“Will you marry me?” aren’t words lightly thrown. And if the answer is “Yes”, it’s the beginning of a new life to be properly celebrated. Along with the many rituals during that life-defining event, the wedding car often plays a key role. With that in mind, here’s a gallery celebrating that tradition with various folk and their vehicles in wedding regalia.
There are a few luxury cars among these, but also a couple of quirky and fun automotive choices. For the most part, however, they’re just regular cars happily festooned for the occasion. From the humble to the elaborate, all ready to mark the event in one way or another.
Love the contrast of the ’58 Cadillac with the Rambler American right below it.
There’s a very clear repeated pattern in all of these galleries: Starting in about 1965 or so, almost all of the younger drivers have smaller cars, either pony cars or mid-sized cars. Big cars just weren’t desirable anymore.
Stephanie and I drove to and from our little wedding in my elderly Dodge A-100 van.
That “Rambler”, decorated, just looks even more “utilitarian” then it actually is..
Memories of Maggie’s and my wedding nine years ago. The bridal car was our ’08 Kia Sedona with the second row of seats removed. Talk about limousine-style legroom.
We still have the van, a bit worse for wear.
I love the guy in the white tux with the Pontiac. Don’t hassle his sweetie or he’ll pistol whip ya!
Don’t forget Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal in 1972’s “What’s Up, Doc?”
One of the better screw ball comedies.
O’Neal, Streisand, and Madeline Kahn were excellent.
Don’t make them like that any more.
So true! One of my all time favorites! The car chase was done without city permits though, when they ran all the cars down the steps in one scene, the damage is still there to this day.
That flick was just on last wkd!
LOVE that movie! It gets better with each viewing.
Last Photo:
Being a groomsman at several weddings in the 70’s and 80’s, have worn that ruffled shirt more than my share of times.
As of late, most just wear a plain white shirt and slacks or maybe a jacket with no tie.
I rode to and from my wedding in a ten year old Ford Pinto wagon. At least I did not have to drive myself!
Before my mother passed away we went through her things and found that she had two boxes of her side of the family photos dating back to the late 1890’s. This, unlike my father’s which I don’t have. Going through them so far I found this shot of her wedding party in February 1953. I do not know what the car is but someone will I am sure…
I believe it is a 1942-49 Cadillac Series 75 – top of the line.
Great pic! Thanx.
Here’s one more…my wife drove Igor to our wedding in Pittsburgh at Phipps Conservatory and we took a bunch of snapshots after with him. This one is my favorite!
Was at “Phipps” in “2022ish”. First time back there in over “24” years!
I wonder how many of these were owned by one of the couple and how many were borrowed. For most there is an affordability factor in the beginning and one uses what is available. The Rambler is reminiscent of my wife’s and my maiden journey although for us it was her ’74 Duster. She used to like to tell the story about how after the final photos we stopped by a McDonald’s on our way out of town. When the drive through clerk heard it was our wedding day she quipped “. . . and you came here?!” and then gave us two apple pies on the house. Miss those days.
Love that pic of my favorite Olds! Beautiful!
That is an awesome looking car.
I feel for the poor couple having to make their escape in a dk. pea green `59 Rambler American–with blackwalls no less! One would think a family member would loan them something a bit more fitting for ‘their day’? Maybe a father’s Olds 98 or DeVille?
I will admit the most fitting of all the rides is the white `58 Cadillac DeVille 4dr., even if it doesn’t actually belong to the newlyweds.
I recall the best man at my older brother’s wedding in 1972, drove a late model Envoy Epic behind my parent’s Galaxie 500, in the wedding procession. He was also a singer in a local Ottawa band, that had some national success across Canada, with this song in 1974. Cheerful pop song, though it has an early ’70s sound.
This is fun since every scene is a happy scene. I feel certain that every car, fancy or plain, is all cleaned up and freshly washed too.
That big , white, Chevy, seemingly touching the “Ford”, does not look freshly washed. Hard to keep a white car looking fresh though.
There are gremlins on this website.
When I married in 1976 we used my 1938 Buick special sedan the bride and I rode in… Also used a friends 74 Lincoln continental sedan… It was a hot June day, the Lincoln overheated and broke down… The Buick ran like a top… I have a pic of she sitting on the front fender and me leaning on the open driver door someplace… We divorced after 12 years married. Sold the Buick before we had kids to pay off a Visa bill.. Had the Buick nine years, should have dumped the wife and kept the buick
Photos #4 & #5:
Is this the same couple? There are patch marks on the left rear of the Ford in both pictures. The bridge and groom also look the same.
At the time of our wedding, or strictly speaking for pre-wedding guest pickup and other logistics, we needed a vehicle capable of carrying more people than our Ford Ranger and Mazda B2200. So I swapped the Ranger for my mom’s Volvo 245, which we also ended up taking on our brief local honeymoon. For our extended honeymoon a month later in New England, we used my in-laws’ first-gen Camry. A pleasant car hampered by its auto trans.
I’m a bit late to the party. My wedding, 1988. 1936 Packard One Twenty, followed by a 1929 Packard phaeton. They belonged to my sister’s husband’s family.
Let’s try the photo again…
Nice pictures all .
For a brief shining moment in about 1972 all one needed to do for a wedding was iron your best jeans, polish the Motocycle boots to a mirror finish and buy a new shirt .
My wedding in 1976 Billy Bob drove us in his 1973 Plymouth police car, it was white and the paint was still good .
So many hopes and memories .
-Nate
Sweet.
I am gay, never had the right to marry. My partner of 20 years died 9/11. I was not allowed to have input as to how the few of his fragments were disposed of. Years later, when DNA identified him, his fragments sent to his parents who put the bits-n-pieces in an urn. Time went on, his parents died, I learned his urn was sold for $5 at a yard sale.
We never could be married, our 20 years together never acknowledged. The remains of the love of my life were sold for $5 at a garage sale.
What an absolutely heartbreaking story. Alfred, I’m so sorry for your loss.