Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-06
A HALE MILLION IN GIFTS.



Notable In New York Tor Years.
The wedding of Afiss Maria Louise Shepard,
eldest daughter of Col end Mrs. Elliott F. shep.
ard Of New York city, 70 William Jay Scheife-
lin, eldest son Of William H. Schiefelin, took
place yesterday at noon at the Fifth Avenue
Presbyterian Church. The pastor of the church,
the Eev. DIR. John Hall, offciated. The bride
is the first grandchild of the late William H.
Vanderbilt to be married, and the groom is a
grandson Of the distinguished statesman, John
Jay. The bride wore a gown of white corded
elk, made quite simply, and tulle veil, which
was held in place by diamond rose, the
groom's git. The bridesmaids were Miss
Eleanor Robinson and Miss Ethel Dodge,
cousins OF the groom; Miss Eleanor Shepard. n
cousin, and the Misses Edith and Alice Shepard,
sisters of the bride, and Miss King. They wore
gowns Of white silk and big white hats and car
RED pink roses. There were two maids Of honor.
little Misses Marguerite Shepard and Leila
Sloane. a sister and cousin Of the bride. both
dressed in white. The groom awaited the bride
at the altar, attended by his best man, Mr..
Hamilton Fisk Webster.
After the ceremony a wedding breakfast was
served at the house of the brides grandmother,
Mrs Vanderbilt, and the houses of Mrs. Shop
ard and Mrs Sloane. which connect with that
OF their mother, were thrown open, all three
houses being beautifully decorated. white fow-
ers being used altogether with palms and other
greens. The breakfast was served in the two
picture galleries. one opening into the other.
The table OF the bridal party. at which were
seated twenty-six people. including the parents
OF the pair. was placed in the middle of the
picture gallery, and about it were grouped 100
other tables, at each of which were seated from
four to six persons. masking in ell fully GOO
guests only small number compared with
the visiting lists of the two families. All the
attendants wore white gloves and large white
rosettes. after the French fashion Landers
orchestra OF forty men played in the conserva-
tory and the Hungarian band in the hall.
Altogether II was one OF the most notable
feasts New York has known. At the home of
the bride Wednesday night there was one Of
the most costly collections Of wedding presents
ever spread before a bride in that city. Every
member of the Vanderbilt family spent his
money lavishly for the bride. Nearly every
thing was worthy of especial notice. but some
we're simply dazzling in their brilliancy. The
welding presents represent an actual value of
more than half million dollars. Perhaps the
most valuable and striking gift of all was that
presented by Mr.. and Mrs. ". J. Sloane. This
was necklace of diamond pendants. in which
there arc 295 brilliants. No adequate conccp-
ton can be had of its beauty without seeing it,
but connoisseur puts its value at over Zoo 900.
Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt gave splendid
OF the setting being of over 30 karats. Presi-
dent and Mrs. Harrison presented handsome
dinner service. The gifts came from all over
the country and Europe. The young couple
left last night for the south, and will sail on the
Majestic on March Is to pass some months in
travel with the brides uncle, George Wander
bilt.