Tag Archives: weddings

I know you all love my Grandpa stories, and since it was just Veterans Day, I thought it would be sweet to post this.

R.E. Kelley — I’ll need to add my grandma’s photo from their wedding day to this post, too!

My mom found a newspaper clipping from a letter my grandpa wrote into the Santa Barbara newspaper (I think) about 10 years ago and typed it out because she thought it might be fun to share:

Our wedding day, March 2, 1946 was a day never to be forgotten. After receiving a telegram from the Navy ordering me back to the ship in two days instead of 10, I spent most of the evening at the reception trying to determine if these orders were official or my friend’s idea of a prank.
They were official. Alternate honeymoon plans were made. A luxury hotel on Chicago’s lakefront had a suite available (at $11.50 / night) However, what awaited us that evening was not the honeymoon suite, but a smoke-filled conference room with 100 chairs stacked against the wall. Room service was kind enough to deliver a bed and chest.
Wedding plans made hastily in three weeks are fuel for fond memories. At the rehearsal, the priest asked my bride-to-be and me separately who was going  to be the best man. I told him one name, she another, when in fact, a third person actually did the honors. We signed our marriage license not realizing it was dated incorrectly.
Regardless of this confusion, the wedding and marriage was a success as five children and 10 grandchildren will attest. My wife passed away 10 months prior to our 50th wedding anniversary, but she will always be with us.