Brides and Bell Towers brings romance to Olivas Adobe Historical Park
Tracy Lehr
VENTURA, Calif. – Wedding dresses and love letters are just part of an annual display the Olivas Adobe Historical Park in Ventura.
The free event called Brides and Bell Towers took place at the park on June 8th.
Many couples have been married on the grounds that date back to 1837.
Locals lent wedding gowns and other items for the occasion.
Volunteers at one of the displays had antique weapons and joked about shotgun weddings back in the day.
But Olivas Adobe Historic Interpreter, Debra Milbourne, said the variety of wedding dresses tell other stories.
“These are gowns that were people’s hopes and dreams,” said Milbourne, “and as I was ironing some of them I was thinking about who could have worn these dresses and what their hopes and dreams were.”
Historian Glenda Jackson gave a talk about the items she has collected over the years including shoes dating back to the 1700s.
“For me it is a passion, I have been collecting, I got my first piece of vintage antique clothing when I was 13, many, many decades ago so it is fun for me to bring everything out form the dark and into the light and share the information,” said Jackson.
Volunteer docents dressed in period outfits showed people around the park that includes a Bell Tower, a rose garden and a gift shop.
For information about weddings at the Olivas Adobe visit https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov
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