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Monday, April 18, 2016

Szechenyi-Hadik nuptials in Washington




April 18, 1931


Countess Alice Szechenyi and Count Bela Hadik were married this afternoon at St. Matthew's Church in Washington, D.C., reports the New York Times.

Alice is the daughter of daughter of Count Laszlo Szechenyi, the  Hungarian Minister to the United States, and Countess Szechenyi, the former Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, the youngest child of Cornelius Vanderbilt II and Alice Claypoole Gwynne.    The groom is the count of Count John Hadik, a member of the Hungarian parliament's upper house, and his wife, Alexandra, a Countess Zichy by birth.

More than 1,000 guests, including "members of official, diplomatic, and resident social circles," were present for the Roman Catholic wedding, which included the reading of a cable message from the Pope "as a pledge of heavenly favor."  The Pope gave the couple his apostolic blessing.

The reception was held at the Hungarian Legation.

The bride was attended by her sister, Countess Cornelia Szechenyi,, who was the maid of honor,  Countess Margaret Hadik, Princess Elizabeth Cantacuzene, Miss Dora White, and Miss Edith Eustis.  The flower girls were Countess Sylvia and Fernandine Szechenyi, the younger sisters of the bride.

Countess Alice was escorted down the aisle by her father.  She was dressed in a "gown of white satin, made with long sleeves, round neck, and lace flounce."  The long train was also satin and "embroidered in silver and silk.  Her veil was made from old lace.  The veil and gown were also worn by her mother when she married Count Laszlo in 1908.

The bridegroom and his best man, Count Stephen Szecheny, wore "Hungarian court costumes of their respective ranks."   Count Bela's coat was braided and bordered with fur.

All of the bride's attendants wore "long, pale green chiffon dresses, made with capes and green straw hats with bands of green ribbon, and carried Spring flowers.

Countess Szechenyi wore a mauve georgette gown with white chiffon and "lace collar and cuffs.  Her mauve straw hat was adorned with an ostrich feather.

The bride and groom received messages of congratulations from Count Stephen Bethlen, Hungary's Prime Minister, Regent Horthy, Archduke Friedrich and Archduchess Isabella of Austria, and Nicholas Roosevelt, who is the American minister to Hungary.

The newlyweds will sail to Europe in early May and will make their home at Seregelyes, the Hadik family estate, south of Budapest.

Countess Hadik, the groom's mother, sent the bride a diamond necklace with matching earrings that once belonged to Empress Maria Theresia of Austria.   Count Hadik's gift was a porcelain dinner set for 24 persons made in Herend, Hungary.  The bride's father gave her diamond and emerald earrings and a bracelet, as well as a touring car.  Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, who was unable to attend the wedding, sent a "single strand necklace of matched pearls, with a pendant of rubies, emeralds, and diamonds."

Mrs. Whitney is Countess Szechenyi's older sister, the former Gertrude Vanderbilt.  The bride's grandmother, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, came from New York, to attend the wedding.   Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cushman also attended.  Mrs. Cushman, is the former Cathleen Vanderbilt, one of the bride's first cousins, and the elder daughter of the late Reginald Vanderbilt.



http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/04/countess-alice-szecheny-marries-in.html



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