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Ashwaubenon Historical Society shares vintage wedding dress exhibit

By Lauren Waters
Correspondent

ASHWAUBENON — The Ashwaubenon Historical Society has put together a showcase of wedding dresses at the Museum of History & Culture to tell the story of Ashwaubenon brides and show how styles have changed over the years.

The vintage wedding dress exhibit will be displayed at the opening reception from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Ashwaubenon Museum, 936 Anderson Dr.

Admission is $5, and there will be music, cake, refreshments and door prizes throughout the event.

All proceeds of the opening reception will go to the museum building fund.

There will be 24 wedding dresses displayed at the exhibit, along with a few bridesmaid dresses.

Each dress displayed will have a card explaining who wore the dress and when, as well as sharing a little bit about the bride’s life.

“Every one of these dresses has a story,” said Barb Short with the Ashwaubenon Historical Society. “And most of the dresses have a connection to Ashwaubenon, one way or another.”

Short said the history of Ashwaubenon began with a wedding, which is why the team wanted to continue that tradition with the wedding dress exhibit.

“Ashwaubenon became Ashwaubenon because of a wedding,” said Short. “We felt it was appropriate to follow in the footsteps of a wedding being very important to the history of our community.”

The oldest dress at the exhibit is from a bride who was married in 1901, and it is on display next to the bride’s great-granddaughter’s dress.

There are also three generations of dresses on display from the Vercauteren family, which has a street named after them in Ashwaubenon.

“The exhibit shows the different styles throughout the years and how wedding dresses and customs have changed over the decades,” said Short.

There will also be old wedding photos on display, as well as a display of churches where weddings were held and the different reception venues in Ashwaubenon over the years.

The exhibit will be open at the Ashwaubenon Museum until the end of November.

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