The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Thursday, April 27, 1899

Handsome Church Wedding of Miss Thompson and Mr. Beard

The marriage of Miss Catherine Hopkins Thompson and Mr. William Beard, Jr., was solemnized at 9 o’clock last evening at Calvary Church by the Rev. James G. Minnigerode.  It was one of the prettiest weddings that have recently taken place at Calvary, and the handsome edifice was filled with a fashionable assemblage.

The chancel was attractively decorated in Easter lilies and palms, arranged in clusters.

In deference to Mr. Beard, who is a member of the choir, Mr. George Selby, the organist, arranged a beautiful musical programme, and, before the bridal party arrived, Mrs. Americus Callahan sang Schubert’s Serenade with a violin obligato, and Mr. Selby played several beautiful selections.

The bridal party entered the church to the Mendelssohn Wedding March, the little ribbon boys, Masters Tilford Payne and Billy Hardy, coming first.  They were followed by the ushers, who came in pairs – Messrs. Will Wilson and Sherley Thompson, Frank Fleming and Lewis O’Donnell.  Misses Elsie Snively and Lottie Head, Fannie Evans and Mamie Bowman came next, and were followed by the maid of honor, Miss Sarah Thompson, who preceded the bride and her father., Mr. Hite Thompson.  They were met at the altar by the groom and his best man, Mr. Allan Leathers.

After the betrothal the choir sung the wedding anthem, ‘O Perfect Love,’ and upon the conclusion of the service the party left the church to the bridal chorus from Lohengrin, sung by the choir.

The bridesmaids were gowned in dainty Paris muslin, trimmed in lace and white satin ribbon.  The skirts were ruffled half way to the waist and had three bowknots of lace insertion just above the top ruffle.  The bodices were made decollete with long sleeves and were trimmed with bowknots of lace.  A bow of white satin ribbon was arranged on the left shoulder and the girdle and streamers were of white satin.  Each girl wore a white aigrette in her hair and carried a loose bunch of white carnations in her arms.  The maid of honor was similarly gowned in pink Paris muslin, made with a slight train, and wore a pink aigrette in her hair.  She carried a bouquet of pink buds and bridesmaid roses.

Miss Thompson was gowned in a beautiful dress of white corded silk with a satin stripe.  The skirt was draped in the wedding veil of her grandmother, a handsome piece of d’Alencon lace, and the bodice was rimmed in a bertha of honiton lace.  Her veil fell in graceful folds to the edge of her skirt, and she carried a cluster of pink carnations and a very old prayer-book which belonged to her great, great grandmother, Catherine Moore.  It was covered with a piece of Miss Thompson’s wedding gown.

After the ceremony a reception was given the bridal party and intimate friends by the bride’s grandmother, Mrs. Catherine Hopkins.  The house was attractively decorated in white and green, the wedding colors, and the mantels were banked with roses and carnations against a background of ferns.

The bride’s table, in the dining-room, had a white cloth draped in tulle, which was caught at intervals with plumosa.  In the center stood the large bride’s cake ornamented with a green candled hat filled with white carnations, and on either side of it were silver candlesticks, filled with white candles, and vases of carnations.

In the cake were the ring, dime, thimble, silver heart and bodkin, to each of which were attached white ribbons for the bridesmaids to draw.  At each of the guests’ seats were dainty dinner cards ornamented with orang blossoms and marriage bells swung by tiny Cupids.  They were painted by the bride’s sister, Miss Sarah Thompson.

Mr. and Mrs. Beard left last night on a Western trip, and upon their return, May 10, they will be at home at 8 Jefferson Terrace.

Among the out-of-town guests present at the wedding were Judge and Mrs. William Ballard and son Allen, of Madisonville; Mr. Henry Head of Owensboro; Mrs. J. Milton Culp and daughter Adeline, of Washington; Mrs. Crittenden Marriott, of Washington; Mr. Alex Farnsley, of Lexington, and Mr. Horace Beard, of Madisonville.