Wedding Photo

[MarcuccioV]

Okay, for those of you who are experts in Italian wedding photography:

How would you identify some of the people in this photo..?

This came from my UK DNA match. The bride would be a 1st cousin once-removed from my grandfather (her mother & my grandfather were cousins).

I can't figure out based on how they are positioned (with exception of the bride) who they are. Is the groom the man in the white gloves (or the father of the bride)..? What about the man in the lighter suit..? Note the man in the light suit has the lady next to him with her arm around his waist -- so is that his mother..? I can't tell their ages by their looks.

All 4 parents were alive at the time of the wedding. The bride's parents lived the farthest away (Rome), but the marriage was held in their former hometown (Valmontone). The groom & his family were from the neighboring commune of Artena.

Also of intrigue are the 2 ladies on the RH side; the one next to the man in gloves & the one behind between her & him.

My match only knows it is his grandparents in the photo. Can anyone help..?

[darkerhorse]

The only old family wedding photos I have are of Sicilians indoors in the U.S., and they look nothing like this. The principle men are identifiable by small flower sprigs on their lapels - maybe baby's breath.

I located online an Italian-American woman working in the library at UWM who was very knowledgeable about historic fashion and culture. She helped me date photos and make possible identifications of principals. That was over ten years ago so I doubt she's still there.

[MarcuccioV]

Corrections/modifications to above:

The lady to the right has her arm around the man's arm (not his waist). Are these the bride's parents..? If so, she (in the hat) is my grandfather's cousin.

Would then the lady holding the purse be the groom's mother..? The man in the bow tie to the extreme right his father..?

The placement of people in some wedding photos seems to be random. Just trying to sort it out...

BTW, the date of the photo is Nov 29, 1930, if that helps any...

[darkerhorse]

You could try to contact these DNA matches and ask for help with identifications, and you could search for other photos of suspects online for comparison.

[darkerhorse]

looking at the faces, are you sure it's not a funeral?!?

[MarcuccioV]

You could try to contact these DNA matches and ask for help with identifications, and you could search for other photos of suspects online for comparison.

I'm in touch with the match. He just knows it's his grandparent's wedding, but can't ID any of the family members. He never knew them, they remained in Italy -- their daughter (his mother) moved to the UK to work for Pirelli.

[MarcuccioV]

looking at the faces, are you sure it's not a funeral?!?

They are a somber-looking bunch. I noticed that, too...

[darkerhorse]

Maybe other relatives would know, if you can locate them.

It looks more like an impromptu photo taken outside, rather than an official posed wedding photo. So, it will be very difficult to identify persons by position.

Perhaps a native Italian, like Pippo, who knows wedding protocol will be more helpful. I think he knows your region too.

[darkerhorse]

On second thought, the photo could have been taken inside.

But it still doesn't look line a typical official wedding photo to me.

[MarcuccioV]

On second thought, the photo could have been taken inside.

But it still doesn't look line a typical official wedding photo to me.

It does appear to be outside, but it would have been cold in late Nov, I would think.

I can't tell by looking at the individuals, as they all seem to look alike to me -- at least as far as nose, eye or mouth shape. Not a big difference. Of course there was so much interbreeding in the prior generations that that might be expected...