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Studio wedding party portrait
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TitleStudio wedding party portrait 
DescriptionA wedding party of three women and two soldiers pose for the camera, possibly around the time of WW1, in the Crown Studios in Wellington.
The bride and groom are seated in chairs, the position of honour. From left to right: bridesmaid, groom, best man, bride and bridesmaid. The men are soldiers in the artillery of the NZ Expeditionary Force, indicated by the grenade badge on their collars.
The bridesmaids have a posy type of bouquet. The bride has the long, drooping bridal bouquet of the time stretching almost to her feet. The bride does not wear a veil but her hat is more fancy and with more flowers and decoration. She is wearing pearls, a symbol of Aphrodite, goddess of love and white representing purity and love, often gifted by family. The stern left hand bridesmaid does too, which may indicate that she was a maid of honour i.e. married herself. She may be the older sister of the bride, as both wear fur stoles. It may have been a Registry office wedding, but the women are wearing every bit of finery they have!
The Crown photographic studio was located in Cuba Street, opposite Te Aro House, from around 1916. Its first manager was photographer Francis Thompson,(1895-1977) who later purchased the studio. His son Francis Charles (Frank) Thompson (1923 - 2001) later took the studio over.
Date1914 - 1918SourceSelwyn Heritage CollectionPhotographerCrown Studio, Wellington
DescriptionA wedding party of three women and two soldiers pose for the camera, possibly around the time of WW1, in the Crown Studios in Wellington. The bride and groom are seated in chairs, the position of honour. From left to right: bridesmaid, groom, best man, bride and bridesmaid. The men are soldiers in the artillery of the NZ Expeditionary Force, indicated by the grenade badge on their collars.
The bridesmaids have a posy type of bouquet. The bride has the long, drooping bridal bouquet of the time stretching almost to her feet. The bride does not wear a veil but her hat is more fancy and with more flowers and decoration. She is wearing pearls, a symbol of Aphrodite, goddess of love and white representing purity and love, often gifted by family. The stern left hand bridesmaid does too, which may indicate that she was a maid of honour i.e. married herself. She may be the older sister of the bride, as both wear fur stoles. It may have been a Registry office wedding, but the women are wearing every bit of finery they have!
The Crown photographic studio was located in Cuba Street, opposite Te Aro House, from around 1916. Its first manager was photographer Francis Thompson,(1895-1977) who later purchased the studio. His son Francis Charles (Frank) Thompson (1923 - 2001) later took the studio over.
Date1914 - 1918SourceSelwyn Heritage CollectionPhotographerCrown Studio, WellingtonConnections
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Studio wedding party portrait (1914 - 1918). Selwyn Stories, accessed 20/10/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/6658