The record-union., 1895-11-07

NEW YORK, Nov. 6.-The much
talked of wedding of Miss Consuelo Van
derbilt and the Duke of Marlborough
took place to-day i'll st. Thomas Church.
The hour set for the beginning of the
ceremony was u o'clock. At that hour
the church was thronged with the repre-
gentatives of New York's smartest so
ciety, gathered to witness the ceremony.
The church was decorated gorgeously for
the occasion, the floral display being
without doubt the most lavish that New
York has ever known. The precautions
to keep out of the church all uninvited
guests and to hold back the crowds which
it was expected would gather IN the
streets were amply justified.
AS early as o'clock number of men
and women began to collect about the
doors of the church, and 10 eye curiOusly
the scene OF the approaching nuptials. a
SQUAD OF fifty policemen were on hand to
Keep the entrances TO the church clear.
BY 10 o'clock they had their hands full TO
keep the fast incoming crowd moving.
At that hour the church doors were
thrown open, and fifteen minutes later
the first of the guests, intent on securing
good placeE from which 10 witness
the bridal procession and hesceremony,
began to arrive.
Entrance to the church was gained by
the main doors on Fifth avenue. At 1915
o'clock carriage after carriage rolled up,
their occupants quickly passing into The
church. AS the hour tor the ceremony
drew near the crowd became larger and
larger. The steps of houses and the side
walks up and down the avenue were
damned, until it was almost i'm apostolic
for the pedestrians to obtain passage
"a Ira ffIc Finn
avenue was at a standstilI by noon, ow-
ing to the crowds which filled the street.
The police succeeded by hard work IN
keeping clear 8 passage tor carriages.
The church within was decorated
TO the perfection of the florists art.
No expense was spared TO make the in
terror of the edi1ice as beautiful as pos
sible. The vesubule was converted into
q bower OF tropical vines and foliage. The
walls were lined with the rarest palms
and the ceiling hung with vines. In the
dome of the church massive strands of
foliage and flowers, lilies, roses aud chry-
Eanthemuma were hung. Around the six
columns supporting the dome broad
sashes of pink and white chrysauthe-
NUNS aud terms were wound from base
to capital. MedallIOnS of maple foliage
were fastened TO the front OF the galleries,
while garlands OF white and pink COSMOS
were so thickly festooned along the gal
lery rail as 10 almost completely hide the
woodwork. Pendant from the gallery
rail about the entire church were orchids,
pink, green ana mauVe, with dark green
foliage. Across she chancel stood three
high arches of bride roses and lilies with
a background of asparagus ferns. The
chancel rail was concealed by lilies OF the
valley, while the gates were hidden under
farleyeines ferns and white caIalyeas
palms, and trailing vines were placed on
the window lodges on the back OF the
chsncel. In the rear of the chancel was
mass of palms and white and pink flow
ers, such as roses, azealeas, lilies and
chrysanthemums. On the altar were Jour
tall vases filled with various kinds Of
lilies. ON each side of the chanceI rail
were banks OF fern with growing bushes
OF bridesmaid roses interspersed.
The choir and organ stalls were almost
hidden by banks OF roses and lilies
fringed at the bottom with pink and
white alpine violets. taxing the place of
choir curtains with arches OF pink aud
white roses. Vines were twined about
the columns thanking the organ. spring
ing from bushes OF roses growing at
their base. In the pulpit was a century
old palm, and around its sides were
Rarlands of orchids and a drapery OF
ferns. At the entrance to the center and
side sisles gates OF lilies and roses were
placed.
The ushers were at their posts the
moment the doors opened. They were
Messrs. 4. Brock hoist Cutting, Richard
Il. Wilson, Jr., Reginald Ronalds, Her
bert d. Robbins and Hamilton W. Cary.
The full choir OF the church was in the
Rlcoves. George William Warren, the
organist of the church. assisted by
harpist, had charge OF the music. AZ
1915 o. clock the concert began and con-
tinued until 1l:l5.
At II O'Clock the officiating clergy, at
TRAD IN THAR clariaQl rnhas
the vestry room. Bishop Littlejohn,
who OBLIGATED, followed by Bishop Pot
ter and Rev. J Ohm Wesley Brown, rector
of the church, took their stations at the
chancel and waited the arrival of the
bride and bridegroom.
A few minutes before II o'clock car
riages containing Mrs. Vanderbilt and
the bridesmaids drove up TO the church.
Mrs. Vanderbilt WAS accompanied by her
two sons, William h. and Harold The
Duke and his cousin, Hon. Iyor Guest,
his best man, arrived at the church at
1l:35 O'Clock, and entered through the
vestry door.
There was q long wait for the BRIDE
elect, as she did not arrive at the church
until 1915 o'clock. Miss Vanderbilt waa
accompanied by her father, William X
Vanderbilt. AS Miss Vanderbilt was
about to step on the sidewalk her gown
caught on the step OF the carriage and
she was held there until her maids had
unloosened il. AS the carriage drove up
to the curb the crowd cheered. AS Miss
Vanderbilt stood on the sidewalk she
looked very pale. She acted impRliently
when the dress was caught, and pouted.
AS soon as the gown was loosened she
smiled, and, assisted by her father,
walked into the church. The party stood
in the yestibuIe of the church, and there
the procession was formed and marched
down the aisle To the ohancel.
When all was ready for the ceremony
the church was closed, and no ono was
allowed to enter whether or not they
were provided with a card.
Mrs. Nanderbilt was escorted up the
center aisle 10 she front pew on the north
----F