Dot and Charles Heidingsfelder, both lifelong New Orleanians, met while they were in high school. Dot went to Sacred Heart and college at Barat in Lake Forrest Illinois. Charlie attended Jesuit High School and then Loyola University and dental school. They dated for eight years, then when Charles was going into the Air Force he asked Dot if she would marry him and go with him to be stationed in Wichita, Kansas. She decided to go to graduate school for a year and then get married! They went to Adler’s to pick out the ring and the wedding plans began with her mom, Mrs. Ellis Henican, at the helm.
They were married at 11 a.m. at the Most Holy Name of Jesus Church on St. Charles Avenue with the reception at Mr. and Mrs. Claiborne Perrilliat’s home on Octavia Street. Dot chose a gown of pale ivory satin and Alençon lace, and featured a long veil of rose point lace over illusion. Her bouquet was made of white butterfly roses with Stephanotis and lilies of the valley.
Her bridesmaids’ gowns had bodices of green velveteen with a matching panel cascading down the back of the candlelight brocade long skirts. They carried wreaths of ivory sweetheart roses and ivy with a single glamelia.
After the reception, they were off to New York City for their honeymoon complete with Broadway shows, dinners at special restaurants and sightseeing. After Captain Doctor Charles Heidingsfelder finished his time with the Air Force in Wichita, they moved back to New Orleans, where Charles opened his dental practice and became to all of us “Dr. Charlie!”
