The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-05-07
Weddinn Etinuatta.

.
motely founded on the early savage
history of mankind, and which
bears fruit in our later and more
complex civilization. In early and
savage days the man sought his
bride heroically, and carried her
off by force. 1t is still theory
that the bride is thus carried off.
Thus the long cherished theory
bears fruit in tue English ceremo-
NAL where the only carriage fur
nished by the groom is the one In
which he drives the bride away to
the spending of the honeymoon.
Uu TO that time he has no right OF
proprietorship. Even this is not
allowed in America among the fash
ionable people, the brides father
sending them in his own carriage
on the first stage of their journey.
1t is not etiquette fer the groom to
furnish anything for his own we'd
ding but a ring and bouquet for
the bride, presents for the brides
maids and the Lest man, and some
token to the ushers. He pays the
clergyman.
He should not pay for the cards,
the carriages, the entertainments,
or anything connected with the
wed ding. This is decided in the
high court of etiquette. This is
the province of the family of the
bride, and should be insisted upon.
At the altar the groom, if he is a
millionaire, makes his wife his
equal by saying: with all my
, worldly goods thee endow," but
until he has uttered these words
she has no claim on his purse for
, clothes or cards or household fur
nishings, or anything but those ar
ticles that come under the head of
r such gifts as it is lovers privilege
: to make.
A very precise old time aristo-
crat of New York broke his daugh-
J ter's engagement to a gentleman
: because he brought her a dress
= from Paris. She said if he did not
I, know enough not to give her
daughter clothes while she was un-
der her roof, he should not have
her.
This is a remark which applies
at once to that liberty permitted to
engaged couples in rural neighbor-
. | hoods, where the young gill is al
lowed to go on a journey at her low
.er's expense. A girls natural pro
tectors should know better than
this. They know that her purity
is her chief attraction to man, and
that a certain coyHess and virginia.
e freshness are the dowrv she should
bring her future husband. Sup
d pose that this engagement is bro
ken of. How will she be accepted
by another lover after having en-
Logged the hospitality of the first?
, Would it not make q dIsagreeable
feeling between the two men, al
though No. might have perfect
respect for the girl?
: 1t is the privilege of the bride to
r name the wedding day, and her ia
ther and mother to pay for her
trosseau. After the wedding in
vitations are issued she does not
appear in public.
The members of the brides fam.
| ily go to the church before the
bride. The bridegroom and best
: man await them before the altar.
t The bride comes last with her
father or brother, who is to give
her away. She is Joined at the al
tar step by her fance, and then
she becomes his for life.
v,oo-
any one can learn who goes through
the painful details of divorce suit.
Now, when the circle of friends
on both sides is very extensive, it
has of late become customary to
send invitations to some who are
not called to the wedding break
fast to attend the ceremony at the
church. This sometimes takes the
place of issuing cards. No one
thinks of calling on the newly mar
ried who has not received an inyi-
tation to the ceremony at the church
or a card after their establishment
in their new home.
In most cases the after cards are
ordered with the other cards, and
the brides mother pays for them.
But if they are ordered after the
marriage the groom may pay for
them, as he would for his wife's or
binary expenses. Still it is stric
ter etiquette that even these
should be paid for by the brides
family.
People who are asked to the wed
ding send cards to the house if
they cannot attend, and in any
case, send or leave cards within
ten days after, unless they are in
] very deep mourning, when dis
pensation is granted them.
The etiquette Of wedding at
home does not differ at all from the
etiquette of wedding in church
with regard to cards. A great con
fusion seems to exist in the minds
OF some as to whom they shall send
their return cards on being invited
to a wedding. Some ask: "Shall
l send them to the bride, as 1 do
not know her mother? Certainly
not; send them to Ehonsoever in
Vites you. Afterward call on the
bride or send her cards; but the
first and important card goes to
the lady who gives the wedding.
The order of the religious part of
the exercises is fixed by the
church in which 1t occurs. The
groom must call on the clergyman,
see the organist, and make what
ever arrangement the bride pleases;
but all expenses, excepting the fee
of the clergyman, are borne by the
brides family.
A wedding invitation requires no
answer, unless it be to a sit-down
wedding breakfast. Cards left at
terward are sufficient. The sepa-
rate cards of the bride and groom
are no longer included in the invi-
tattion. Nothing black in the way