The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-29
ETIQUETTE OF THE WEDDING.
oEREMoNIhLs IN WHICH THE BRIDRs
PARENTS Par THE PIPER.

All the novels and love tales lead MP TO the
: climax OF the courtship and leave Her clasped
in His arms. with her eyes uplifted TO his. ash
, all the trials OF life ended with the counting
when. In fact they have just begun. For the
end of the woolng is the beginning OF the wcd.
ding and everybody knows wedding Is Q
most serious and perplexing thing.
Now the ten commandments delivered unto
Moses on Mount Sinai. and inscribed upon two
tables Of stone. are not more fixed and unalter-
able than is the decaloguc OF a fashionable we'd
ding Year after year the same customs MAIN
tain fixed according to the patterns laid down
by the formula followed at English weddings.
Year after year they arc published. Yet every
bride In the freshness OF her now experience
finds herself confronted with problems In con-
ventionality with which she feels unable to
struggle alone. The consequence fs that no
answers to correspondence" arc 80 oft re-
poated and reiterated as those relating to the
law and gospel Of the wedding.
First, there is the stationery. Tho answer
to who pays for tho wedding cards" ought
to be kept constantly in type ready for use.
Anybody may pay for them except the BRIDE
groom. but tho brides father or mother usual
| ~ receives the receipt for the bill ut we'll reg
ulated weddings. Wedding cards and we'd
| ding stationery should be pure white. without
glaze and with no attempt at ornamentation,
| The size Of the sheet 10 rather smaller than
that OF previous years. though the now small
sheet has by no means supplemented the oo-
tavo size SO long popular. Tho form Of the
| invitation engraved thereon In simple script ~
| Mr.. and Mrs. Robins on smithJonss
| Request tho pleasure Of your company
At the marriage OF their daughter
Genevieve
Mr.. vandyke Brown
On Thursday, juno 10th. at IL o'oleoh,
81. Gracos Church
This invitation. engraved on q folded shest
OF the size mentioned. Ia put In an envelope -
eether with small card to be presented At the
church door, and a larger card. which reads,
Reception tor BreakfasD
at rs State Street at One.
The envelope may contain tho At HomoS
cards OF the newly welded pair. but 1t must Of
necessity bear only the date and residence
with no names as the wedding Invitations are
sent out before the bride has any legal right
to use her husbands name.
By punctilious people this at homo card 10
not enclosed with the others, but announce
mont cards are sent out after the wedding. In
most cases these cards are ordered with the
wedding cards. and the brides mother pays
for them The bridegroom doesn't count for
much in the preparation for wedding. About
all he is allowed to do is to engage most Of
the young womans npare time. to ALLEVIATE her
from her friends by not giving her an oppor-
tunity to call on them or them an opportunity
to see her other than In his presence. He 10
and relatives to be invited to the ceremony
tho brides mother invites them He is alec
and his best man mase thef way va to the
church. He plays IN humble part in the we'd
tasR AND and
pattern he pleases at a morning wedding. or
as eHsnr IKE e or y nss
for him. fees the minister. He may also call
on the CLERGYMAN to secure his services, see
as the bride suggests. but all expense except
Ing the Zee of the clergyman, he is prohibited
the bridal gift for his consort. membrancss
TOR TIE usher r and bridesmaids. and flowers
One pretty new custom. or. rather. an old
one revived. has been Introduce in the mod
signing the wedding register. which is rarely
done d as In this country A beautifully ilunln-
sists Of large, folio OF vellum white as
page is encrossed the regular form NJ Of GI the
marriage certificate in delicately painted let
get-me- nots and true lovers Knots. The let
tiers. a. in silver or gold. On the inner
ahH at ts OF the
certificate Is bound in yellum or white yelvet
o rIn,Il mt with solid silver corners and
which it is attached. and enclosed in a solid
silver case. richly chased and ornamented.
costs a bridegroom from SO to $50. The more
elaborate ones often amount to 500. or even
SO. occasionally the engrossed certificate 10
framed in narrow silver frame; but that is
riage certificate Is not now considered an APP
proprinte picture for hanging on, tho wall
q custom which prevails to considerable eI-
Another form Of wedding certificate very
tho precious document bounl into the white
prayer book SO many brides carry now instead
veum Of ivory or Of White sTede eath ee OF OF
velvet. 1t is richly cIasped and ornamentcd
ws sy VIII sss4 sst the whole Sens
ma be- friend Of the family his Offering usu-
ahs takes ihs form In ether eases ne uses
man Incorporates among his duties that Of
seeing that the certificate receives its proper
signatures. Eut this does not cover all the
lxed principles governing card etiquette
Every I,t friend and ,ncIuaintanSe whose ac-
names from thsIst Of RECEPTION guests. il
nent cards may be sent to those not invited to
!, welding. People who are invited TO a we'd
hem within ten days after the Wed:
mother Of the bride; The wedding guests
houd call on he bride herself at her first at
Iurng tho lirst year after the weddine. Pe or
ne Who receive neither an invitation to the
ons ider that their friendship is no longer de-
fred and commit great breach OF etiTuette
@ make any ca. liz.
The small niceties Of etiquette on such ocoa-
ions are usually founded on wise and lust
entiments SO many and SO unexpected are
he cases 81 the slip between the cup and the
y; not nttrluently the breach coming Just
otore the wedding dav that common delicacy
Drbids the husbands sharing IN any OF the
for the wedding or meeting any
ith preliminary expenses. The girl who
asn't sufficient means TO make n Wedding all
erseli and 90 into her husbands house free
'om DEBT to him puts on a simple travelling
own ard Is welded with no fuss and bother
he manifest ma rriapes