Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16

WEDDING FASHIONS

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The eeremonlals and feats which mark
up-to-date weddings are painfully similar,
might almost say monotonous, but have
managed to pick UP few pleasing pointers
| as guide for any In the near future. First as
| to invitations. We have always erred on the
side Of economy at home In addressing one
| invitation to an entire family. thus: Mr..
and Mrs. Johnson and family" There
should be one invitation for Mr.. and Mrs.
| Henry Johnson" second addressed to
the Misses johnson" and a third to 1.-The
Messrs Johnson If there are young men
| In the family. But all three invitations
| may be posted in one large envelope, ad-
| dressed to Mrs. Henry johnson.
| No change is to be noted in the wording
| Of Invitations, which are printed on double
| sheets of heavy white paper. Two cards
are inclosed in this invitation one for the
church and another for the reception.
In New York the ultra smart inclose
| for the especially favored guest tiny card
giving the number of the pew TO which the
! very elect are to be shown by the ushers.
| This does away with the use of a white
| ribbon or rope of flowers to indicate the
pews where the family and intimates are to
De seated. However, We shall not need
| such precautions in our dear old town,
where we have social climbers and the
privacy of the family is respected.
These invitations must go out at least two
weeks in advance. and. like all expenses at
tached to the wedding, they paid for
by the brides family. And just here are
some little notes well worth the conSid-
Grafton of the uninitiated, the distinctions
between the duties of the brides family
and the groom. The former pay for every
detail of the girls trousseau. they decorate
the church. pay the organist and supply the
O
duty at the church on the day of the we'd
dlng; they meet every expense attached
to the reception at the house, provide car
riages to convey the bride and her maids to
and from the church. Also the bride sends
to the best man and his ushers and the
groom, If she likes, the boutonneres sin
gle blossoms to wear the lapels of their
coats. She may also give her maids pretty
souvenirs of the day, such fans.
brooches, etc. and where Il very wealthy
girl is having an elaborate wedding with
picturesquely gowned maids in attendance
she may give the latter their frocks.
On the other hand, the groom must meet
certain financial obligations. He provides
the ring and the carriages in which his best
man and his ushers are conveyed to the
church He sends the bride and her attend
ants their bouquets He fees the clergy
man and also the sexton who opens the
church for a rehearsal of the ceremony. He
may give his best man and ushers souvenirs
of the happy day ia the form of scarf pins,
cuff links, etc, and he may also send them
cravats and gloves. And last. he must pro-
vide the carriage in which he and his bride
are conveyed to the depot or hotel when
they take their departure from the family
roof tree.
And while we are on the subject of car
riages here is another hint. The brides
maids come to the brides home in
riages two girls to the carriage, if the
party is large, if it is small and ex-
pense is not an item. and wait in the car
riageS for her coming. The mother and
other members of the family not included
in the bridal party proper leave the house
first, and in a few minutes the bride, with
her father or the male relative who is 10
give her away. come out, and the brides
maids carriages fall into line. On leaving
the church the groom, of course, occupies
the carriage with his bride, and her father
joins his own wife in another carriage. The
best comes back to the house in the
maid of honor'S carriage, and the ushers
drive back with the bridesmaids, occupying
the vacant seats in the latters carriages.
No matter how busy the bride may be,
she must fino. time to acknowledge her gifts
as fast they arrive, otherwise she will be
showed under at the last moment, and start
OH on her wedding trip with the cloud of
unacknowledged gifts hanging over her
head. In SPITE of the effort to introduce
the English custom of marking all silver
ware with the groom's monogram or crest,
the gifts this year all carry the monogram
or initial of the bride. Another thing about
gifts-they are not displayed on the we'd
ding day by the really smart families A
day or so before the wedding personal
friends are invited to view the gifts. which
are beautifully arranged for this display,
with all the cards removed. But the large
throng invited to the reception catches no
glimpse of them.
I notice that pretty girls in the bridal
parties, dainty frocks and delicate decoTa-
lions are more in vogue than elaborate
over-dressed professions. Ring-bearers and
flower girls are seen occasionally, but the
more simple procession, including ushers,
bridesmaids best man and maid of honor.
is the more common and less cumbersome
arrangement.
In matters of gowns, do not think / ever
saw such superb dressing as Is on display
at these beautiful spring weddings. Women
blossom forth in the most striking of recep-
ton calling gowns. with the Frenchiest
of millinery. For afternoon weddings, of
course. the girls attending the bride all
wear hats. and never have artificial flow
ers been so wondrously suitable for bridal
parties as this year. They are great re-