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A ‘Woodstock' Wedding: It happened 50 years ago

Ruth Brustman - Contributing Writer
Posted 7/19/19

Ruth Hubert and Paul Brustman picked August 16, 1969 as their wedding date. Little did they know what an historic wedding they would have. Here is the story of the couple's unforgettable wedding day …

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A ‘Woodstock' Wedding: It happened 50 years ago

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Ruth Hubert and Paul Brustman picked August 16, 1969 as their wedding date. Little did they know what an historic wedding they would have. Here is the story of the couple's unforgettable wedding day 50 years ago. For more great stories about the Woodstock Anniversary, please see our special section in this issue.

Everyone wishes their wedding day to be a very memorable one, and I truly say, my family and friends, will never forget that special day 50 years ago on August 16, 1969.

Unknown to my family and many locals, we couldn't imagine that the Woodstock Festival in Bethel, would draw over 400,000 people from all over the world.

The morning began when the bridal party traveled to Liberty to the beauty parlor. Needless to say we were late, as it took us 1/2 hour to get out to Jeffersonville. Traffic being so heavy and moving oh so slowly, you would have thought you were in rush hour in New York City.

Our photographer never made it to my parents home in Hankins, coming from South Fallsburg. Guests coming from Long Island and New Jersey never made it to the church - St. Josephs Seminary in Callicoon - and some were even late for the reception, which was held at the Holiday Inn in Liberty.

The Church service was very beautiful, going off without a hitch. Things seemed to be a little more normal, until we traveled to the reception. In Jeffersonville the roads were blocked, so all had to travel to Roscoe, head down the Quickway to arrive at the reception hall to party. Upon arrival we had another surprise. We were greeted by a view one could never imagine or believe. Woodstock goers were full of mud, topless and who knows what else. My father just shook his head and was speechless. Many of the celebrities and singers were staying at the Inn, and the food supply was scarce. Our dinner was to be prime rib, which ended up being roast beef, vegetables were string beans, which turned to dried up peas, and what was left of the wedding cake, was eaten by the Woodstock goers.

When we left for a trip to Maine, every place we stopped there was conversations of love, peace, rain and mud.

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