Wedded Bliss: exhibition of dresses and accessories from local brides on display

Bridal wear and accessories dating back to Edwardian times and up to the ‘Swinging 60s’ are on display in Ludlow until July 2023.

Shropshire Council’s Museums Collection Centre in Ludlow is staging the exhibition featuring dresses and accessories that give an insight into the changing styles and culture of weddings from the 19th and 20th centuries.

They include items from local people such as Maie Morton and Stanley Sweetman who married in 1923. Stanley was the son of a local chemist and grandson of John Valentine, the well-known Ludlow Mayor. Also on display is the dress, worn in 1912, by Mrs Rocke on her marriage to the Vicar of Clungunford.

Mrs Rocke’s wedding dress from 1912

Robert Macey, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and digital, said:-

“The dresses and accessories were all donated to the museums collection over the last 130 plus years.

“They have mostly come from people who lived locally. Some have come from descendents of local people who now live elsewhere in the country and provide a fascinating insight into the changing fashions and traditions of brides.

“The styles range from giant meringues to tiny tiaras. This display gives a glimpse into the history of fashion and also an insight into what local weddings used to be like. The exhibition has something for everyone of a romantic nature, or anyone seeking inspiration for their own upcoming nuptials, and is well worth a visit.”

The Wedded Bliss exhibition is at Shropshire Museums Collections Centre, Ludlow, in the Lower Gallery, until Wednesday 26 July 2023. It is open daily, except Thursdays and Sundays, and is free to view.