The Washington times., 1906-10-05
HOW WEDDING EXPENSES AND
COSTS RRE DIVIDED IN DETAIL
Refreshments Furnished by the Bride, the Clergy
mans Fee by the Bridegroom.

All wedding expenses, whether for a
simple home service or for an elaborate
church ceremony, are paid by the bride,
except the minister's fee. which Is op-
tional, and occasionally the carriage
hire. Either OF these sums is small in
comparison TO what the bride has 20
pay, for the amount Of money given the
officiating clergyman depends entirely
upon the generosity Of the bridegroom
and incidentally upon what he can af-
ford, while for the carriages, even when
there are ushers and bridesmaids, the
price rarely exceeds so or SIS.
Whether a dollar bill or fifty dollars
IN gold is presented to the clergyman 1t
Is considered good form TO send II
through the best man or by a relative,
so that the groom viii not give IL per-
sOnally. Usually new gold pieces or
crisp bills are placed in a white en-
veIope. sealed and directed with the
minister's name and with the words
Kindness Of bearer" or by courtesy
Of M Smith or Brown" &c. This fee
Is anything from 81 10 SIS for the bride
groom in moderate circumstances AS
for coach hire, a cab that viii seat four
persons can be had for 81. and If kept
over the contract time for 81 extra each.
Aside from these two items all ex-
penses OF the ceremony are met by the
bride. the decorations Of church or
house. tie music. and the wedding col
latiOn, v Sather q costly breakfast or
dinner or just a simple buffet luncheon.
Expense Of Church Ceremony.
There is considerable expense attach
ed 70 a ceremony In a church, whether
or not the bride IS a member. for the
services OF the orgauist 20 play the
wedding marches cannot be secured for
less than so. and usually the charge is
$50. II there is choir an additional
sum Of $50. or perhaps more, viii be
necessary. To an outsider the amount
charged for opening church, which IN
CIudes sweeping. dusting, light, heat il
necessary. and the services OF men 20
,yiy,. carriage calls. IS $40 a member OK
the congregation does not nave 70 pay
moro than So for yhe church, ana IT TINS
sum IS too much the seAto SCI 10
Tor getting the interior In order are
AT large weddings. where the oflces
OF "A maid are necessary, an tAla LtS
OF s. IS charged, and coihpgteIt ~ ~,
is furnished who can arrange lle ltrs ,
veu and gown and make any repairs
needed i'm the bridesmaids frocks.
AZ 10 the church decorations the Lto-
mons used To mark OK lilr SNAN7 't' 49,
afsIas reserved for the bridal party Cu9t
an cents a yard ana the rented palit'7
fror- si no g.. according 10 size. AAe
s-9eiIer palms. that measure from
twelve 20 fifteen feet can De hlIro Lv-
a uhIla those that are twenty on
fTu--nnrv-nvc feet. the size needed IN most
T5777rc6eS cost g. each As tWcnty-'tt
or thirty of these palms are VSG1i-F
,-e~czsarv 20 properly ornament @ en- 1
eel the sum FOR them alone IS S'9 OF %'l-
Cost of Cut Flowers.
The amount spent for the cut fowers,
such as smuax. farleyance. ferns, sweet
meas roses. lilies, orchids for vases on
the altar or for decorating the pillars oI
the church depends on how many are
used and upon the season OF the year,
The simplest bind Of floral Ornamental
ton. unless wild flowers gathered In
home gardens or II the woods are. used,
costs $00. and from that upward
Though the decorations are costly,
they are not the largest item OF eN-
freshments, If many guests are invited.
amount 10 several hundreds OF dollars
when comparatively simple dishes are
served.
Tie llghtest kind OF refreshments. II
served by q good caterer. cost at least
81 "a plate, and these VIII include only
the simplest things. such IS dainty white
breaa sandwiches with minced chicken,
nuts. or cheese, tied with narrow pink or
blue ribbons and rolled or cut diamond
shane With these q cup OF iced or hot
ccfree. tea. or chocolate with whipped
cream, and later a water ice with or