Local people are invited to take part in a community-focused exhibition which will launch this Easter at Ryedale Folk Museum.

Project staff are currently seeking contributions from Ryedale residents– but they need to be shared before the end of Sunday, January 15.

“We’ll be telling the stories of weddings in Ryedale and the North York Moors – the places and, most importantly, the people,”said Museum Director, Jennifer Smith.

“We’ve heard from lots of people who married here and have shared memories from their special day, but there’s still a final chance for others to get involved. We’d love the exhibition to truly reflect the lives of those who live here.”

“We’ll be doing our very best to share as many wedding-day photos from the community as we can,” said Jennifer. “We’ve also heard from couples interested in lending wedding attire for the exhibition, including wedding dresses, grooms’ outfits and bridesmaid gowns.”

The exhibition will also showcase items already in the Museum’s fascinating costume collection. “Over the years, people have been keen to share items associated with their weddings, a reflection on the significance of the day in our lives,” added Jennifer. “We already have some brilliant stories. One very pale green dress in the collection was hand-embroidered with an Art-Nouveau style design, most likely by the bride herself.

“Annie Newton had become a housemaid in Glaisdale on the North York Moors when she fourteen, so would have been skilled in needlework. She married in 1919, aged thirty, and the dress was donated to the Museum after her death in 1972 – but not before it had survived life as the lining for a dog bed and a ‘kill or cure’ clean in a washing machine! It’s in amazing condition, all things considered,” adds Jennifer.

The exhibition will be on display for seven months during the 2023 season and the Museum is grateful for support from the North York Moors National Park Authority’s Local Businesses Tourism Contribution fund. It will be the first of a new programme of temporary exhibitions telling the stories of Ryedale and the North York Moors.

“We’d really love the stories we share to speak of the real residents – and the things that matter here, right up to the present day,” said Jennifer. “There are no time restrictions for when the weddings took place – it’s about gathering the experiences of the people of the region, whether it’s an interesting story about someone’s grandparents’ big day, sharing a mother’s saved wedding dress, or if people want to tell us about their own wedding last week,”

Stories and photos can be shared via the Museum’s website until Sunday, January 15. Staff will be in touch with some contributors to find out more information.

Full details can be found: www.ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk/get-involved/