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For years Ralph Archbold, living as Ben Franklin, has been making a splash around Philly. Wearing his costume to the grocery store, providing amply ample quotes to the press when pressed, and generally being a real character and not just a character. Well, he met his match, another re-enactor, natch and proposed to Linda Wilde who dresses as Betsey Ross and planned a humdinger of a Fourth of July Wedding (perhaps with the help of local tourism officials.)
The almost past-the-age-of-blushing couple was married in a ceremony performed by the Mayor of Philadelphia, the truly honorable Michael Nutter. Traditional music was provided by the Philly Pops. The ceremony took place on Chestnut Street in front of Independence Hall and directly across the street from the Liberty Bell. Mayor Michael Nutter added gravitas and dignity to, well, a sorta wacky coupe for one of the two competing Ben Franklins in the City of Brotherly Love.
The wedding party, was colorful and attractive. Many wore Colonial attire. A favorite color of all including the bride was a delightfully appropriate indigo based colonial blue and dusty blue gray, solid or in calico or in brocade prints for the ladies. The wedding party which followed the bride and groom down Chestnut Street afterwards included a guide dog and several small girls in colonial aprons and caps and a QUEEN! Philadelphia Jeweler to the stars, Henri David, owner of Halloween, host of Philadelphia’s longest running Halloween party, was in the wedding party! Henri, a pal of John Waters, and another shaven-hunk-of-a-certain-age were flanking a silver coiffed dame with good bones. Her broad padded skirts in a conservative blue floral print set off her contrasting bodice and stays nicely. She looked like old money and those three were the best looking trio in the bunch.
The Bride and Groom rode in a horse drawn white wrought iron faux pumpkin to the reception at City Tavern. City Tavern, is a bicentennial era historically accurate (except for the addition of ample indoor plumbing) resurrection of a colonial era tavern named City Tavern. Like the life of Mr Archbold, the best of both eras. The honeymoon night was said to be spent at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia.
The huge crowd, most of which had limited site lines, and many of whom were tailgating for the Philly Pops, joked they’d see photos in the next days papers. The weather was quite warm, but the humidity was low and it was breezy. It was perfect weather to stand outside at twilight, wave a flag and go hit a city tavern in celebration.
If you read the article below from the AP, it’s unclear if the new Mrs Franklin ever really worked Old City wearing a thimble and mob cap, or just hired Ralph for an event and fell for him…. hmmmm. Who cares, good luck you crazy kids!
Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross actors wed in Philly
By RON TODT | AP | July, 3, 2008
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross celebrated the eve of the Fourth of July not with fireworks but with wedding vows.
Ralph Archbold and Linda Wilde, who portray the historical figures, tied the knot Thursday evening in a public ceremony in front of Independence Hall, where the real Franklin helped draft the nation’s founding documents.
The bride and groom, as well as the entire wedding party, were in costume for the event.
“Ralph and Linda, the entire city could not be happier for you,” said Mayor Michael Nutter, who performed the brief ceremony.
After exchanging vows, Archbold and Wilde were given a standing ovation by the crowd of several thousand as the Philly Pops played the wedding march.
The couple boarded a horse-drawn coach for the trip to a private reception at the historic City Tavern, where Franklin dined along with such notables as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
The 66-year-old Archbold, who has portrayed Franklin since 1973, and Wilde, 50, met Sept. 1 after she hired him for a friend’s wedding toast. The couple discovered a mutual love of history and education, and they announced their engagement this spring.
Patty Duffy, 37, said she came to watch the ceremony because she remembers seeing Archbold playing Franklin when she was a little girl.
“My grandmother used to bring me down here all the time. I had to come and see him get married,” said Duffy, who was accompanied by her boyfriend, Marty, and four children.
Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, is credited in many history books with stitching the first American flag. But historians cite a lack of proof, and some believe that the flag may actually have been designed by Francis Hopkinson, a member of the Continental Congress from New Jersey.
A real wedding between the historical figures would have been quite a May-December affair, given the 45-year age difference (Franklin was born on Jan. 17, 1706 — coincidentally, also Archbold’s birthday — while Ross was born on New Year’s Day 1752). Both lived to the age of 84.
