Bride's Cap

This bride's cap was worn by Mary Eloise Tasher when she married William T. Moore on June 1, 1929 in South Bend, Indiana. It is constructed of white lace decorated with pearls and wax orange blossoms. The wax orange blossoms on the cap are a symbol of fertility since no tree is more prolific, bearing fruit and blooming at the same time. The blossom which is white is also a symbol of innocence and chastity. The use of orange blossoms became popular in the early nineteenth century and continued well into the 1950s. When real orange blossoms were not available or were in short supply, wax replicas, as on this bride's cap, were used instead.

The cap was worn with a white satin dress, with a tiered skirt edged with net, and white satin shoes as well as a brassiere and panties that are all part of the Smithsonian collections. The pink georgette mother of the bride dress, worn by Mrs. Charles A. Tasher, and the yellow crepe de chine and green silk taffeta bridesmaid dress, worn by Lucy Lucile Tasher, sister of the bride, are also in the collections.

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