Mod came to the Midwest Nov. 20th as two young Detroiters were united in the bonds of holy matrimony in the nation’s first mod wedding ceremony.
A capacity crowd of Teeny-boppers in miniskirts and bell-bottom trousers jammed the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum to watch Randy Rossi, 19, a go-go girl and Gary Norris, 25, a free-lance artist, take their traditional vows. However, that was about the only link with tradition in this free – wheeling improvisional ceremony.
Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground joined together to take the role that centuries of tradition have assigned to the father of the bride…giving the bride away.
Warhol and his entourage presented the bride and groom with a mod wedding gift: a Five Foot Inflated Baby Ruth Candy Bar, a Warhol pop-art original.
The bride, in a thigh-high mini-wedding gown which reached eight (8) inches above her knee, wore matching white satin boots which ended seven (7) inches above her knee. Truly the height of modesty. The groom was attired in the latest in high-mod attire.
The mod couple walked down the aisle of the Coliseum to the accompaniment of the throbbing pulsative improvised musical sounds of the Velvet Underground, the light and glare of television cameras and the popping of flashbulbs. As they reached the stage, vocalist Nico briefly sang two numbers in keeping with the spirit of the ceremony. The Velvet Underground then began to play a psychedelic musical arrangement to which Geran Malanga, the super-star improvised a dance. The wedding ceremony was then performed by Municipal Judge, David L. Golden of Highland Park, Michigan
Throughout the ceremony, Film-Maker Warhol’s movie camera was recording the event for presentation to the bride and groom. Warhol will also give the couple a screen-test for Underground Movies during their honeymoon in New York.