Maybelline - Father of the Bride - 1973.

How long after her wedding day is a woman considered a Bride?  I believe it is one year and boy did I love every minute of it. Seriously!!

Here I am with Gene and my best friend from High School, Pearl White,
Christmas 1973, eight months into my Bride year.

My first year as a bride was the happiest year of my marriage and I took full advantage of all the attention showered on me that year.  My dad and Nana really got into it as well - loving being father and grandmother of the Bride - they kept our calender crazy with parties and we were expected to look fabulous, gushing and blushing as Mr. and Mrs. Beautiful.

My dad the artist, Christmas 1973, creating a scene to make us laugh.  Here he is pretending to be a famous artist, dressed in a smoking jacket, painters paints, and painting with a real paint brush.  The whole family, including Tom Lyle loved to create funny little scenes, then laugh until tears came to their eyes.  

 1973, Christmas in Palm Springs.  Nana had a

 special gift for my dad and wanted us all there to see

 the expression on his face when he opened it.                   

  A painting of Father of the Bride,with his daughter,

 the Bride.  It actually looked more like a Bride and Groom, everyone said and I don't think my stepmother appreciated it, because soon after that, she and my dad divorced.                                                                     

 Nana and my dad admiring the new focal point of the living room.  My dad loved that picture and kept it hung in a prominent position at the top of the stairs right outside his bedroom and office in the new home he was remodeling down the street.  It would take two years to finish the project, but on Christmas 1975 were once again invited to see the Father of the Bride painting hung in it's new resting place where it hung until 2004.


Still want more story and fun details?  Pick up a copy of The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.  Or order a signed copy from me at http://www.maybellinestory.com/.