1960s Silk Wedding Dress and Reception Dress

Description

Cream silk long wedding dress with a bateau neckline and 3/4 length sleeves with cream, fur trim. The center front A cream silk shantung gown with bateau neckline, empire waist and elbow length sleeves banded in mink. The back bow and wide streamers hide 27 buttons and loops. For the reception, the bride wore a matching short cream shantung A-line dress with high collar and elbow length sleeves trimmed with mink and rhinestones.

Source

HCT.2001.46.10a-c

Date

1965

Provenance

These dresses were worn by Betty Knowles upon her marriage to Dwight P. Spencer on November 6, 1965 at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, WV. Betty was born in Portsmouth, Ohio on May 8, 1929 to Ruth Patton and Corwin Knowles. Her father was a graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in agriculture, working for many years with the Food & Drug Administration. Betty was a graduate of Sophie Newcomb Junior College in New Orleans, and received her master's in business administration from Ohio State. Dwight Spencer was born in Philadelphia, PA on May 20, 1918 to Minnie Proctor and Dwight J. Spencer. His father worked in retail clothing in Kansas City, MO for the majority of his career. Dwight P. began the firm Dwight Spencer & Associates Inc., Market Research Consultants. Both Dwight and Betty worked in the company before and after they were married. Spencer Research is still in business and has their home offices on Grandview Avenue in Columbus, Ohio.