“…It was an outdoor “hippie” wedding. I carried one yellow Talisman rose and wore a garland of yellow flowers in my hair. …My mother had to talk me into wearing shoes. I wanted to go barefoot!”
- Carol & Mark celebrates their 40th Anniversary in 2014.
- Carol & Mark celebrates their 40th Anniversary in 2014.
Carol's Story:
Mark was the morning drive-time DJ at the local rock station in Corning, New York. I was teaching junior high school English. I helped chaperon a dance, and he introduced himself to me then. I was in the middle of a divorce and invited him to my “divorce party.” That was the beginning of a 10 month courtship.
We married at Bridal Veil Falls on the American side of Niagara Falls. Mark's family is from Buffalo, and his dad was friends with the parks commissioner, and we got the only permit ever granted to be married there (at that time.)
It was an outdoor, “hippie” wedding. Just close friends and family. And the Japanese tourists that surrounded us to snap photos! Hmm… cost. Flowers and dress, probably $200. (Remember, this was 1974, and we were flower children.) Mark’s dad got the Governor’s House on the lake at Niagara and had it catered. I have no idea how much it cost!
I wore a very simple (laced up the front) off-white/more beige long dress with long flowing sleeves, a vee-neck. It was cinched in at the waist and then sort of hung down and had ruffles on the bottom. It had a simple patterned design. I carried one yellow Talisman rose! I wore a garland of yellow flowers in my hair. Don’t remember what kind. (Sort of like what the girls wear when they dance around the maypole!) My mother had to talk me into wearing shoes. I wanted to go barefoot! The picture to the left is of me in my wedding dress taken after the wedding and without my headdress.
Mark wore the only suit he owned, a brown tweed with a yellow tie. His hair was longer than mine. My matron of honor wore a long yellow dress. Mark’s brother was his best man. He wore a tweed-colored suit as well.
I was in a daze during the wedding. I couldn’t believe I was getting married so quickly after my divorce! I was so grateful to have my parents there, and for my Dad to walk me down the long staircase from the parking lot to the falls. I eloped for my first marriage while I was in college, so I was grateful they were with me, as well as Mark’s parents. We wrote our own vows and said them to each other. And then we were practically swarmed by Japanese tourist taking our photographs!
We had a short honeymoon - just a long weekend. We were both working. We just stayed at Niagara Falls and enjoyed it.
PHOTOS ARE SCARCE: Mark’s best friend was supposed to take pictures but ended up taking more pictures of the trees, flowers and the falls than of us! Also the wedding pictures were put on ‘slides’ which is now old hat and have no idea where they are hidden! Photo at top is taken of Carol & Mark one year after they were married with daughter Stephanie who was 18 mos. old when they wed.
30th ANNIVERSARY RENEWAL VOWS:
We celebrated our 30th Anniversary by renewing our vows in our backyard. Joann Roth-Oseary from Someone’s In The Kitchen did it. At the renewal vows, our daughter Stephanie wore my original wedding dress. When Mark and I married in 1974, he adopted both my children Stephanie (18 months) and Rett (10 years old).
MARRIAGE WISDOM: Communicate, communicate, communicate. Talk it out. When you are upset, discuss it. Understand that it is a partnership and respect each other. Be honest. Never lie. Don’t forget “date” night, even after 40 years. Remember that when youth fades and the heat of the initial relationship settles into a blissful relationship that you need to be friends first, to like each other’s company. Then, you can get through anything. (And never argue or disagree in front of the kids.)
Mark was the morning drive-time DJ at the local rock station in Corning, New York. I was teaching junior high school English. I helped chaperon a dance, and he introduced himself to me then. I was in the middle of a divorce and invited him to my “divorce party.” That was the beginning of a 10 month courtship.
We married at Bridal Veil Falls on the American side of Niagara Falls. Mark's family is from Buffalo, and his dad was friends with the parks commissioner, and we got the only permit ever granted to be married there (at that time.)
It was an outdoor, “hippie” wedding. Just close friends and family. And the Japanese tourists that surrounded us to snap photos! Hmm… cost. Flowers and dress, probably $200. (Remember, this was 1974, and we were flower children.) Mark’s dad got the Governor’s House on the lake at Niagara and had it catered. I have no idea how much it cost!
I wore a very simple (laced up the front) off-white/more beige long dress with long flowing sleeves, a vee-neck. It was cinched in at the waist and then sort of hung down and had ruffles on the bottom. It had a simple patterned design. I carried one yellow Talisman rose! I wore a garland of yellow flowers in my hair. Don’t remember what kind. (Sort of like what the girls wear when they dance around the maypole!) My mother had to talk me into wearing shoes. I wanted to go barefoot! The picture to the left is of me in my wedding dress taken after the wedding and without my headdress.
Mark wore the only suit he owned, a brown tweed with a yellow tie. His hair was longer than mine. My matron of honor wore a long yellow dress. Mark’s brother was his best man. He wore a tweed-colored suit as well.
I was in a daze during the wedding. I couldn’t believe I was getting married so quickly after my divorce! I was so grateful to have my parents there, and for my Dad to walk me down the long staircase from the parking lot to the falls. I eloped for my first marriage while I was in college, so I was grateful they were with me, as well as Mark’s parents. We wrote our own vows and said them to each other. And then we were practically swarmed by Japanese tourist taking our photographs!
We had a short honeymoon - just a long weekend. We were both working. We just stayed at Niagara Falls and enjoyed it.
PHOTOS ARE SCARCE: Mark’s best friend was supposed to take pictures but ended up taking more pictures of the trees, flowers and the falls than of us! Also the wedding pictures were put on ‘slides’ which is now old hat and have no idea where they are hidden! Photo at top is taken of Carol & Mark one year after they were married with daughter Stephanie who was 18 mos. old when they wed.
30th ANNIVERSARY RENEWAL VOWS:
We celebrated our 30th Anniversary by renewing our vows in our backyard. Joann Roth-Oseary from Someone’s In The Kitchen did it. At the renewal vows, our daughter Stephanie wore my original wedding dress. When Mark and I married in 1974, he adopted both my children Stephanie (18 months) and Rett (10 years old).
MARRIAGE WISDOM: Communicate, communicate, communicate. Talk it out. When you are upset, discuss it. Understand that it is a partnership and respect each other. Be honest. Never lie. Don’t forget “date” night, even after 40 years. Remember that when youth fades and the heat of the initial relationship settles into a blissful relationship that you need to be friends first, to like each other’s company. Then, you can get through anything. (And never argue or disagree in front of the kids.)
Mark on the day of his wedding but not in his Suit yet.
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30th Anniversary Renewal Vows with minister on the left and children Stephanie (in Carol's original wedding dress) & Rett as witnesses.
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Son Rett with daughter Stephanie in Carol's original wedding dress. Up-close view.
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Recent photo of Carol & Mark with some of their fabulous dogs. Great reading is Carol's book "Luke's Tale" written in memory of her talented TV star & blind blonde lab, Luke!
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