Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-07-05
HIGH PRICED BRIDES.
What IL Costs TO Have the Nup-
Iial Knot Tied in High
Lille.
New York Journal.

II New York Journal.
"a New York fashionable wedding
is very expensive thing, said prom
inent New York caterer of Fifteenth
street to a journalier.
"0f course, said the reporter, "the
brides clothes cost a great deal, and
perhaps the groom has to pay the min
lister large sum, but do the other ex.
penses amount to much"
THE brde's outfit is something |
don't know anything about. If a
wedding is coming off, the brides
father or mother comes to me and
says: 1 am going to have a wedding,
and | want you to furnish for it. All
right, / say; how many guests2' We'll,
about 800 to the reception Then l
set to work to calculate what kind Of
a table they want"
How much per guest" interrupted
the reporter, docs it take for nice
wedding collation."
"Well, can set a pretty nice table
for $3.50 per head. That will include
ices. bouillon, cake, wine, jellieS, bon
bons, several kinds of salads, sand
witches, flowers, china, walters and
ALL"
What else beside the alb ve menu
would people want?"
"0h, many things. Champagne,
oysters, spiced fish which costs SO
more, if he is nice felloW-cold
meats, etc. These are all expensive
things, and of course we have to
charge them"
DO you include the wedding cake
in the $3.50 estimate?"
mot generally. You see it costs
US about twenty cents for each box
full. The box costs few cents, the
white satin ribbon that ties it about
eight cents, and the cake about ten
cents. Each box costs the person
who orders it about thirty-fve cents,
which just multiplied by 300 cents
I comes TO $l05. You can always tell
swell wedding by the cake that is
served to you"
How do you 90 about serving a
wedding collation."
81 send my head man to inspect the
diningroom and kitchen. Then the
dishes and silver are sent, the kitchen
being given entirely into the hands of
my men. They set the table, mix the
salads, turn out the ices, etc., and just
before the guests come 90 over and
see if everything is going smoothly.
Some caterers take everything left
over away with them. 1t is a bad thing
to do. The family like remains of the
feast so much, and it is really of 40 use
to the caterer, except for the walters"
As the reporter left the caterers he
encountered johnson. johnson is
young and rather good looking man.
He takes charge oil the carriages, and
the admittance of guests at every fash>
ionable affair. He is to be seen stand
ing under the awning Of the mansion
at which the ball or wedding is occur
ring, and calls the number of the
carriages, helps ladies out, keeps
rogles away, and knows everybody.
| why" said young lady to a jour>
Mailer, there IS never the least dan
ger of any one but those we desire get
ting into house as long as johnson is
around. You can trust him entirely.
And every one is sure to get their own
carriage, too. He is worth his 800 or
5000 night, and besides be often has
men to assist him"
Flowers" said a florist to the re
porter, cost money. But there are
several ways of decorating house. |
can make pretty decorations for SIS
Or 500, and l can make decorations
for $780, From 500 to $500 is the
general layout, however. That will
include the church also. You see we
place the palms, ferns and growing
plants about the chancel, but we take
them all back agsin. But wedding
bell, horn Of plenty aud baskets Of
flowers cost the money.
j IVY hat are the other expenses of
weddings besides flowers and the sup,
peri" he asked.
"There are the carriages at 50 to s.
apiece. The brides family order about
four besides their own; and there are
the awnings at the house and church,
at SIS apiece, and about $25 to the sex
Ton and $40 for the use Of the church,
and then there are the invitations--a
big bill in themselves. People send
cards to hundreds they do not invite.
Take for instance Mrs. Vanderbilt's
ball. She invited 1900 people. For
invitations, directing add delivery, it
cost her over 5000. Now, let us figure
up. For the breakfast-$l so head
tQr 300 people, $3.50; flowers, 5000;
wedding cake, $l05; awnings, $50;
johnson, 500; oaTrisges, $40; clothes,
5000; in all 81 ,095. | think III Just
got n;srried and go without the we'd
ding"