My aunts used to tell me about their experiences as bridesmaids. A few of them were bridesmaids twice or more because they already had the bridesmaid's outfit.
Most young ladies educated in Yuk Ing Girls' School could make their own clothes and would go on to be good home makers. This was the vision and mission of Mrs. Mary Hoover who believed strongly in education for girls. Without her, I can say that my aunts and many of the Foochow women would not have been educated at all.
Yuk Ing Girls' School eventually became the Methodist School of Sibu.
My 7th Aunt is a very good example of Yuk Ing Girls' School product. She loved Mrs. Hoover who took care for her and her younger siblings, including the 4 year old Aunty Carrie after the war especially when Grandmother Wong passed away.
She said, "We were all in the boarding school, as our father lived in Pulau Kerto. And it was the older sibling looking after the younger sibling. We all did our chores well, and often the older sibling helping the younger ones. We learned to fend for ourselves and we grew up under Mrs. Hoover's care. It was like this until I graduated in 1949 and I went to Singapore for higher education. Then the boarding school disbanded and for a while my siblings boarded with Aunt Yuk Ging in the early 50's until the Sungei Merah house belonging to our father was completed."
When my parents were married in 1948, my 7th Aunt made her own bridesmaid's dress, and also the flower girls' dresses. They were lovely.
My mother's bridal gown was rented.
And a very remarkable feature of my mother was discovered by 7th Aunt. Mum did not wear earrings at all as she never had her ears pierced. My mother never wore earrings in her whole life!
In those days, most Foochow men had their own suits. My mother could not remember whether my father bought a new white suit for the wedding but he wore a white suit. Uncle Professor Chong Chung Hian wore his own suit as he came back from Singapore for the wedding.
My grandfather wore his own suit for the wedding. The wedding ceremony took place at Hua Hong Ice factory's manager's quarters with all the aunts helping out.
A small banquet was given in a Sibu restaurant. My mum said she was so nervous she did not eat anything but 7th Aunt was most attentive and helpful as a bridesmaid who realized then that my mum was really a very shy young lady.
Mum became the eldest daughter in law of the large family but she never raised her voice and or insisted on staying at the top of the pecking order. 7th Aunt, in her position as the 7th daughter respected my mother for her humble attitude in life.
Bride and bridesmaid remained the best of friends for life.
NOTE : History repeats itself. When it was my turn to be bride I sought out a friend and asked her to be my bridesmaid, As I wanted a multi racial wedding, she was my first choice and she indeed had a gown to wear.
She was a beautiful bridesmaid!
Best man too came with his own suit, and so did the groom!
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