From 1967 to 2018...Nick and Kathy Moore have been Ambassador Hotel VIP's for 51 years. Last weekend we had the honor of helping them celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary. Current hotel management was first introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Moore in 2015. They visited us and brought along a photo from their wedding reception, which was held at the Ambassador Hotel on April 8, 1967. They allowed us to recreate the photo that they brought in, which was taken on the steps in the hotel's lobby. Additionally, they agreed to come in for lunch that following week and brought additional photos and receipts from their wedding. They allowed us to scan them and save them in our "photo memories archive". Some of the photos they shared are on display on our history wall, located in the hotel's main entrance.
Fast forward to 2018 and we were fortunate enough to have another visit with them! They stayed with us over the weekend in a King Whirlpool suite and arrived to champagne and chocolate covered strawberries to toast to 51 years together. They allowed us to recreate the photo again and also were kind enough to answer some interview questions for this blog post. We thought it would be fun to take a walk down memory lane and share what a wedding reception at the Ambassador Hotel was like in 1967!
AH: Where did your wedding ceremony take place?
Mr. Moore: St. Mary's Church in Elm Grove
AH: How many guests were in attendance at your wedding reception?
Mr. Moore: Approximately 125 people
AH: We see from the receipts that you shared that your reception included a buffet. Do you remember some of the menu items that were included in your reception buffet?
Mr. Moore: Ham, roast beef, house salad, potato salad and mixed vegetables
AH: What flavor was your wedding cake:
Mr. Moore: A three tier white and chocolate cake with buttercream frosting and peach flowers
AH: Did you have a band? If so, what was the name of it? What type of music did they play?
Mr. Moore: "The Ray Richards Band", they played mostly a mixture of the 1940's, 1950's and some 1960's.
AH: What was Mrs. Moore's wedding dress like and what was the wedding color scheme?
Mr. Moore: Kathy wore a white wedding dress with a coat train, I wore a black tuxedo with an orchid boutonniere and the brides maids carried Shasta Daisys
AH: Did you stay at the hotel the night of your wedding?
Mr. Moore: No, but the manager of the hotel presented us with a key to a room
AH: Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Mr. Moore: St. Augustine, Florida
AH: Do you have any specific memories from the reception or the hotel that stand out when you reminisce?
Mr. Moore: A memory was that the Ambassador was a beautiful place to be on that special day. The second was as I mentioned above that my father introduced us to the hotel manager and he presented us with a key to a room and said that we could use it as needed. The Ambassador hospitality has not changed in all these years...
In 1967 the room that is now "The Fitz" Restaurant was called "The Silver Room". You can see the sign above Mr. and Mrs. Moore in one of the photos. You may notice that those same signs have been restored and are in use today! Also, take notice of the marble floors, the decorative woodwork and the light fixtures in the photos below. You will notice that they have also been restored and can still be found on the hotel's lobby level. In one of the photos you can see the "Hyatt Lodge" through the doorway that Mr. and Mrs. Moore are standing in. Today we know it as "The Ambassador Inn at Marquette". Don't forget to notice that their entire wedding reception bill was $398.05 for 125 people and the room rental was only $50.00!
Once again, we would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to Nick and Kathy Moore for sharing with us. You have become extended members of the Ambassador Family and we hope to help you celebrate many more anniversaries to come!