On June 28, 1919 Elizabeth Virginia “Bess” Wallace married Harry Truman who eventually would become president of the United States. As a young child Bess would’ve been best described as a tomboy by those who knew her. However, as she grew into a young woman, she became more feminine and enjoyed fashion-particularly hats. A friend of Bess said, “Bess always had more stylish hats than the rest of us did, or she wore them with more style.”
Harry and Bess met prior to him leaving for World War I and proposed in 1911, and unfortunately, she said no. He decided that he wanted to be able to provide a comfortable living for her before proposing again. At their wedding, Bess wore a beautiful brimmed hat.
Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter- Since 1946
Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter were fairly young when they married on July 7, 1946. At the time she was only 18 and he was 21. The wedding was located in their hometown, Plains, Georgia. At first, Rosalynn turned down the proposal of the future 39th president but changed her mind once he graduated from a wartime class at the U.S. Naval Academy.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that Jimmy wore his Navy uniform. Rosalynn chose a knee-length dress and paired it with a set of gloves, a hat, and a corsage. In 2016 the couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Now that is something you don’t hear very often.
Mamie Eisenhower Was 19 When She Married
Geneva Doud who was only 19 at the time married Dwight Eisenhower on July 1st in 1916. At the time of their marriage, Dwight was 25 and a lieutenant in the Army. The two wed at Mamie’s parents’ home in Denver, Colorado.
Following the wedding, the two enjoyed their honeymoon at a resort nearby.
Lou Henry Hoover’s Unconventional Wedding Gown
Lou Henry was an extremely smart and interesting woman. In her free time, she enjoyed camping with her father, and collecting rocks and minerals. She was also a proficient taxidermist. She met future President Herbert Hoover at Stanford University where she graduated with a B.A. in Geology. An interesting fact about Lou is that she was fluent in Chinese and was the only First Lady who was able to speak the language.
In February of 1899 Lou and Herbert tied the knot at her parents’ home in Monterey, California. Just like the groom, she chose to become a Quaker, but interestingly enough, they were married by a Roman Catholic priest. Instead of wearing white or a lighter color, Lou chose to wear a dark-colored gown.
Lucy Hayes’ - A "Genuine Woman"
On December 30, 1852, Lucy Ware Webb married Rutherford Richard Hayes at her family’s home in Cincinnati, Ohio. You may not know this, but Lucy had several suitors before she finally settled down with Rutherford. Lucy had a strong moral character and came from a religious background which made her seem like the perfect match for Rutherford according to his mother.
In 1851 Rutherford wrote in his diary, “I guess I am a great deal in love with L(ucy)…Her low sweet voice…her soft rich eyes.” He also referred to her as a “genuine woman.” Together the couple had eight children and as you can tell from the photo above, the pair both wore dark clothing on their wedding day.