Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-07-20
Dutch Marriages.

The proverbial slip 'twixt cup and lip
is not unknown in Holland as elsewhere;
nevertheless, this system of making
formal engaged calls certainly does tend
to prevent rupture upon slight
grounds ; for it is matter of no small
embarrassment to call upon the same
people second time and tremendously
introduce sweetheart number two II
is held to be part of a lovers duties to
accompany his mistress to parties and
balls, and also his right and pleasure to
take her to theatres and concerts I'M
accompanied by chaperon but he is
seldom asked to pay n visit in the same
house with her for more than a day.
Lovers always choose the house and buy
the furniture together during the court
ship. When the time comes they two
go together alone to the town-hall for
the "aanteekening" or betrothal. This
is merely public notice of the inten.
ton to marry, and is given in writing
The notice is then put into kind Of
box, protected by brass wire, and placed
for some time in conspicuous part of
the hall. Bans are also published in
church, A runaway match is held to
be thoroughly disgraceful, is accomplish
ed with difficulty, and seldom attempted.
Friends now, in place of wedding cnrds,
receive by post a Autographed document
announcing the aanteekening. On the
first Sunday afternoon subsequent to
this the Druid and bruidgom, who are
thus called in the interval between the
aanteekening and the wedding-day, hold
a grand reception in the drawing-room
of the father of the Druid. A sofa,
sometimes gayly decorated with flowers
and evergreens, being occupied by the
two; the bruid's relations range them
selves at his right hand, the bruidgom's
at hers. The Druid wears her wedding
dress, veil, and orange wreath on this
occasion, and the company generally are
in gala costume. Visitors then, when
announced, march up between the two
opposite lines of relations, and make
pretty speeches to the happy pair, and,
after having intrusted themselves for
short time to the care of the bruids-
meisies, who dressed for the occasion,
show the presents, placed upon a table
at the other end of the room, and offer
hippocras and sweets called "bruids-
suikers, and cake, make a rapid de-
parture, and are succeeded by others.
The wedding commonly takes place on
the Thursday week after reception Sun
day, and during the interval balls and
parties are given in honor of the young
couple. On the appointed day of the
wedding-party Druid and bruidgom, 60
ing alone in the first carriage, make first
for the town-hall. The burgomaster
marries them, makes little speech, and
receives their signatures to all this
there must be four witnesses. Then to
church in the same order. The party
having assembled in sort Of eystry, the
bruidgom gives his right arm to the
Druid, and leads the way to the chancel
I reserved nowadays for marriages only }
or to the body of the church in front of
the pulpit. Here the pair seat them
selves upon central sofa, and relations
range themselves as at the aNnteekening
reception. The ceremony is simple, the
couple being already married. After q
hymn has been sung they merely have to
acknowledge the fact of marriage in
answer to the clergyman, and having
advanced to two kneeling-chairs ready
placed few steps in front, receive a
blessing from him and short exhorta-
ton. No ring is used, but one is some
times worn subsequently. The new
husband then gives his left arm to his
wife and leads the way home again.
The wedding breakfast is a small affair,
attended by very near relations only,
and the happy pair sslip off without
adieux as soon as possible. The we'd
ding dress is never worn again in its
original state.