goq: It was common in Europe (and here in the USA at the turn of the 19th – 20th Century) for chasunahs to take place on Erev Shabbos.
Lightbrite: Please remember that the Kitzur was writing based on the times when there were no artificial lighting and it was completely dark.
What has been written about the Kushner’s is based on a comment by someone in EY (not a member of the family) and while it is being widely reported we don’t know if it is true. So there is a whole lot of speculation.