The Grenada gazette., 1886-12-18
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS.
Origin of Some of the Modern
Fashions.
The Bridal Vail and the Wedding Ring
Wedding Favors-AEcient Importance
of the Eridema!d-OId Customs
"Coming In" Again.


IT. like the women of Sweden, YOU
American mothers would train thei
daughters in all domestic affairs as tn
most important of their accomplish
ments there would undoubtedly be les
skepticism in regard to what kind o
wives they would be- The fair Swede!
are not considered marriageablc unit
they have made with their own hands
quantities of garments to be distributed
among the wedding guests; and they
must also have served their mothers in
all of the departments of the household
long enough 10 become capable Of man.
aging an establishment of their own.
But at this season, when the church
bells are full of wedding chimes, the
brile-elect in our land is more inter-
ested in the arrangement of the i'm
portant event, and what ceremonies
should be employed to invest it with a
due amount of style, and. at the same
time, have it different from the
hackneyel programme of the one
hundred and one which have preceded
hers. Fortunately, from the present
standpoint Of estheticsm. old, worn-out
fashions are the newest, freshest and
most to be desired. Realizing this,
have excavated some long buried GUS
TOMS which were in vogue many years
ago, when our -great-grandparents
were young and charming, for the BEN
eft of those who would have something
new.
Among the Oldest and prettiest GUS
toms on these occasions were the wed
ding favors," without which no English
wedding was complete. The beauty and
design Of these favors depended largely
on the skill and ingenuity of the BRIDE
maid, upon whom devolved the duty of
preparing them. The bride with her
maids would have many consultations
for the purpose of selecting her ''colors"
for the occasion, and much care had to
be observed, as it was deemed an insult
to her guests If these were the same as
those characterizing the crest of an en-
emy Of any one present. After the
momentous task Of choosing the
colors was finished, the bridemaids
attended to decorating the apart
ments with them, and besides made
often thousands of roscttes, with
streamers of the same in rich ribbons
for the wedding guests to wear in honor
of the bride. Many we're also sent to
those who did not witness the ceremony,
and were worn by prince and peasant
alike, and even huttered from the
horses heads. giving a wonderfully gay
effect to the occasion. The dress Of the
bride was covered with favors and rib
bons insecurely attached, so when she
danced during the evening they would
fall and were scrambled for by tho
groofnmcE, who wore them during the
remaining festivities. In some Of the
districts Of England custom made it
proper to present the brides slippers
to the head groomsmen, who would fre.
quently show their great regard for the
lady BY filing the slippers with wine
and drinking out Of them to her '.long
life and happiness"
The duties of the bridemaid wcrc in
olden times more important than at the
present date. She attended the BRIDE
elect in her shopping expeditions. and
helped direct the invitations, II these
we're used. She also helped 10 dress
he happy maiden, and made herself I
par ticularly entertaining to tho guests I
n waiting upon them and put =
ing them at ease. It is said that /
he bridemaid was often the one who I
lad the best time at a wedding. and II I
frequently happened that she captured 4
J husband for herself, a. the English I
ermed 1t, and II she did not do this Il
much she was looked upon - un- b