The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-05-03
FASHION AND WEDDINGS.
Tips for Those Who Want to
Get Married in
Style.
ETIQUETTE AT HOME AND ALTAR.
Some Formalities TO Be Observed
About Marriages in This
and other Countries.

Ii there were no weddings there would
be 40 'artof entertaining Il is the key
note, the initial letter, the open sesame Of
the great business of society.
| In London wedding in high life is
sweeping affair. If we were to read
alone the descriptions In the Court Jour
nal of. one wedding trouAseau furnished
| to a royol princess, or to Lady Gertrude
Somebody, we should say with Fielding
that dress is the principal accomplish
ment OF men and women and as for the
wedding cake which Is built at Gunter's,
it is sight to see. almost as big as Mont
Blanc. The enormous cake, and the
equally enormous bouquet, are the chief
distinctive marks In which a London
wedding differs from ours.
| In England there are. four ways of get
ting married. The first is by special
license, which costs fifty pounds. There
| is then the ordinary license, whlch can be
procured either at doctors commons or
| through Clergyman, who must be also
| surrogate and resident of the diocese
| where the marriage is to take place.
| Both the paties must swear that they are
| OF age. or II minors that they have the con-
| sent OF their parents.
| But to be married by sbanns is consider
ed the most orthodox as well as most
economical way of proceeding. The banns
must be published in the chur CHI of the
| parish 10 which the lady lives for thre e
consecutive Sundays prior to the marriage
also the same laws hold good for the
| gentleman, and the parties must have r e.
sided fifteen days in the parish or the
knot may be tied at licensed chapel or
/ at Inc office of registrar, notice being
| given three weeks previously.
| To be legal, unless by speciallicense Of the
Archbishop of York, weddings in Eng
land must be celebrated before - o'clock
The reason given for this law il that be-
fore 1920 gentlemen were supposed to be
drank after that hour aud not responsible
for their own promise and expression
made at the altar.
1t is very troublesome to be married in
! France, especially If one of the high con-
tracing parties be q foreigner. A certi-
| IcHte OF baptism is required, together
with that of the marriage of the father
and mother, and written consent of the
| grandfather and grandmother, If either Is
alive ana the parents dead. The names
of tie parties are then put up on the door
Of the Marie or Mayors Office for eleven
| days. In France Il singular difference OF
dress on the part of the groom exists.
He always wears a dress coat and white
1 craYat, as do al his ushors and immedl-
\
iisn and American eyes.
| In England no young girl Is allowed to
due alone with her tiance. There must
| be a servent in attendance. Nor is she
allowed TO go to the theatre alone with
| him, or travel under his escort, or to stop
at the same hotel, or relax any of those
lfrigtd rules which Spanish duenna
would enforce. The wedding breakfast In
England Is often a sit-down affair with
speeches. THIS fashion Is not followed in
our country often; perhaps it Is well TO
omit the speeches.
The first intimation of an engagement
should come from the BRIDES mother, and
the young bride fixes the day of her we'd
ding herself Then the father aud
mother or the guardians of the young
lady issue cards, naming the day and hour
OF the wedding. Brides often give the
attendant maidens their dresses, or if
they do not do this, they suggest what
they shall wear. the groom gives the
bridesmaids lockets, bracelets or rings,
and presents each of his ushers with
scarf pins or studs. something by which
he shall remember the day.
THE ATTENDANTS
The fashion of groomsmen has passed
away, and the happy man is only attended
by best man" one friend at the altar
who holds his hat or otherwise sustains
him. The bridesmaids still hold their
own, although pretty fashion has been
introduced OF a Lady of HONOR who
precedes the bridal procession into the
church. Six ushers generally precede the
party into the churcn, after having seat
ed the guests. These are generally fol-
lowed by six bridesmaids, who walk
! two and two. No one wears veil but
the bride herself, who enters on her
fathers arm. Each bridesmaid Is ex-
pected to give a handsome present. In
asking young lady to be her bridesmaid
the bride is supposed to be actutated by
feelings of relationship or friendship,
although fashion aud wealth aud otner
considerations often influence the selec.
tions- The groom asks men of his own
age and OF his Intimate acquaintance to
assist in the ceremony as usners and best
man. They must be unmarried men,
and are expected to manage ali matters
at the church. Child brides maids are
very pretty and very much in fovor
These charming children, covered with
| flowers, looking Very grave and solemn,
are the sweetest OF -heralds for wedding
| procession.
Tue invitations to the wedding are very
| simple and explicit. after this fashion,
MR.. AND MRS. CHAPMAN
| request the pleasure OF your company
| at the marriage of their daug hter
EsCLAIRMoNDE
to
Mr.. GERALD FITz GERALD