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The Hormel Historic Home will be hosting the 10th annual one stop shop Wedding & Event Showcase on Sunday, March 21.  The event is usually held in January, but we postponed it to allow for the COVID-19 risk to be lessened.  We are offering two sessions with reduced capacity but we will still have all the resources in place to allow brides and event hosts to make all the necessary decisions to execute an extraordinary event.  Tickets must be purchased in advance on our website.

Did you ever wonder how newly engaged brides planned their weddings in 1911, without the internet or resource fairs?  The Ladies Home Journal of May 15, 1911 probably helped a great deal.  This 90-year-old periodical is full of advice for women and has a special feature about gifts that brides might appreciate.

“Every season of the year brings many new and beautiful ideas developed in ribbon novelties for gifts, each year’s offering seeming better than the last.  Here is a whole page of beauties- every one a choice creation- and just now, in view of the weddings to come in June …”

Instructions are provided for making the lace and ribbon negligee shown in the picture and other items such as bags, hair bands, and sashes are displayed to give the reader ideas.  The magazine features many other products that brides might have been interested in at that time.  Flaxon Summer Fabrics advertised that their sheer summer fabrics would be “most in demand for evening gowns, afternoon frocks, misses’ and children’s dresses…”

Gordon Hosiery promised that their $.50 stockings in black, white or any shade to match a gown would satisfy all women.  The ‘ventilating’ corset and taffeta petticoat were prominently featured, and Fine Table Glassware was promoted by the A.H. Heisey & Company business so brides could build their collection of serving pieces for special events. Practical items such as the Simplex Ironer, Grandma’s Powdered Soap and the Bohn Syphon Refrigerator at $19 were advertised and would be needed by any new bride setting up house.

Between ads, the magazine is filled with advice columns like “Luncheons That Girls Want to Give” and “Pretty Girl Questions.” There are also several literary features aimed at entertaining women with stories of romance and mystery.

Planning an event of any sort can be overwhelming but resources like the Ladies’ Home Journal and the Hormel Historic Home can make it a fun and efficient endeavor.

Upcoming Events

Old Time Radio Shows via Zoom

Saturday, March 13: Murder Through the Looking Glass

Friday, March 26: Broadway’s My Beat: The Howard Crawford Murder Case

$10 per household; Purchase at www.hormelhistorichome.org

History Happy Hour-Let Me Introduce You to Lizzie Hormel

6 p.m., Monday, March 8

Limited capacity.  Free for members of the HHH, Mower County Historical Society and Friends of the Library. $5 for nonmembers. Reservations appreciated at 507-433-4243.

Wedding & Event Showcase

10 a.m. or noon, Sunday, March 21

$5 per person