Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-14
FRENCH VANDERBILT
Brilliant Society Wedding in Newport,
Rhode Island. Today.
UNION OF WEALTH AND BEAUTY
Groom is One of the Wealthy
New York Family.
BRIDE WAS HIS PLAYMATE

NEWPORT, r. l., January 14.-Although
in the depth of winter this well-known
watering place today took on semblance
of its summer gaiety because of the we'd
ding of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, prob
ably the most wealthy of the third gen.
Grafton of the Vanderbilt family, and Miss
Elsie French charming Newport girl
and former playmate of the bridegroom. the
daughter of Mrs. Frederick Orme French,
resident of the city for many years.
a brighter sun never shone for any bride,
and in spite of a crispness in the air, it
did not seem to be a winters day.
The ceremony took place at noon, in the
Zabrisk Memorial Church of st. John the
Evangelist, far up in the old north part of
the city, on the very shores of Narragan-
sett bay, once the center of Newport
fashion, but now far removed from the So
cial whirl of Bellevue avenue. Miss French
made the choice of her own place of wor-
ship and her own home for the scene of
her marriage, instead of selecting the more
pretentous, but less familiar surroundings
which would have been found in New York.
Under these conditions the hundred or
more guests were forced to make journey
to city as quiet at this time of the year
an obscure country village.
The festivities. however. did not suffer
from these unusual circumstances. The
church which was decorated with gorgeous
lavishness, was only about half filled with
guests, the invitations having been limited
to relatives and close friends of the couple.
The service was as ornate as the highest
forms of the Episcopal Church could make
1t, the wedding procession picture of love-
illness and fine gowns and the breakfast,
which closed the formal proceedings of the
day, was one Of the grandest ever served in
this city.
Guests Arrive Early.
AlthOngh the cet for
an hour or more before that time saw the
arrival o. some of the guests at the church,
and those who came about IL o'clock had
the pleasure Of listening to an organ con-
cert and found leisure to marvel at the
floral decorations.
Pink, green and white in many charming
combinations were the prevailing colors the
distinctive flowers being the gioire de la
RelHe Bengoras, the golden gate roses with
white azeleas, and the specimen palm.
The center aisle was lane of begoniac
and asparagus. standards eight feet high
being trimmed with the feathery foliage of
the asparagus at regular intervals from
the entrance of the church to the chancel.
Baskets of delicate pink flowers depended
from the standards.
Specimen palms thirty feet high lowered
high above the altar 1nterspersed among
the ferns and foliage which banked them
were great clusters of white azeleas ana
medallions of golden gate roses. On the
altar was an immense cross of ascension
lilies.
The program of the organ concert which
occupied the hour preceding the ceremony
was selected by Miss French. The choir
boys of the church marched in quietly at
11;20 and led in two of the hymns as
signed to them.
The program was as follows:
Overture-"Tannhause Wagner
EesuVai prelude. ................. .Guirand
flynn so Perfect Love; seh96ert Inffray
(Sung by the choir.)
Coronation march, lie Prophete"
Meyerbear.
Bridal chorus, "Lohengrin" Wagner
tSung by the choir.)
Entrance of the Bridal Party
Just as the tones OF the Lohengrin march
bleathed softly forth. the two clergymen.
Rev. George f. Beatty, rector of the
church, and Rev. G. Brinley Morgan, rec
tor of Christ Church, at New Haven, en-
tered from the side door. followed by the
bridegroom and his brother, Reginald Van
derbilt, the best man.
At the same time, the bridal procession
started up the main aisle the uShers lead
ing, followed by the four bridesmaids.
Eight personal friends of the bridegroom
acted as ushers. They were Messrs. Worth
ington Fitzhugh Whitehouse, Frederick
Martin Davis, Robert Livingstone Gerry,
Ord Preston, Ernest Iselin, VIM. p. Bor-
den, Potter Palmer, jr, and w. Bayard
Cutting. tr