When Mother Said Yes

                                     Mother and Papa when they were engaged in 1939
                                     Warren, PA.


          Around June of 1939, Papa and Mother had dinner at Mother's parents home on Hazel Street in Warren, PA.  Papa brought the engagement ring, because he wanted to propose to Mother at Grandma and Granpa Critelli's.

          After one of Grandma's famous Italian Dinners, Papa asked Mother to go out on the front porch and sit on the swing.  They both talked together, and Mother had a feeling Papa wanted to ask her something serious.  She asked him to get to the point.  Papa pulled out of his pocket, a lovely black,velvet box, and inside was a gold, orange blossom diamond engagement ring.  Mother's  heart quickened, as she looked into Papa's eyes with Love.

     "Katie, will you do me the honor of being my wife?  Will you marry me?"

     "Oh yes!" said Mother with tears in her eyes.

Papa placed the ring on the third finger of her left hand.  She stared at it with great admiration.  Papa and Mother embraced each other, and Papa gave her a soft, and loving kiss.

       The engagement period lasted for 14 months before their wedding would take place.  Papa bought the ring from the famous James Jewelers in Warren.  Today, these rings would have been worth alot of money.  I still have the ring in my posession and will always treasure it!

      It was a Saturday Morning, August 10, 1040, that Papa and Mother tied the knot of Holy Matrimony at St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Beech Street.  Aunt Mary Rock Scalise, Papa's Sister, sang the Ave Maria so beautifully, as Papa once told me.  Uncle Louie Critelli, Mother's Brother, was one of the ushers and took a home movie of the wedding.  Aunt Mary Critelli was Mother's Matron of Honor, and Uncle Dominic was Papa's best man.  Mother wore a long, white gown with puff sleeves and pearls entwined and a long train.  She carried a bouquet of White Calla Lillies, and on her head was a pearl tiarra with a long veil attached.  Aunt Mary wore a blue moire and pink design and carried pink, Briarcliff Roses.  Papa and Uncle Dominic both looked handsome.  Father Jacobs said the Nuptial Mass.  It was a single ring ceremony, because Papa only wanted Mother to have a ring.

    Papa and Mother's Wedding Reception was at YWCA; the menu was stuffed schwabs, mashed potatoes, peas, pastries and jello for dessert, and of the course, the wedding cake.  There was dancing with a local band, and Aunt Mary caught the bridal bouquet.

  Papa and Mother changed clothes for their honeymoon trip.  Mother wore a black and white polka dot suit with a large, black brimmed hat with a white grograin ribbon and black and white pumps.  Papa thought Mother looked like she had stepped out of a fashion magazine. 

   For the honeymoon Papa and Mother went to see Aunt Julie, Mother's older sister, and her husband, in Grand Rapids,Michigan, because Aunt Julie and Uncle Willis could not make the wedding.