Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-17
THE NILSSON MARRIAGE.
A Picturesque Description of the
Ceremony

The London Daily Telegraph which,
after placing before the reader the inte-
rior OF Westminster Abbey, the aspect of
the crowd, and the entrance of the bri-
dal procession, says: ....
No sooner was the graceful figure of
of Mile Nilsson caught sight of than all
eyes were strained to pierce the jealous
veil that hid her face from the general
gaze. She was dressed, of course, in a
costume of white satin, trimmed with
Brussels lace, with a wreath OF orange
blossoms in her hair. The bride was
leaning on the arm Of her groom, dark,
good-looking young man Of about thirty
years OF age, whose appearance was
scrutinized almost as closely as that of
his lady. The bridesmaids, four in num-
Der, were dressed in very pale green,
trimmed with pink. They wore red roses
in their hair and long wells hanging from
the back of the head. II is no indiscre-
ton to say that the bridesmaids were
Miss Vivian, Miss Cayendish Bentinck,
Mile De Breton, and a grand daughter
of Prince Poniatowski, younger Miss
Bentinck, a mere child, walking with the
ladies in attendance. The ceremony
then began, Dean Stanley reading the
service with such extraordinary distinct
ness and emphasis that his voice, though
not originally powerful, was distinctly
heard throughout the vast edifice. The
18th Psalm, Blessed are they that fear
the Lord admirably chanted, was OBJ
served by all to be especially appropriate
to the occasion; and the scene, which
had lost something of its impressiveness
by the way in which all late.coming
guests were allowed to crowd round the
bridal couple and the officiating clergy
men, gained greatly in effect when all
the persons chiefly concerned moved up
the steps that lead to the chancel, and
there took up their respective positions.
The scene at this moment was indeed
most grand; the sun shining the painted
glass was broken into shades of rainbow
tints on the carved surface of the high
clustered pillars; the sacramental dishes
cleaned on the altar table; the reredos
with its marble statues, its gilded fret
work, and its mosaic pictures, was glori-
Gus in all its architectural details; the
sober, stately vestments of the priests |
the kneeling figure of the bride, the
graceful costumes of the bridesmaids,
and the throng Of well-dressed ladies
who stood on every attainable coign and
vantage grousd, made up a scene that
will live long in the memory of all pres
snt. Even the men, who, in their deter
to see all they could, climbed
IN the rails that separate their choir
rom the transept, added to the effect,
although their action detracted from the
acred nature OF the ceremony. Nor
must we omit to mention how the i'm
,ression was enhanced by the beauty of
marriage chorale, Father of Life,
onfessing Thy majesty and power, by
ir. Turtle, the srganist OF the Abbey
lhich at this point of the ceremony was
hanted in the sanctuary. The service
nded, the bridal party again proceeded
own the nave, of course to the We'd
ing March " of Mendelssohn, and the
udience-Awe beg pardon, the congre-
ation-slowly separated. Not so the
rowd outside, however; for, long as was
lie delay, they waited to see the happy
air drive of, and literally ran after
lem helter-skelter along the pavement
nd in the middle of the road, shouting
leir hoarse applause. And to this ac-
Monsieur and Madame
ouzaud drove off on their new jour
ey. with none but one another to
ease as Dickens says Of Dora and
and with each other to
ease-for life.