The museum is collecting noteworthy wedding announcments, photos, and marriage licenses. If you have such momentos please contact the museum!

 

WHEN THE VILLAGE OF FERNDALE WAS FORMED:
We looked for wedding announcments in the Royal Oak Tribune for several months near April 1918 when Ferndale was declared a village. Unfortuneately we found very few weddings, and even fewer with Ferndale connections. This was very likely due to WWI during that period.

 

 

 

 

 

WHEN THE CITY OF FERNDALE WAS FORMED:
We looked for wedding announcments in the Royal Oak Tribune and the Ferndale Gazette for weeks around the founding of the City in April 1927. We found several weddings, but few with direct Ferndale connections. We offer our findings below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHEN MARRIAGE LAWS WERE MODERNIZED:
On Saturday March 22, 2024, Michigan issued its first marriage license for same-sex couples less than 24 hours after the state's ban on gay marriage was scratched from the constitution by the courts. More than 500 people obtained marriage licenses and some exchanged wedding vows at the Oakland County Courthouse that day.

After couples recievd their marriage license, many headed to Ferndale. Mayor Dave Coulter presided over same-sew marriages from 10AM to 1 PM that day at the Affirmations Community Center. He was quoted in local media; " I've had a number of people who have been waiting many, many years to do this and they want to do this just as soon as possible. Normally, I wouldn't be doing marriages on a saturday but in respect of their long-time commitments and their eager desire to do this, I'll be available to marry any Michigan residents."

PrideSource offers a good recap of that historic day HERE.

 

SEE ALSO: People of Ferndale