Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-18

And the ring dove calls, and the stock dove COOS.
And maids are many and men may choose.
And never shall love 40 pining!"
IF THERE WERE NO WEDDINGS THERE
l. would be no 'art of entertaining" It is
the key note, the initial letter, the open SEES
anne Of the great business Of society.
Therefore, certain general and very, per-
haps, unnecessary hints as to the conduct
of weddings in all countries may not be out Of
place here.
In London wedding in high life, or, as the
French call it, "hilif," is very sweeping affair.
II we wore to read alone the descriptions in the
Court Journal of one wedding trousseau fur
nished to royal princess or to Lady Gertrude
Somebody we should say with Fielding that
Dress is the principal accomplishment of men
and women" and as for the wedding cake
which is built at Gunters it is sight to see,
almost as big as Mount Blanc
IMPORTANCE OF COUNTER"
The importance of Counter is assured by
the "Epicure's Almanac published in 1916, and
for many years this firm supplied the royal
family. When George III was king the royal
dukes stopped to eat his pies in gratitude for
the sweet repasts furnished them in childhood
but now the Buzzards of 1877 Oxford street also
are specialists for wedding cakes.
Leigh Hunt, writing one Of his pretty little
essays, described one Trumbull Walker as the
artist who confined himself to that denomi-
fell on the Buzzards.
This enormous cake and the equally enor-
nous bouquet are the chief distinctive marks
In which a London wedding differs from ours
MUST BE CELEBRATED BsFoRE NOON.
To be legal, unless by special license Of the
archbishop of York, weddings in England must
be celebrated before II o'clock.
The reason given for this law is that before
1870 gentlemen were supposed to be drunk after
that hour and not responsible for their own
promise and expression made at the altar In
France singular difference Of dress on the
part OF the groom exists. He wears always a
dress coat and white cravat, as do all his
ushers and immediate friends. 1t looks very
strange to English and American eyes.
THE WEDDING BREAKFAST.
The wedding breakfast in England is often q
sit-down affair with speeches.
1t is not followed in our country often: per-
haps it is well to omit the speeches. And now.
now does wedding begin? As for the Fremont
tory symptoms, they are in the air for several
weeks. 1t is whispered about among the
bridesmaids, it gets into the papers. 1t would
be easy TO write a volume, and it would be a
useful volume if it brought conviction to the
hearts OF the offenders on the wrong done to
young ladies by newspapers who assume with
out authority to publish the news Of an engage
ment.
Many a match has been broken off by such
premature surmise on the part Of some not
weli-informed person and the happiness of one
or more persons in jured for life.
Young people like to approach this most i'm
portant event OF their lives in a great mutual
commence and secrecy, consequently society
newspapers should be very careful how they
either report an engagement or declare that it
Is ON Sometimes rumors prejudicial to the
gentleman are circulated without sufficient rea-
son, and OF course much i'll feeling is engen-
dered. Ae'A
The first intimation Of an engagement should
come from the brides mother. and tine young
pride nxes the day OF her wedding herself
WEDDING PRELIMINAnIEn.
Then the father and mother or guardians Of
the young lady issue cards. naming the day
and hour of the wedding.
Brides often give the attendant maidens their
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 fashion Of groomsmen has passed awav
and the happy man is only attended by "best
man, one friend at the altar who holds his hat
and otherwise sustains him.
The bridesmaids still hold their own. al
though pretty fashion has been introduced of
iauy VI uonor. VINO precedes the bridal
procession into the church
Six ushers generally precede the party into
the church, after having seated the guests.
These are generally followed by six bridesmaids
who walk two and two. No one wears a veil
but the bride herself, who enters on her fathers
arm.
The bridal dress is of white with long train.
the veil OF tulle or real lace mus. be fastened
with orange blossoms
But all this may be varied if the bride
chooses, and a travelling dress and bonnet sub
sututed. 1oung widows who marry a second
time must not wear white or wells.
The fact that the bride is in white satin and
often with low neck and short sleeves. and the
groom in full morning costume, is much criti-
cised in France.
THE INVITATIONS.
The invitations to the wedding are very SIM
pie and explicit:
''''''''