Family History Friday - Aunt Lillian's Wedding Part 1

When my father's eldest sister married, the ceremony was recorded with narration onto a set of 78 rpm records. She gave them to my cousin, Greg, and he transferred them to digital. He recently shared them with me. There are 8 records in all. I'll share one each Friday along with the best transcription I can divine. I will apologize as I'm sure I am spelling everyone's names wrong (aside from the people I know personally!).



Trust me when I say listening to this is a real treat! The narrator is almost like a sportscaster and his attention to detail is pretty impressive.

Transcription:

[Church bells chiming]

This is Thursday morning, November 24th, Thanksgiving Day 1949. it is now 10 o'clock and this is St. Benedict's Church at Lamontier and East Blvd in Cleveland, Ohio, where the wedding of Miss Lillian Zoldak and Mr. John Krizansky is about to take place.

Miss Zoldak is the daughter of Mrs. Margaret Zoldak of 2816 Woodhill Road in Cleveland and Mr. Krizansky the son of Mrs. Mary Krizansky of 9403 Buckeye Road, also in Cleveland. Initiating at this single ring ceremony is Father Leo Rehack. At this moment the wedding party is proceeding slowly down the center aisle toward the altar. First come the bridesmaids, Florence and Rosemarie Zoldak, sisters of the bride. They both are wearing gowns of champagne colored satin and veiled Juliet caps which are brown velvet. On their hands the bridesmaids wear short mitts matching their gowns in color and they are carrying bouquets of gold and bronze chrysanthemums. Attached to the bouquets are brown velvet streamers which match the Juliet caps. Next is Margaret Zoldak, the Maid of Honor and also the bride's sister. She too is dressed in a satin gown champagne color and matching mitts on her hands. Her Juliet cap is also velvet and veiled and green in color. The bouquet she carries matches her cap being of green orchids and ivy with green velvet streamers. The bride's mother, Mrs. Zoldak, watches the procession attired in a gold brocaded suit dress. Her hat is of white velour and has gold and pearled trimming and gold veiling. She wears white kid gloves and her suede shoes and purse are dark brown. Her corsage is a white orchid. Mrs. Krizansky, mother of the groom, is wearing a blue crepe dress and blue hat. Her corsage is also a white orchid. The groom is standing outside the sanctuary with his ushers, Misters Louis Balogh Jr. and Theodore Rendessy. Mr. Rendessy is the groom's nephew. The groom is attired in tuxedo and white bow tie. His ushers are wearing tuxedos and black ties. On this occasion, the sides of the altar are flanked with palms and vases of white chrysanthemums.

Now here comes the bride herself on the arm of her brother, Mr. John Zoldak, who is also Best Man at this ceremony. The bride is beautiful in a gown of candlelight satin. The gown has a high neckline and the collar is beaded with pearls. There are satin-covered buttons down the front of the waistline. Her gown has a fitted bodice, long full skirt, long train. There are beaded balls of satin at the waistline. Her sleeves are long and pointed with satin-covered buttons at the tip. On her head, the bride wears a crown of orange blossoms to which is caught a two-tiered full-length veil of lace. Her bouquet is of calla lilies, baby pompoms and stephanotis.

Now the bride and her brother have reached the entrance to the sanctuary. The bride turns and goes to the altar of the Blessed Mother to pray for her guidance and blessing.

[Sounds of the bridal march in the background]

The bride and her family

Florence, Margaret, Margaret Sr (mother), Lillian, John and Rosemarie