Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-02

the aItar ana points out the exits. They all
assume the positions that they are to take ut
the ceremony, and the minister explains to the
bride and groom the nature of the responses,
the handling OF the ring, and acquaints them
with the minutiR of the service in order to
avoid any embarrassing balk at the supreme
moment when the solemn VOWS are being
made. 1t is not customary to have widowers
or married men or cross-eyed men in the
bridal party; the latter give bad luck to the
bride. There is no difference in the world be-
tween the functions of the usher and the duties
OF groOmsman. The change is merely one of
name. A few years ago all men attendants at
weddings were groomsmen. whereas now they
are ushers. 1t Is unnecessary repetition and
multiplication of personages to have two sets
OF mell. calling one lot ushers and the other
groomsmen.
THE WEDDING REPAsr.
The caterer and the florist play important
roles i'll the modern marriage celebration The
caterer is generally given clear field for opera
lions or a wedding occasion The prices are,
In the main, moderate. A wedding breakfast
or supper, which is the same thing including
olrds, sweetbreads, peas. oysters, croquettes,
salads, bouillon, sandwiches. ice creams, ices.
sweetmeats and the necessary articles for gar
nlshing the table, wines. and the service of five
excellent men, is served by the leading caterer
III the city at the rate of $500 for one hundred
guests. This is what is called buffet standing
up breakfast If the guests should be seated
the cost OF 1t would be about 800 more For
obvious reasons, seated guests will eat more
than standing ones. A simpler breakfast than
the above, with a bill of fare including salads
croquettes, creamed oysters sandwiches cof-
Zee, bomllon, fancy ices, charlottes ielly
cakes and dessert and champagne, with the
same excellent service, buffet standing, can be
served Tor $500 per hundred guests. The larger
tho order the less the cost proportionately and
one hundred people require as much service as
three hundred
Nor is the brides cake an expensive confec-
ton. The most costly one possible would not
exceed SoO This includes the icing and is an
excellent quality OF silver cake. The best
caterers ill the city use no artificial ornaments
upon brides cake, only natural flowers. A
very beautiful cake for a bride is furnished for
from S15 to S25. The caterer puts the ring
that Is furnished by the host into the cake after
~ Is paheo ana before the icing Is put on. He
takes out piece, like plug from melon, puts
the ring into the aperture. replaces the plug
ana Ices over the creyices. In the same way he
puts IN the thimbe and silver piece that also
nave their slgnltcancies portents of future
states and events.
The black or fruit cake that is given each de-
parting guest in a ribbou-bound box is the
groom's cake, and its cost is from 30 to so cents
per box, the charge being regulated by the
quality OF the box. not the quality of the cake.
that Is always made of uniform excellence.
THE FLOWERS
The florist beauties and gives an artistic
quality to the wedding feast and here, too, it
is matter of surprise that the cost of floral
decorations in Washington is so comparatively
small The beautiful wreath of fragrant La
france roses that encircles the brides cake
with basket of lilies OF the valley and maiden
mar ferns, that also serve for the center piece,
costs from five to twenty dollars. the price
varying with the season, the average being
from tve to ten dollars. The extreme limit
n rrI fnr hid L.,
or bridesmaid Is fifteen dollars, and this price
Is unusual; the average price is from five to
ten dollars Church decorations. unless I'M
usually elaborate, do not exceed twenty-five
dollars and very pretty decoration can be
put in for five dollars. In the former case the
chancel rail is hidden in maiden hair fern and
spreading palms and bouquets and blooming
bushes are freely used
THE COSMOS FLOWER
that has been used so freely for decoration on
wedding occasions this autumn was brought
from Mexico and is raised out of doors SO that
1T will not be available fof the winter season.
The prevailing flower for November weddings
Will be the chrysanthemum, which, because of
its rich coloring and the variety of it, allows
OF most effective massing and is a favorite with
florists. The cost of garnishing a room for a
bridal reception varies with the size of the
room and the arrangement of spaces The
floral bell with its canopy, that cost from
go to S25 is now little i'll demand. quiet,
good taste i'll this matter is the most inex-
pensive and the florist when deferred to will
generally conduct the decorations upon an I'M
ostentatious basis. Then, too, the custom is
growing in this country of sending
flowers as gifts ON the wedding day,
and these always assist in gladdening
the drawing room. The groom furnishes the
bride, bridesmaids and ushers with the bridal
bouquets and boutonnieres. The mythical Puri-
tan rose, 1t Is not generally known, went out of
use year ago. 1t is not perfect rose For the
greater portion of the twelve months of the
year it is green rose, so the florists abandoned
1t, and the nephetos and fine white rose, called
the brides roses, both being delicate, pretty
and available ut all seasons are used for bridal
flowers, and both are often called the Puritan
rose because the public like the name. Another
English custom that has been adopted here
very generally is the sending Of flowers to the
family of the girl when her engagement is an
nounced An offering of flowers is always well
come and can be sent to express good wishes
and regard when nothing else could be used