Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-05-22

"There are two heavens.
Both made of love-one inconceivable
Even by the other, so divine it Isl
The other far on this side the stars,
By men called home"
With June, Imperial June of the
emerald CROWN standing facile prin-
ceps as the months of weddings, there
is scarce a family in the land that is
not touched in some way by this ever
widening matrimonial current While
we can't all have weddings in our
own homes-and we do not long for
that distinction too often, we are all
apt "to have bid' to some ones else,
and the last weeks in May find we'd
ding news, wedding stationery, we'd
ding gifts, wedding refreshments and
wedding gowns the topics par excel
lence. ''All the world loves lover, !"
and his comings and goings, the build
ing of the home nest and its furnish
ings, are all topics of general interest,
/ while the bride walks for once, at
least, veritable goddess.
Every one stands ready to give the
I young couple ''a good send off, and
the atmosphere is roseate, in keeping
J with the month.
Invitations should all be sent out at
\ least two weeks before the great event.
While there is no decided variation
from season to season in wedding
! stationery, there is little differentia-
tion in the size of the paper, the color,
the type and the wording that dis
tinguishes the modish from that a
little behind the times. This year the
approved size is about 61a by n,
though both smaller and larger are
used. A gray or cream white is pre-
ferred to the blue and the engraving
may be in script shaded Old English
or Roman. Script is much less ex-
/ pensive than either of the others, and
is always in good taste. In most of
the invitations the pleasure" of Mr..
and Mrs. So and Sos company is re-
/ quested, but in the Old English,
"honour,' spelled with a u, is used.
The year is conspicuously absent in the
latest invitations, merely the hour,
day and month being given. 1t is,
however, quite proper to use it if de-
sired. When one has wedding in
vitations with admission cards, re-
ception OF wedding breakfast cards
admit to train" cards. with Eat
homes" and announcements follow
ing, the sum total makes an extremely
large item to be added to the wedding
expenses. Comparatively few people,
however, feel inclined to compass this
large outlay.
The custom of giving gifts to the
bride is not so arbitrary as it was
While all family friends are usually
glad to add their much or little toward
the setting up of the new roof tree, it
rIxs tka- L.. i 4
that more formal acquaintance should
feel it their duty to do so. A card or
letter bearing congratulations to the
groom, and good wishes to the bride is
in good form, and, in fact, should
never be omitted. If the invitation is
sent to Mr.. and Mrs. So and So-and
they cannot attend-a graceful fancy is
to inclose their cards in small en-
velopes. Two of the cards are simply
marked Happiness. and addressed
to the bride, the other two addressed
to the groom with the word "Congratu-
lations. " Distinctly formal friends need
only send one envelope addressed to
Mr. and Mrs -, with their calling
cards inclosed.
Friendly letters are always more than
welcome, and treasured ever afterward,
as also letters sent to the parents OF
up of daughter, but congratulatinp
them on the gaining of son. Tele.
grams or cablegrams from distant
friends, timed to reach the house Just
after the ceremony, are pleasing evil
dences Of affection that tend to break
the little chill that sometimes falls
Just then upon the assemblage.
A pleasing English custom is fol
friends too far away to Join the we'd,
ding guests IN person, to send Motif
cation that at the corresponding hour
of the ceremony they may be de.
pended upon to drink a bumper to the
health Of the bride. Good church
women vary this by saying that at the
appointed hour they will pray for a
blessing on the young people.
Acknowledgment of all wedding gifts
should be made as quickly as possible
after their receipt. When they come
several days before the wedding-they
can usually be attended to at once--but
If delayed until the wedding day, car
seldom be answered before the return
from the wedding journey.
In selecting the wedding gifts the
of the young couple are to he taker
into account. Ii they are to keep house
they will need and appreciate a vide
variety of equipment and furnishinps
than as though they are to board, a
sensible present sent recently from
Philadelphia to a bride about to start
housekeeping on a ranch, consisted OF
q half dozen each of the best oualit,
bath towels, hand towels, tea. dish.
glass and roller towels, half dozer
dish cloths and the same number n
silver polishing cloths All were
hemmed and marked and the role,
towels sewed together ready to hang.
Last autumn a California bride whr
was also about to embark on ranch
life, counted as one of her most accent
able presents 30 jars, cans and bottle,
containing canned fruits, preserves
jellies, pickles and catsups. This sam,
little bride returning from her wedding
journey to the new house, already fur
nished, found her cupboard filed will
freshly cooked provisions, table SET,
fire made and kettle boilinp-everv,
/. thing ready for their first meal. II wa,
her girl friends who had prepared tht
pleasant surprise, after which the,
withdrew, leaving the young people Il
break their first bread in the new HON,
by themselves.
While dainty china and table linen.
cut glass and silver are always a ioy Il
the bride who loves pretty things about
her, the house furnishing stores show
an assortment of useful, sensible thing,
not apt to be duplicated-that will aISr