Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1895-11-08


curiously the scene of the approaching
nuptials. A squad of so policemen from
the East Fifty-Grst street station were on
hand to keep the entrances to the church
clear. They were lined along the pave
ment on Fifth avenue and along Fifty
third street to the end of the church prop.
erty.
BY 10 O'Clock they had their hands full
to keep the fast increasing crowd moving
At that hour the church doors were
thrown open, and 10 minutes later the
first of the guests, intent on securing good
places from which to witness the bridal
process and the ceremony, began to arrive.
Entrance to the church was gained by the
main doors on Fifth avenue. A closed
awning was stretched from them to the
street. From 1915 o'clock on carriage
after carriage rolled up, and their ooou.
ants quickly passed into the church.
Crowds on Fifth Avenue.
As the hour for the ceremony drew
nearer the crowd became larger and lar
ger, The pavements up and down the av-
enue were jammed until it was almost i'm
possible for the pedestrian to obtain n
passage through the people. Fifty-third
)street was filled with a gaping, stolid
mass Of humanity, their eyes fixed on the
walls, listening to the music within and
hoping that some good fortune would give
them glimpse of the bride or of the real
live duke who was to marry her. Traffic
on Fifth avenue was practically at a stand
still by noon, owing to the crowds which
/ filed the street. The police succeeded by
hard work in keeping clear a passage for
the carriages.
Guests found the church decorated to
, the perfection of the florists art. No ex-
pense was spared to make the interior of
the edifice as beautiful as possible.
The vestibule was converted into bow
er OF tropical vines and foliage, The walls
were lined with rare palms and the cell.
ings hung with soft vines Placed at the
ends of the pews at intervals were high
pillars surmounted with feathery palms
and covered with white and pink roses.
Ribbons of pink and white satin were
twined around these to hold the flowers
in place.
The choir and organ stalls were almost
hidden by banks of lilies and roses, fringed
at the bottom with pink and white Alpine
violets. Taking the place Of choir curtains
were arches of pink and white roses.
Vines were twined about the columns
flanking the organ, springing from bushes
Of roses placed at their base. In the pull
pit was a century old palm, and around
its sides were garlands of orchids and q
drapery Of ferns.
At the entrance to the center and side
aisles gates of lilies and roses were placed.
The ushers were at their posts the mo-
ment the doors opened. They were Messrs
f. BrOckholst Cutting, Richard Il. Will
son, Jr, Reginald Ronalds, Herbert d.
Robbins and Hamilton Wilkes Cary.
They wore frock coats, with trousers Of
mixed designs, white ties and patent
leather shoes.
The bridal party was late in arriving at
the church. 1t was 1915 when the first
open carriage containing the bridesmaids
drove up to the Fifth avenue entrance.
The three carriages containing the
bridesmaids were tho first to reach the
awning, and the occupants were shown
into the yestibule.
The Bride Arrives.
The last carriage was occupied by Miss
Consuelo Vanderbilt and her father, vii.
liam X. Vanderbilt. They entered the
1 church together, and the maid in atten-
dance carried the brides court train in
her arms as she went up the steps Of the
church.
At 1920 Mr. Damrosch's orchestra, in
the north gallery, began the strains of the
wedding march, and at the same moment
| the wedding procession entered through
| the great east door and marched slowly up
the center aisle to the altar.
The ushers marched at the head of the
| procession, followed by the bridesmaids in
/ couples.
Last of all came Miss Consuelo Wander,
bilt leaning on the arm of her father
While the procession was moving to the
altar the familiar strains Of the bridal
\ chorus from "LOhengrin" floated out from
/ the gallery, whore Conductor Walter Dam
rOsch with his band from the New York
/ symphony orchestra, was stationed be-
hind green bower Of palms and tropical
plants.
The Duke of Marlborough, with his best
man, the Honorable Ivor Guest, at the
same time left the vestry room and took
up his position under the aoral arch with
in the chancel to await the coming Of the
bride.
As the procession reached the ohaneel
rail the bridal party separated, and form
Ing two lines grouped themselves about
the bride and bridegroom, who advanced
to the front of the altar, where the clergy
men stood.
When every one was in position, the
chorus of 90 voices sang Barnby's hymn,
'Oh, Perfect Loye'
Miss Vanderbilt a Duehe--.
Then followed the regular ceremony Of