No expense spared

BRIDAL LACE: A back view of the detailed dress. Unfortunately, records relating to the designer and dresser have been lost.

Eight white orchids were grown especially by Peter Black in Levin; a Sydney designer was flown in to dress the bride; the wedding gown toured the country, being displayed in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. In short, it was Wanganui's society wedding of the century.
But Darol and Lorraine Pointon, both 23 at the time, were married with a common prediction ringing in their ears: "It will never last." However, last Friday they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Lorraine's father, Jim Morgan, was a wood merchant and sawmill owner. His daughter, whom he called "Bubby", was not expected to work a day in her life. Jim's wife, Lorraine's mum, achieved the same goal.
Lorraine was expected to carry on the tradition by marrying someone of equal fiscal standing. Instead, she wanted to marry Darol, at the time a storeman for the National Electric Engineering Company.
Surprisingly, the wedding went ahead, and no expense was spared to make it a grand occasion.
The ceremony was held at Christ Church, Archdeacon FO Ball officiating. Jos Waitai sang for the couple in the church and again at the reception in the Pioneer Room of the Memorial Hall.
After the ceremony, crowds of people waited in the carpark to catch a glimpse of the wedding dress.
Pearl Matthews of The Wanganui Herald, under "News for Women", described the dress and the occasion thus:
"A beautiful crinoline gown of lace and tulle, the flower pattern in the lace hand-embroidered in pearl crystals and iridescent sequins, was chosen by Lorraine Molly, elder daughter of Mr and Mrs James Andrew Morgan, Heads Rd, Wanganui, for her marriage to Darol Rex Pointon, Wanganui.
"The slim-fitting lace bodice of her gown featured a bateau neckline and long sleeves pointed over the wrists. The front of the skirt was tiered with tulle and embroidered lace from the centre of the bodice to a wide hemline, with the side panels of embroidered lace swept back to a cluster of silver-centred nylon roses.
"A full train of frilled tulle and lace fanned out from the back waist-line to form a V.
"Her elbow-length tulle veil, edged with re-embroidered lace flowers, was held in place by a high pearl coronet over a bouffant hairstyle.
"The bride carried a white prayer book, a white satin slipper and a spray of eight rare orchids mounted on white stephanotis."
Lorraine recalls that she didn't have a long veil because the designer wanted to show off the dress. The size of the gown meant she had to sit alone in the back seat of the taxi to and from the church. "My father sat in the front and so did Darol."
Mr Brent of Tesla Studios photographed the occasion, Ngan Kee Florists decorated The Pioneer Room for the champagne reception and Ivan Haddock was the caterer. The ceremony and reception were recorded by Peter Fairclough of Fairclough Appliances and put on to LP records. The four-tier wedding cake was a gift from the bride's grandmother, one of the few from that side of the family who accepted the marriage. The same grandmother also offered the couple a house in Muir St. Darol turned it down.
"We booked every black taxi in Wanganui," says Lorraine. Claudio Petronelli created Lorraine's hairstyle, sweeping it high to make the diminutive Lorraine look taller. "Before we went up the aisle, Dad looked at me and he said, 'Bubby, it's not too late to change your mind.' But I said, 'Daddy, all this money you've spent.' 'It doesn't matter,' he said.'"
Darol says Jim Morgan was the hardest-working man he's ever known. He kept his money in a non-interest bearing cheque account, regarding interest as charity, money not earned. He doted on his daughter.
"I was a sickly child; I was always getting pneumonia. I was raised like Dresden china," says Lorraine. "I was treated like a princess. What did my daddy say? 'My daughter's not going out to work. If you can't keep her, she's coming home.'
"My mother was a snob; she hated Darol. She didn't even talk to me on my wedding day." Mind you, neither Lorraine nor her parents would speak to the Pointons on the day. Mr Pointon was a shoe repairer. The two cultures would take a while to mix. "It hasn't been easy," says Lorraine, a direct descendant of Governor Grey.
It took Lorraine a while to adjust to her new economic status.
"We lived in a flat in Kings Ave," says Darol. "The first week, I got my wages and gave Lorraine money for the housekeeping."
"And I went straight over to the bookshop and bought every magazine on Elizabeth Taylor," says Lorraine.
The wedding dress, once a touring exhibition in itself, has not been out since 1965. Women's magazines wanted to photograph it but Lorraine said no and it remains packed in a suitcase. Lorraine says she wants it buried with her.