Documents about our July 1, 1982 Madison Square Garden Blessing with 2,075 Couples

1220Fifth Avenue 212 / 534-1672 MU SEU r.1 0 F New York. NY 10029 Fa.”’-· 212/423-0758

THE CIT)’ OF

December 4, 1996

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Gullery 25 Hawkes Avenue Ossining, NY 10562

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Gullery:

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Museum of the City of New York, I want to thank you for your generous donation to the Museum’s Costume Collection. Your gift enhances the quality of the Museum’s holdings and strengthens this institution’s ability to develop its collections as an important learning resource for New York and the nation. Your donation will be placed in the permanent collections, where it will be available for research and exhibition. Without the generosity of donors such as yourself, the Museum would be unable to carry out its mission established more than seventy-three years ago.

Thank you, again, for thinking of the Museum of the City of New York.

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DY HOLLY BRUBACH

f the booming state of the bridal industry js any indication, many women are still in- clined to view their wedding day as the most. important day of their lives. I wonder how many men would say the same. Certainly, there is a disparity at work Jn the cJothes: the bride takes the stage in a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime dress, while the groom, more often than not, is outfitted in a mere suit or a rented tuxedo. “New York Gets Married: Dressing for a Special Day, 1765-1997,” a delightful ex- hibition on view through Sept. 21 at the Museum of the Ciry of New York, brings to- gether some 250 items of wedding attire and ocl1er re]aced memorabilia that constitute the elaborate culture surrounding the ritual of matrimony. There are the chased-gold brace- lets that Bo,ss Tweed gave his daughter as a wedding present, in 1871, as well as tl1e Pierrepont family wedding veil, worn by 21 brides, and the menu for Consuelo Vanderbilt’s reception, at Sherry’s. Among the dresses, including designs by Worth and Balenciaga, are a hand-tucked silk gauze gown worn in 1908 by a bride from Weeksville, a Bed- ford-Stuyvesant community settled by freed slaves, and a peau de soie dress made from a Simplicity pattern for one of 2,075 brides married by the Rev. Sun Yung Moon at Madison Square Garden in 1982. Phyllis Magidson, the show’s curator> singles out the gown worn by Sarah Chandler Havemeyer, ~he dau_ghter of a New York City Mayor, in 1856: in it, Magid.son says, we see codified the basic elements of what has come to be the bridal _ Tofi cabulary - mu~h o_f it harking back to Queen Victoria’s example, 16 years bef:r: A to brid :~ed pearls, sat~ nb~ons,_ ~le, ox:ange blossoms and lace are still in effect, although Apn t e1r appeal now lies pnmarily m their power.to evoke a time when marriage was for life, • — ~th no recourse and no remedy. Touring

~ Ing e eS ‘New ~ork Gets Married,” you can’t l1elp wondenng whether the jubilant ne,,,Jywed eventually succumbed to the odds and th rep~es~ntei by these personal souvenirs attempcs at true love ‘rune and . e stat1st1cs t at attest to our widespread failed line. More striking a~d, final} ~~:~, “:’e fall shon of the. fairy tales, last, resounding most palpable emotional weigrt thepo1gnant thahn. thhethan1facts themselves is their al- fervent hope of permanence and-with the extent tow ic f .1 . • ey have . bee . d .h h . n 1nveste wit t e or two lives would be complete. • ra1 conv1ct1on that in this celebrated endeav-

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\ll \l l \I C)F MEDIA ALERT!

Contact: Billie 11cllcr Monnc~s. ext. 2(>0 Lia Miller C,ravicr, ext. 212

~ F \V )’ 0 RK Date: May 14, 1997

New York Gets Married: Dressing/or a Special Day, 1765 - 1997

Reception and Press Preview: Tuesday, May 20. 1997, 6:00 - 8:00 PM On View: May 21 - September 21, 1997

New York Gets Married: Dressing for a Special Day, 1765 - 1997, on view at the Museum of the Cicy of New York from May 21 - September 21, 1997, reva.ls the spirit, splendor, and diversity of the marriages of New Yorkers over che last three cen- ruries. Ir is an exhjbicion that reflecrs the values, scyle, and tradi- tions of the bride and groom and their families, who have come to New York from all ports of departure, bringing “virh them their unique histories and hopes for the future. Through che The ~Vet/ding Day of Srepha11ie and Brian display of clothing, accessories, memorabilia, photographs, and lVenhe,; October 20, 1996. Mary Adele decorative arcs objecrs, myriad New York City wedding ~ents Phatography, N. Y. C. are featured.

As you enter, a three-tiered platform decorated as a wedding cake, designed by Ne\v York wedding cake designer Gail Warson., greets you wirh a display of eighteen of the furry wedding garments dating from 1765 through today. From the debutante daughters of upper crust N~v York fitmilies \vho were escorted to the couture establishments of Worth, Doucet and Rouff in Paris to the less privileged families \vho had co rely on their own sewing skill or shops that “knocked olF’ the designs of the originals, New Yt1rk Gets Married offers some of the best dresses and best dressed through history. From rhe Simplicity pattern gown chosen by Reverend and Mrs. Moon ,vorn by 2,075 brides at the Unification Church Holy Wedding held at Madison Square Garden to che Yumi Kacsura 1997 “bridal evening dress,” remarkable for ic.c; lack of traditional modcscy, the exhibition captures chc fervor of chc contemporary \vedding scene as ,vcll. ..

1220 l;-ifth Avenue• New York, Ne,v York 10029 • ‘lei: (212) 534-1672 • Fa : (212) 426..6891

New York Gels Married: All Arc1u11d tl1e Town

c,\’ York is , city Clf landmarks - of fabulOL:lS arcl1itecture ‘ttnd fabJed ettii,g . Bclr<.)tl1ed cot1ples have alwa)’S l,ad a wide cl1oi cc of n,emorable locales in ,vJ,icl1 to hold tl,cir ,vetid ings. In recc11t decades, as social rules l1ave relaxed and convention l,ave been challenged ar,d overturned, New Yorkers l1ave been tyi11g the knot alJ o,,er to,,,n. Their reasons for c11oos ing a set ling are as varied as ll1e styles of thci r ,vedd.ings and wedding attire.

Wedding Dress, 1969 Pleated amel Gift of Martin Snyder, 72. 71a

Worn by Judith Acosta at her marriage to Paul Brno in Central Park near the Shakespeare Castle on May 4, 1969.

“It was a long tinie ago,” tlte groonz recalls, “the Age of Aquarius and all that. I 1JJOre a black Edtuardian suit t1Iat I bought on eighth Street. I looked like a cross between H.arnlet and one of the Beatles. The park jiu;t seemed like a good idea at tlie time-so much nicer than beittg “1arried in son1e stuffy old church. An actor friend of niine perfonned tlte cerenzony. He read sonietJ1ing from Sidhartha. I think it was legal. It was a beautiful day and thousands of hippies toere ha11ging out on tlie Great Lawn, so they carne. Love was everywhere.”

The marriage was annulled a year later.

Wedding Dress, 1982 Peau de soie with contrasting lace sleeves Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Gullery, 96.94.lab

Worn by I:>ebby Decenso Gullery as one of 2,075 brides married at the Unification Church Holy Wedding held at Madison Square Garden on July 1, 1982

“We feel-personally and as Unificationists-tlwt a healtl,y 111arriage and fantily are the cornerstone of a good society. Getting niarried at Madison Square Garden, along with all those other couples, was a larger state,nent of that to the world. “We were matched by Revere,id Moon about a year and a l1alf be.fort! the cereniony. It 1.uas done very personally really; it’s 1101 /ike Ire just takes forty peop~ and ntakes twenhJ couples of tl1en1. He has a great deal of spirit1111J insrgl,t. If you saw sonie of the couples that were ,narried witlt us, you ‘d be surprised at ‘1ot{’ well-suited they see,n. Even tlro11glr tJ,ey 1nigltt be black and wJtite or Gernian and /avish,, for exaniple, so111eho1u, tltey’re venJ situilar.” (Caption for pictt1rc) “All the brides ruore tire san,c dress, r,rade fro,n a Sin111licity 11atte.nr cl,02n by Revtre~td and Mrs. Moon. A lot of tlie girls n,ode their or1,n ,tresses. if tJ1ey want~ to pttl a l1tlll’- so111etliing 011 it to versonnlizc it, tlu.·y could.”

Ribbon Cockade, satin screened to read World Peace T,hrough llral Far,rilics/U11ifica tion CJ1urcl1 floly Wedding Mndiso11 Squa,-~ Gnrden Jury r,,- 1912

MROISON ~OUHRf

July l, 2007

Dear Anniversary Couples,

Since it firs! opened its doors 10 I 879, Madison Square Garden hos embraced generations of people \Vho con1c to express their pride and pass-ion for teams, athletes, performers, and statesn1cn. As one of A111erica’s most famous landmarks, Lhe Garden has also hosted many unique and festive events, one of which you (2075 couples in all!) had the great joy to be a part of on July I, 1982.

TI1at day, you were united in marriage by Reverend and Mrs. Moon and twenty-five years later, you join in c-elebrotions around the world to commemorate 25 years of mamage.

Congratulations to you as you mark your silver wedding anniversary and with al) best \vishcs for continued happiness and many more anniversary celebrations!

Cara Taback VP, Communications Madison Square Garden

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OATE July 1, 1982 ACCOUNT NUMBER 4 4 30 TIME 10:00 - 11:00 PM STATION i\TNEl\l- TV Chann e 1 Five LOCATION Ne,-.r York City PROGRAM 10 0 ’ Clock Ne,\1S

John Roland reporting: There was a massive wedding in our town. t4oon performed it, and picked the brides and grooms. ..

Roland: Still ahead, the R~verend Moon beaming as more than four thousand of his · f o 11 owers a 11 s a 1· d , ‘’We do • ‘’

* * * ~ * Roland: Some people got married in Ma~hatta~ today, and if one of the men should ever forget his anniversary he can always pick up the phone and ask a~y one of t,io _thous a seventy-four other grooms. We’re talking about a bi, wedding here. They all got married on the same day ~n the same place, t-1adison Square Garden. There was a l1oon1e wedding, the biggest in history. Anthony Prisendorf reporting: Marriages weren’t exactly made in heaven or like if 9 they were arranged about a week ago across the street in the Unification Church Headquarters. In view fur an houij th unbroken procession of young men and wanen, all coloTs sizes and shapes from fifty-four countries, filed into Madison Square Garden amid recorded pomp and circumstance . The president of the Unification Church, as proud as any poppa on this special day, said no expense was spared, bu the church spent a million and a half dollars on this lavish and record-breaking mass wedding. The Unification Church likes to do things, after all, on a cosmic scale. S:ven years ago they broke a mass marriage record wben eighteen hundred couples were joined in holy wedlock in Seoul, ~outh Korea. All of the brides wore white, today. same white gowns, and the same bouquets. All of the aroou two ~hous~nd seventy-!ive in all, wore red ties. whii.. eh and 1dcnt1cal blue suits the patriotic garb t~at .ba• be their uniform, and just make sure they’re 900d to ln the eyes of the temporal law, the Reverend isterod last week, as a 4ul o & \llr:kr C 111N ft Poll 1!\? r t ~ Irr a hm N

TI1e Unification Church C.orpur:uc• “Ii m1,

Tht! I lol~ Spirtl \s,,< x Iat Hln tor the l tn l11c-J110 n t >f \\, >rl c..l Chris1ian11y <I ~SA l

July 1, 1982

Dear Parents and Friends ,

On behalf of the 4000 people from 70 nations who are today receiving the marriage blessing, I thank you for being here to share with them the joy, the beauty, and the great promise of this day. The happiness and hope of a couple at their wedding is magnified in our midst more than 2000-fold. An international community of faithful

couples, dedicated to loving God, mankind, and one another, is coming to birth today.

As a parent, I too know the happiness of seeing my child’s happiness. As a friend I rejoice in the joy of

my friends. As a member of the Unification Church, I am moved by the outpouring of God’s love that has enabled hllis historical ceremony to take place, and has made i t a concrete step toward “World Peace through Ideal Families.” Thank you again. May God bless you all.

Sincerely yours,

M ~ …-..J.,OA.st Mose Durst, P .o. President

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