Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-02
HOW TO GET MARRIED.
The Proper Thing In Weddings Accord
ing to Fashions DEGREES.

The Proper Thing In Weddings Accord
ing to Fashions DEGREES.
THE BEST MAN AND HIS MANY REsPoNsIBuITIEs-
THE FLOWERS, THE WEDDING BREAKFAST AND
THE BRIDE cAKE-wHAT SOME OF THE ITEMS
cosT-THE WEDDING REHEARSAL.
In the preparation for and conduct Of the
marriage ceremony in the fashionable world
there are numerous obseryances of conven-
tional decorum of which only the well-equiped
man and woman of society know the existence
The middle of the autumn wedding season of
the year has been reached. Numerous pretty
weddings have graced the churches of Wash
ington during the past month and many I'M
portant nuptial events are announced for the
present month. Much of the talk of the town
al this time is of weddngs-weddings in retro
spectve and weddings in prospective.
The romantic side we will eschew and pro-
coed at once to the practical and material
things that, properly managed. insure the
| comfort and pleasure of everybody concerned
in the details of wedding. Marriage is sac
rament of the church and. a STAR reporter
who sought information on this subject was in
formed, should always be administered in the
church. A wedding in any other place is sub
terfuge, makeshft, an evasion. for which
some excuse of recent death in the family or
an accident is always pleaded in its palliation
The church wedding is the proper thing.
THE BEST MAN.
When man is about to be married he calls
to his assistance his nearest friend, who is
technically called his best man. People are
wont to exercise their wit in tests protesting
against any other than the groom having that
title on that occasion. but be Ii known that the
best man earns that distinction; his Office is no
snecure. He attends to all the preliminary
duties that would otherwise fall upon the groom.
he orders the. carriages buys the gloves,
obtains the marriage license. engages the
clergyman. the organist and the sexton,
fixes the time OF day and makes all
the arrangements for renting the church.
The best man meets the groom previous to
the wedding, goes with him to the church, at
tends him III the chancel, holds the wedding
ring until called for by the clergyman escorts
the maid OF honor from the church. and at the
reception that follows the ceremony at the resi-
dence of the bride introduces the guests to the
newly welded pair. II there be no maid of
honor he leaves the church alone. and he also
hands the officiating clergyman his fee. In
short it Is the business of the best man to re-
lieye the groom of his labors as much as is
possible.
THE UsHERs
When the groom has selected his ushers he
writes each note referring him to the best
man for all information. The groom generally
gives breakfast or a dinner a day or two
before the ceremony to his best man and the
ushers, when he presents them with scarf pins
or Whatever souvenir of the event he wishes to
bestow. 1t is also customary for the groom to
present his best man and ushers with scarfs
and gloves for the occasion, and il is obligatory
on the part of the groom that if he asks friend
from another town from that in which he lives
to serve him in the capacity of best man
usher to see that his railroad and hotel ex-
penses provided him. On the day
of the wedding the ushers assemble at
the church haIf hour in advance of the time
set for the marriage. The first usher directs
the assignment OF positions in the church for
the other usEers. Their duties consist simply
IN seating the guests as they arrive. being par
tcular that the relatives and intimate friends
OF the families are advantageOusly placed
When the aisles Of the church are sufficiently
broad the ushers give their arms to the ladies
when escortlng them to seats, but when the
a!ses are narrow the arm offering is dispensed
with, as 1t makes an awkward entrance and
often the delicate fabric of the ladys dress is
crushed by the crowding attending the unnec-
essary courtesy. The front pews in the middle
OF the church, with the pews back of Them
should be reserved for the relations of the high
contracting parties, and when they are placed
the other guests should be seated as compactly
as possible i'll the order OF their coming When
the bridal procession is formed the ushers must
be arranged in relation to the bridesmaids
which have been allotted to them. SO that in
going out of the church each may take his
proper position.
THE PROPER ATTIRE.
The dress of the ushers is regulated by that
of the groom, and should be upon the same
general style as his. For day wedding cut
away coats or Prince Alberts are worn. the
former seeming to be preferred in this country,
with white four-in-hand Ascot ties, white
waistcoats, light gray or drab trousers accord
ing to the style of the day, and dark gray
gloves without embroidery or heavy stitch
Ing may be worn. 1t is optional with ushers
whether they carry their hats or not while
seating the guests in the church, but the best
authorities consider 1t preferable to retain the
hat, as the usher is not expected to sit down
while in the church, and the etiquette of an
afternoon call should govern in the matter. At
military or navy wedding the full dress
uniform OF the grade of the officer, with sword
Is worn, and the men of bridal party so at
tired add much brilliancy to the spectacular
value OF the occasion. For an evening we'd
ding full dress citizens attire is de rigeur. A
wide latitude in the choice of the flower for
boutonnleres Is allowed 1t is generally Sc
lected by the bride and is the same kind of a
flower as that she carries in her bridal bouquet
Recently all Independent flower is much used
and this season the white violet is greatly in
vogue. The bridesmaids are chosen by the
bride from among her intimate friends and
contemporaries. The bride suggests what her
maids are to wear. They dress uniformly and
tuning is proper. The bridesmaids unlike
the bride, are not limited to a canonical gown
OF white satin or heavy silk Sometimes the
bride presents her bridesmaids with their
dresses for the event. The bridesmaids and
the maid of honor assemble at the house of the
bride on the day of the wedding and follow her
in carriages to the church. The maid of honor
or first bridesmaid, if there be no maid of
honor stands at the side of the bride during
the ceremony and holds her bouquet while the
ring is being put opon her hand. The brides
maids are escorted from the church by the
ushers and should return to the brides resi-
dence in their own carriages. This rule should
never be deviated from. The ushers also
drive to the reception in their own carriages.
ENTERING THE CHURCH.
The bride enters ithe church on the right
arm of her nearest male relative, who stands
at her left in the chancel until the clergyman
asks the question, "Who giveth this woman to
be married to this man?' when he steps for
ward and places the right hand of the bride in
the right hand OF the groom and may then re-
| tire to the pew reserved for him or take his
original position until the bridal party is about
leaving the the church, when he makes way for
them. The bridal cortege is followed by the
| relatives and invited guests from the church,