, after which the presiding minister gave a short sermon to the gathered guests on the true meaning of love both horizontally and vertically.  The bridal party then processed into the sanctuary to the melody from the hymn "O Perfect Love". The words to the hymn were read after the wedding party had entered. The bride was escorted by her father. The ceremony was traditional with the couple reciting individually written vows.  Rings were exchanged and the couple pronounced man and wife.

Following the ceremony, a reception was held in the church social hall with food bought at the Army War College commissary by the bride's parents, supplemented with side dishes contributed by church members.  The guest sat in chairs arranged in a circular fashion while the wedding party sat at a head table.  A two tiered, square white cake trimmed in blue icing flowers was topped with a silver cross with 2 interlocking rings.  A smaller bouquet was used for the bouquet toss as the bride wished to keep her bridal bouquet as a keepsake.

The couple took a short honeymoon to Thousand Islands in New York State before returning to reside in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Note:  The bride still has her wedding bouquet as well as every rose that her husband has given her throughout their 44 years of marriage.  The flowers reside in a tall glass cylinder in her bedroom.