San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-01-27
Extravaganza in Weddings.
Irr,r,, .to phiIodnInbIa Tiues

Nextt to the ostentatious and costly
display that Is co often witnessed at
funerals, the ostentatious and costly
display OEmOdern weddings is the most
inexcusable. The unmber of weddings
is largely diminished every year by the
common custom Of costly display, and
in addition to the serious hindranCe to
timely marriages, it is pCrnicious and
steadily growing evil.
There is nothing That IL more D5Ruti-
'Hl on wedding occasions than retined
and elegant simplicity, while the osten-
tatiOus displays, so common these times,
always border strongly on VulgaTity,
and at thimes vulgsTiiy Is exhibited in
its most offensive qualities. 1t begins
with the vulgar gaze and description OF
the bridal trOuRsCau; continues with
costly presents for exhibition and publ
city. and ends with all the pomp and
ceremony that can be commanded to at
tract the attention and inspire the Cos
sip of the multitude.
II any doubt the correctness OF criti-
aism of OstentatiOus weddings, let them
recall the two which mot cOnyulsed So
cial circles in New York within the last
few years. The most costly trOusseau
and most dazzling gifts and most elaboT-
Ete newspaper reports OF any New York
weddings, are now memorable only as
they recall the death. in felOn's cell, OF
the central figure Of one of them; and
The scandal that soon separated the
bride and groom of the other. They ex-
hibited in all the vulgar grandeur of
purchased social position, the gross vul-
gsrity and extravaganza in weddings,
and they should teach all to shun even
the semblance of costly Ostentation that
seeks notice at the cost OF modest ele-
gance.
There is another reason that argues
strongly against Ostentatious and costly
marriages. 1t is the unwhOlesOme les-
son IL teaches all newly married couples.
Even If they have what appears TO be
ample wealth 10 possession or prospect,
such costly exhibitions are calculated to
unfit them for the great battle of life and
its unknown vicissitudes. It is not at
all uncommon now to see in want and
misery the woman who only q few wears
before was petted and battered as q
bride with every surrounding OF luxury,
and the responsibility for the misfOr-
tune rests largely upon those who started
the bride out upon the perilOus voyage
without the anchor of COmmon-sense
knowledge Of the practical duties OF
life
Marriages are occasions when friends
love TO exhibit their affection for the
bride and groom, and 1t is eminently
proper for them to do so; but IL can be
done, and very much better done, with
every regard for modesty and elegance.
The idea that parents must lavish money
on bridal trousseau that they can not
afford, or that friends must give presents
that they can not afford, because OF the
possible criticism of idle or malicious
gOssips, lie the one that should be ban
ished from every wedding occasion.
TO honest recipients, some OF the poor
est gifts in money value would be most
cherished, but If exhibited TO vulgar
gaze and criticism, they would be re-
garded as a confession OF either poverty
or meRnness, and such display ever eX-
hibits a greater or less degree of WI
garitY.
Modest, Teflned, elegant weddings
may be had In families of the humblest
means, and mOdesty and refinement
should be the charm OF every marriage
occasion. IL msleads no bride or groom
IN the fret step Of married life; it ex-
poses no honest friend to criticism for
humble gifts; 1t hRrmOniZes with the ex-
ceptionSlly solemn life compact made by
the welded pair, and it gives the best
promise OF happiness to all. We are fast
banishiDg OstentatiOus and costly fune-
rails; let us speedily Danish OstentatiOus,
costly and vulgar weddings.