New-York tribune., 1884-11-16
THE COST OF A WEDDING.
BIG BILLS THAT ARE CHEERFULLY PAID.

The expense Of n fashionable welding may %
lkened to matrImony itself IN that nothing 10
known ~ n save by experience. At least snch ~
the verdict Of the father II family who has
launched his daughters like 40 many eaylv decked
and graceful Yachts ~ the sea ~ maffled lie. A
tRiptSr reporter hoe been investigating the cost
~ fashionable weddings and che appfss Imsts
raafes are eivea below The estimates sfe fef ss
avefase fIfh-sve, church wedding, where isfas
eaa,psnv Ia invited le tho ehafeh and subsequently,
entertained AZ tha hame ~ he bride al lhe apraint
mens bens oR liberal bat not hsifaVsgsnt scale,
Weddings may ba arranged a. cost ANY sum, bat
fashionable wedding with everything of satlsiao-
tory quality can hardly be had At less expense than
tho estimate below without the economy being al's
parent. There is, Ia be sure absolute necessity
for orincurrng of the items of expense aud some
of them might bs cut down. Nevertheless people
OF means would be ready tn pay for all the expenses
enumerated aud many fathers would be glad to get
off so cheapy. The estimate is for church wed'
ding with six bridesmaids and six nshers, re-
ception and collation. with wine for 800 people
floral decorations etc. The total cost Is calculated
to be little over S5 900 for the brides father and
81 900 additional for the brIdegroom's clothing.
brief bridal trip. etc. leaving out his present of
diamonds, etc, to the bride. Though thi estimate
is often exceeded the vast majority Of people man.
age to get married foR much less money.
Many of the items in the ex.
pense Of wedding depend entirely
on ones lberality. For instance. the rector
of fashionable church receives variety Of sums
in marriage fees, but he expects rs much as $50
from rich people, at a church wedding especially.
Yet 1t is not always the richest people that pay the
most. The fees from $40 to $50 sometimes
reaching $780, but rarely that The bride.
groom is expected to pay this, and gives the money
to his best for that purpose. Different churchee
charge different amounts for the of the build.
ing for weddings. Sometimes half goes to the
church and half to the sexton. In other cases the
whole fee is a perqusite of TIL, sexton, gas ETC.,
being paid for by him or by the persons hiring the
use OF the church. When chimes are rung an
additional charge is made of 50 or $40. The man
who calls carriages, unless engaged with the
collation., is an extra expense and costs from $J to
80 more according to the size of the wedding,
the time he works, and the number of assistants he
has Mr. Johnson. the well-known successor Of
Brown, Of Grace Church. has the happy faculty Of
remembering the faces and the carriages, drivers
and footmen of almost all the fashionable people Ia
New-York At least ten carriages are needed to
collect bridesmaids and convey them, the ushers.
bride and groom. minister and members of the
family to and from the church. In the city guests
arc expected to provide carriages for Themselves
But in the case of wedding in the suburbs the
brides family must supply hacks to take people to
ard from the railroad station and the church OF
house.
Canopes ARE occasionally dispensed with In
pleasant weather, but then they protect
guests from the gaze of bystanders and 50
are necessary to well-apponted wedding
Ii is well To have the carpe,s Of the paros aud
freshment room covered with crash. and the stepa
outside should be carpeed to protect ladies in slip
pers or thin-soled shoes from the cold Camp chars
must be hired for seating people. They take up
ltttlc room and are easily moved. The cost of re-
frrshmcns depends entirely ulon the quality ofthe
viands the extent of the bill of fare, The time oi
year price of delcacies etc. Most of the lelicacies
of the season. hot aud cold, will be served IN the
hest STYLE for ~ : head and from thas
5hlei ulsir pIgs pweheon % t%abs % tasiernliy accoratei
Is usually act in the dnng-ro'm aud the viands
distributed by the waters. ihe guests at about
on scamp chairs or stand " thev cannot get seat
lIaht, "a sit down to regular dinner az their wet.
dings Champagne "a usually an extra charge,
thnnrh the estimate for the collation. occasionally
includes wine. hn weighing invitations belii
/ 900 ia number, there viii usuailv not leo oyei
900 guests tpnainina ~ the irgrptoV biteh, fot
enul fpasnns. the reception "a limitni 10 trW ~
Tho nplipai relatives auh intimate itinhla whe
alone trppiNe parlR ilui whafp pAtrin4 Lac
iafan company Ia entertained AZ tho hnusn " u
hkuV tn oanaa hlsaitisfauting II al utiird tp The
church dn hui also have yards iut tho hn aa hit
prors uf music Aip not tnn many Though
a
weddings hhN' 40 many a. i"n 1i i"rh'N lnn'ss
\ piano, violin, eofnet Hate and hasa Ninl aie do
,irthie iinIa decorations may ba ot any degree
of cost liness, For fluo one can have The ohufeh
chanoel sat win paimh ahd eNois,u'hs ahd me
rarnrs aud haliwaNs decorated Win plants, the
mantel, banked with Toscs q ding bell hung
over the bride aud groom and Orii devices aud
,niaX to decorate doorWays, WtudoWs, etc. Iha
h"nouets for the bride AMI bridesmaids are usii-
ally purchased by the bridegroom aud cost from
500 TO SlOO, or more according u the price OF
roses. Wedding invitations cost SIP Tor the irst
100 and % for every additional hundred from tho
engraved plate. They are generally delivered by
special messengers
1t is a common custom to get detective from
the Central Ollce to watch the presents wren they
are DISPLAYED Certain officers arc always detailed
for such work. A policeman to keep order on tho
sidewalk is anoiher necessity. tAtra servants 10
attend To the door, wash dishes, etc, are supplied
Inv the caterer But several extra servants arc
usually needed to look after the comfort of guests
N the dressing rooms and wait on the family at
church and at the house iiairdressers are kept
busy on some days gong from hoasc to house at
tending 10 the cOiures of brides.
The lar geSt item. of coarse Is the brides trous-
Seau As many yonng LADIES are not content with
less than dozen Dire ,ses. costing from go 10 $500
apiece, II is best 10 put generous estimate on
this expense Indeed there Is no limit 10 except the
parent purse for trousseau> sometimes cost tens OF
thousands of dollars. The birdie in gives
the bridesmaids their dresses th2uGh ihey yeheral-
lv bus them for themselves. Beng usually COM
posed of suIah nuns yelling or other compara-
tlvely inexpensive material, they do not usually
.ost over r5O 10 $loU each. ! lie bill for bridal
toiet of white satin embroidered in pearls or bro
cadc velvet with point lace not nireqdently reaches
$500. -.
Itisnot always the ease that the bridegroom gives
dnner 70 his ushers and best man, bat they usually
give him a dinner II he Is man of wealth.. now.
ever the dinner for the young men - customary
and so are gifts of scarl-plns or cuii buttons for
.ouvenirs The sum of 300 is moderate for shore
LrrJai trip while ii the air bride longs 20 the
Rhine. the Alps. or the Nile the sum must be multi
piled many fold.
il viii easily be seen why it is that some people
are well off and yet too poor 80 marry, why many
vounr men remain bachelors and many fathers
are only sustained IN the trying nour ot weddings
by the though, That the outlay VIII not have 10 DO
met again.
EXPENSES OF A CHURCH wEDDING AND RECEPTION.
Use OF church ID
- XfOn anu Assistants
C.rr.0e suD, rint ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 10
~
Ten carriages ~