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Oh that all researching was so easy! I think I have it!
My mother has found a picture of her grandparents. The articles you have referred to ArgyllGran are very helpful so I knew I was probably not looking for a white wedding nor a church/chapel picture.
The photo found is of the young couple and taken in the studio of Alfred Freke photographer of 12 Duke St in Cardiff. They both look very sombre. She is seated and wearing what looks like black (possibly silk) which is heavily decorated in beading from the high stand-up collar to the waist. It has full long leg-of-mutton sleeves . Her tiny waist is clasped by a wide belt with two large metal flowers which seem to close it.There is also a length of what looks like plaited or knotted fabric looped around the belt and hanging down just below the level of her waist. This is in a lighter colour and I've no idea of its significance . We still have this belt!
My great-grandfather is standing wearing a three piece suit with a pocket watch chain. He has a wing collar and has his arm behind my great-grandmother.
There is no sign of a ring.
What is very interesting is that I have a large framed photo of this lady with her parents which has hung on my wall for many years.On comparing the one mentioned above it is clear from the clothes , the fact it is a studio photo and her appearance that they are both taken the same day. So the photo of her with her parents was enlarged whereas her with her fiance/husband was not ! Unless someone else has it but I doubt that.
Looking for this has caused me to compare the life of this couple with my other great-grandparents. I mentioned when I first posted that this lady had an affinity for photographers and it may well be that when she was born in Philadelphia in 1873 that photography was more available to the masses there. At the time she was married in Llanelly in 1898 they were probably comfortably off.
By comparison another set of my great-grandparents were fairly poor farmers from rural Cardiganshire and there are no photos at all of them. The third set were a school headmaster who eloped with the daughter of the manor so no wedding photos there.! Finally the last set of great-grandparents were again relatively poor - he worked as a carpenter on an estate in Carmarthenshire. Whereas there are a number of wedding photos of the next generation finding this has rolled back the memories by a good 20 years.
Thank you for your help.
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I don't know about Wales in particular, but here are a couple of links re wedding photography history in general:
http://www.iqphoto.com/history.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_photography#History
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When did wedding photos become the norm in Wales? My great -grandmother was very fond of having photos taken of the family and the first one we have of her is in Philadelphia in 1873.
There are others of her in her teens (by which time she lived in Wales) and then photos of her childrens weddings - about 1920.
My mother remembers that when she was out with her grandmother they would never pass a photographers but pop inside.
However there is no wedding photo. She married in Llanelly in 1898 and I have the date and location. I would love to get hold of a photo and I'm fairly convinced knowing of the history that there would have been one. That is unless photographers didn't do weddings.
Can anyone help please?
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