The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-14
bridal Bills.

For quiet wedding at home there are,
first, the invitations, which involve, as a
rule, two card-platcs and notc-shcct
printed on the finest of heavy white paper.
NJ Monograms and special designs have bc, Il
nearly discarded, and the fashionable text
is plain, simple, legiblc script, beautifully
engraved The cost depends upon ill.,,
number Of letters, but, on the ave rage, fol
100 invitations, the cost will be 500 will,
an additional So for each additional 100,
unless the order exceeds 500, when a
moderate discount is given. For 500
guests the slationer sends IN his bill "
from $40 to $50. The rage at present
seems to be for floral decorations; and
although nature scatters her blossoms and
verdure with a generous hand and never
sends in bill, the tlc 'Ist is by no means
so liberal. A plain unostcnatious display
of smilax and flowers may be procured for
| fifty dollars, and that is about the lowest
figure for which a fashionable florist would
think Of sending his bill. Exotics, oriental
palms, and ferns ore not included in such
decoration; nor arc bridal bells, and
hearts, and canopics, beneath which the
happy pair receive the congratulations of
Their friends. Single pieces of their de-
scrlption--and very ungraccful ones at
That though woven of rare exOtics-often
cost from $40 to $3.50 and where a number
are required, the bill soon craws up to
good sized figure. Good taste and fertility
or suggestion can, however, accomplish
wonderful results with 800, particularly
where elegance is preferred to dumb show
of magnificent profnslon.
Then comes the collation-say for 100
guests-scrvcd quietly in the dining loom.
1t IS a moot point whether it pays to en-
ploy caterer and commit the whole item
OF collation., wines, and attendance to his
hands, or to undertake the work ones self,
with the training of servants, and the
illimitablc probabilities of broken porcelain
and mislaid silver. Those who lave had
most experience in wedding and dinner
parties aver, as rule, that it costs les
II oncY and gives better satisfaction, indie
pendent of personal trouble ai,d the vcx-
alton arsing from the bunders of hired
attendants, to take the former coarse. For
simple collation. for 100 guests, about the
lowest figures given by caterers are - per
capita, and from that TO $l2, which was
regarded as embracing all the requirements
that could possibly be asked.
For wedding breakfast, served IN a
very quiet way, 81. 90 per capita represents
the lowest limit of caterers prices and
this is probably less tilan it would cost the
brides father to buy the materials and
make provision for their preparation and
service. 1t is not unusual this winter
however; on very quiet occasions, to be
content with service of cake and wine
only. Wedding cake for one hundred per-
sons, done up in pretty boxes stamped
with moncgrams, is furnished at from $50
TO 500, according to the style of the box
for one OF these dainty little triIes. with
painting by hand on the lid, all s;uin and
gliding, may be rendered as expensive as n
casket of gold, or, in tho extreme of SIM
pliclty, furnished for next to noting.
or course, after all, the main item Of
expense is tho bridal trousscau. The attire
for the ceremony, the white satin, brocadcd
or not, with bridal veil, orange blossoms,
and toilet accessories, may-cxclusivc of
laccs and jcwcls-bc procured for 5000.
In fact, one can readily spond from 81 900
upwards in order TO give one daughter in
marriage in harmony with the ritual OF
top society.