Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-08-08
High Priced Brides.

10 'py SApohsiNo th'nS, """ ~
prominent New York caterer of
Fifteenth street to a journalist.
"Of course said the reporter, "the
brides clothes cost great deal, and
perhaps the groom has to pay the
minister large sum, but do the other
expenses amount to much ?"
"The brides outfit is something |
don't know anything about. If
wedding is coming of, the brides
father or mother or uncle or some
body comes to me and says: Il am
going to have wedding and | want
you to furnish for it, 'All right,
! say how many guestsP well,
about 300 to the reception Then |
set to work to calculate what kind OF
a table they want"
"How much per guest" interrupt
ed the reporter, "does it take for
very nice wedding collation. ?"
swell, 1 can set very pretty Ia
bic for $3.50 per head. That will in
clude ices, bouquets, cake, wine, jel'
lies, bonbons, several kinds of salads,
sandwiches, flowers, china, walters and
ALL"
"What else besides the above menu
would people want?'
90, many things. Champagne,
oysters, a spiccd fish which costs $40
more if he is nice fellow; cold
meats, etc. These are all expensive
things, and Of course we have to
charge for them"
ado you include the wedding cake
in the $3.50 estimate ?"
"Not generally. You see it costs
us about 20 cents for each box full
The box costs few cents, the white
satin ribbon that ties it about 8 cents
and the cake about ten cents. Each
box costs the person who orders il
about 80 cents, which multiplied by
800 comes to S105. You can always
tell swell wedding by the cake that;
served to YOU"
"How do you 90 about serving
wedding collation. ?"
81 send my head man to inspect the
dining-room and kitchen. Then the
dishes and silver are sent, the kitchen
being given entirely into the hands o
my men. They set the table, mix the
salads, turn out the ices, etc., ant
just before the guests come l 60 ovel
and sec if everything is going smooth
ly. Some caterers take everything
left over away with them. 1t is baC
thing to do. The family like the re
mains of the feast so much, and it il
really of no use to the caterer, eX
cept for the walters"
As the reporter left the caterers hi
encountered johnson. johnson is ;
young and rather good looking man
He takes charge of the carriages ant
the admittance of the guests at every
fashionable affair. He is to be seer
standing under the awning of thu
mansion ut which the ball or weddin,
is occurring, and calls the numbers o
the carriages, helps the ladies out
keeps rogues away, and knows every
body.
"Why," said young lady to thu
journalist, "there is never the leas
danger of any one but those we de
sire getting into a house as long a.
johnson is around. You can trust
him entirely. And every one is sure
to get their own carriage, too. He j:
worth his 500 or 5000 night, and
beside, he often has men to assist him.
Flowers" said florist to a re-
porter, "cost money. But there arc
several ways of decorating house
| can make pretty decorations for 81
or 500, and | can make decoration:
for $500. From 800 to 5000 is the
general layout, however. That will
include the church, also. You sec
we place the palms, ferns and grow
ing plants about the chancel, but We
take them all back again. But q
wedding bell, a horn of plenty, ant
baskets of flowers, cost the money"
"What are the other expenses o.
weddings besides the flowers and the
supper" he was asked.
"There are the carriages at 50 and
So apiece. The brides family order
about four besides their own; the
awnings ut the house and church, a,
So apiece, and about s25 to the sex
ton and so for the Use of the church
and then there are the Invitations
big bill in themselves. People send
cards to hundreds they do not invite
Take, for instance, Mrs. Vanderbilts
ball. She invited 200. For invi
tations, directing and delivery, it cost
her over 5000. Now let us figure up
For the breakfast-S1. 80 a head for
800 people, $3.50; flowers, 5000; wed.
ding cake, s105; awnings, $50; John
son, 800; carriages, SO; clothes,
$500; in all, s1,195. think I'll
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