The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-01-07
THE FASHIONABLE WEDDING.
AL About Brides and Their Attendant
Maids and Pages.

Does anything appeal to the heart of
woman as wedding doesp Talk to
the veriest bluestocking of Browning
or lbsen of tariff reform or the Austria
liam ballot, of Edison's latest invention
or the probable inha bitants of Mars,
and She will listen with attention.
Talk to her of brides and her polite and
understanding attention gives place to
eager interest. In common with the
rest OF the world this superior being
loves lover.
What an amount of perplexing detail
is evolved and what lot of considera-
ton and cash it costs "to be married
and a" in this day Of complicated and
ineSorable conventionality. Of course
the first essential to the success of the
wedding ceremony is the securing of
the individual whose name appears
upon the cards of invitation, who buvs
the ring and is expected to appear at
the altar dressed in garb of Hamlet
som berness, to furnish happy contrast
to the brides dazzling splendor of at
| tire. This individual may be old or
young. plain or handsome, dark or
fair-it matters little. No one notices
| him, anyway. His function is unim-
portant and he is tolerated only be-
cause he is needed in the perfection
of the ensemble and because there
| couldn't very well be wedding with
out him.
There is mode in everything,
method in each maneuver. The en-
gagement ring is solitaire, the we'd
ding ring a circle, somewhat more
slender than those of former DAYS.
The wedding stationery is of pure
white, with vellum finish and no
gloss. The lettering is engraved in
plain script, with all the names. dates,
and words written out in full. The
envelope, according to the N. Y. Sun.
may contain the invitation to the
church. written on an octave sheet
folded once, the small card insuring
admission TO the church, and the larger
card of invitation to the house recep-
ton.
Announcement cards sent out i'm
mediately after the marriage contain
the cards for the brides reception
days. An announcement card needs
no reply, nor does card to the church
wedding only. At wedding recep-
ton your presence is the reply, or your
card should be sent at the appointed
time. The fashionable fancy Just now
in America is for the evening wedding,
and the collation. served is termed q
supper. Still some brides prefer the
English custom of a noon wedding, fol-
lowed by the more elaborate break
fast. Having settled these and count
less other perplexing minutia, the
bride turns her attention to that most
fascinating of all dresses, the wedding
gown. White is the true bridal color,
except for women who are married for
the second time. Satin, heavy and
lustrous, or brocade in satin finish. are
the materials preferred just at present.
Lace is the favorite decoration, par
tlcularly if it be lace that has already
done duty at the altar, for to live "for-
ever happy" every bride must wear
something old and something new,
something borrowed and something
blue" I he veil may be of lace, too,
though tulle is the choice of many
brides. Some form of the prevailing
empire mode is chosen for the we'd
ding gown, which must have full,
long sleeves, and a bodice which may
be softly finished at the throat, but
must not be low. Only the jewels in
cluded among the wedding gifts may
appear in the bridal toilet A PRAYER
book of ivory, bound and clasped with
silver. takes the place of the bridal
bouquet at the ceremony, but at the
reception is laid aside for the flowers.
And there must be ushers, too, four in
number, and bridesmaids in pairs, from
two to twelve.
The bridesmaids dresses all follow
general scheme of color, either exhi-
biting Dresden china daintiness of |
contrast in pinks and blues or present
ing pretty effect by being made of
tlnts OF the same color, fading in |
brightness until those nearest the |
bride wear dresses but a shade re-
moved from white. For these maidens |
the bridegroom sometimes buys Gift |
and the bride presents them with a |
souvenir more or less costly. Pages in
fancy dress carry the train or ma
nipulate the white ribbons which
separate the friends from the relatives |
in the church. Z maid of honor, a
tiny little girl in quaint dress, or the
dearest of the girl friends dressed all |
In white like the bride, or in some con-
trasting color from that worn by the
other maids, walks along just before
the bride up to the altar, where she is
joined by the "best man." that faith
ful "Pooh Bah" Of the wedding cere-
monial, who supports the nervous
bridegroom to the last, attends to the
ring and the carriage, pays the priest
and publishes the notices, and does all
the other things the bridegroom in his
furry mig hit be supposed to forget
And In shower of rice and sinners
the bride, like the princess in the fairy
tale, is kissed and carried awa'" to
flnd out tor herself if it pays for all the
fuss and bother.