KAGAWONG—Along with its annual display of wedding gowns through the years, the Old Mill Heritage Museum in Kagawong is also featuring a photographic display of wedding cakes through the centuries.
“This year we have expanded our wedding gown display to include a new display, “Wedding Cakes-A Slice of History,” said Diane Fraser of the museum board. She explained, “traditionally, weddings have been celebrated with cake. Much of the tradition came from Europe and the Roman Times, the Middle Ages and of course the Victorian Era.”
“Through the centuries, cakes have had different names, such as bride pie, bride cake, matrimony cake and wedding cake,” said Ms. Fraser. “The 17th century was the beginning of the modern wedding cake and they became known as wedding cakes in the 19th century.” Interestingly, “in the 17th century they were made in pairs, one each for both the bride and groom.”
“When Queen Victoria was married white icing, called royal icing, was used for her wedding cake, which was nine feet in circumference,” continued Ms. Fraser. “Wedding cakes were made of wheat or barley, small spiced bars, minced meat cakes, pastry cakes, currents, dried fruit and bread crumbs compared to modern fruit cakes, carrot cakes, chocolate cakes, and, white sponge cake. And of course any flavour and shape can be used today.”
The museum display features pictures of area brides and grooms at their weddings with their wedding cakes from the 1950s to 2000s. “We also have a replica vintage wedding cake made by Heather Nodecker of Gore Bay on display,” she said, “and many pictures of vintage wedding cakes. We see all different styles and those that are similar as well.”
“This is the third year we have featured wedding gowns and we have gowns from the 1940s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s,” said Ms. Fraser. “As well, we have a wedding gown that Julie Lalonde will wear for her wedding in 2015. The wedding gown is the one her mother Anita (maiden name Piett) had worn when she married Tim Lalonde on February 20, 1982.”
“All the wedding gowns we have on display have a connection to Billings. We try to make sure they have some kind of connection to Billings Township,” she continued. “What is neat is that people can come to the museum and revisit some happy memories from this period of their life.
Ms. Fraser pointed out, “Queen Victoria wore a white wedding gown (which she wore when she wed Prince Albert), that become a very popular colour for brides to wear.”
As well, the display shows a photograph of Laurine MacDonald and Daniel Dodge from their wedding in August, 1938. “We have a whole range of styles and fabrics with the wedding gowns we have on display, which take in the period from 1948 to 2013 and also includes Laurine MacDonald’s wedding in 1938,” said Ms. Fraser.
