In an earlier post, I reported on the April 1922 wedding of Sarah Cockefair and Albert Schlafke, who were married in the skies above New York before thousands of radio witnesses. Perhaps inspired by the New York couple, it seems that a Minnesota couple decided to tie the know in a similar fashion just a few months later. This wedding took place in June, 1922, during an airshow at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. It is reported in the article shown above, a wire story appearing in various papers including the Albuquerque Evening Herald on July 2, 1922.
According to the article, Zelma Olson of Minneapolis desired to be married in an airplane, and desired that the ceremony be officiated by one Rev. E.A. Jordan, who weighed 220 pounds. Unfortunately, the aircraft could accommodate only an additional 75 pounds.
It’s not until the third paragraph of the story that we learn that the groom was one Edwin Moline, who was presumably going to be present in the aircraft as well. His weight is not stated.
The site of the wedding, about five years earlier. (Photo from Google Books)
The problem was solved, at Moline’s suggestion, by placing a radiotelephone set in the plane (presumably one weighing less than 75 pounds), and having Rev. Jordan officiate by wireless.
This he did, and Rev. Jordan conducted the ceremony from a pagoda overlooking the State Fair Grandstand.
There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of historical record surrounding this novel ceremony. I was able to find this post by one Jennifer Moline, presumably a relative of the 1922 newlyweds, indicating that the wedding actually took place on June 4, 1922, a fact not reported in the wire story.
Also, the original 1922 press photo is available for purchase on eBay, and a better copy of the photo can be found at that listing. The back of the image notes that the photo originated from the St. Paul Daily News, and that the photographer was Earl L. Vogt. There’s a date stamp on the back of June 8, 1922, which seems consistent with a wedding date of Sunday, June 4, 1922.
If anyone has any additional details about this wedding, I would enjoy hearing from you.