Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-17
WEDDING EXPENSES
COST IN DETAIL AND HOW TO d.
VIDE IT.
Generosity Of the Bridegroom Tells
With the Minis
ter.


pie home service or for an elaborate
church ceremony. are paid by the bride, ex-
cept the minister's fee, which is optional.
and occasionally the carriage hire. Either
Of these sums is small In comparison to
what the bride has to pay. for the amount
of money given the officiating clergyman
depends entirely upon the generosity of
the bridegroom and incidentally upon what
he can afford, while for carriages. even
when there are ushers and bridesmaids, the
price rarely exceeds $40 or $25.
Whether dollar bill or $50 in gold is pre-
scented to the clergyman it is considered
good form to send 1t through the best man
or by relative so that the groom will not
give it personally. Usually new gold pieces
or crisp bills are placed in a white envelope,
sealed and directed with the minister's
name and with the words, kindness of
bearer" or by courtesy of Mr.. Smith or
Brown, ETC." This fee is anything from 81
to s25 for the bridegroom in moderate cir
cumstances AS for coach hire, cab that
will seat four persons can be had for -.
and If kept over the contract time for 81
extra each
Aside from these two Items all expenses
of the ceremony are met by the bride, the
decorations of church or house, the
music and the wedding collation., whether
a costly breakfast or dinner or just sim
pie buffet luncheon.
Expense of Church Ceremony.
There is considerable expense attached 10
a ceremony in a church. whether or not
the bride is member, for the services of
an organist to play the wedding marches
cannot be secured for less than $40, and
usually the charge is $50. If there is a
choir an additional sum of $50 or perhaps
more will be necessary. To an outsider
the amount charged for opening church,
which includes sweeping, busting. light,
heat II necessary, and the services of men
to give carriage calls, Is $40. A member of
the congregation does not have to pay
more than 50 for the church, and If this
sum is too much the sections services for
getting the interior in order are given free
AT large weddings, where the offices of a
maid are necessary, an extra fee OF $3 is
charged, and competent one is furnished
who can arrange the brides veil and gown
and make any repairs needed in the brides
maids frockS.
AS to the church decorations, the rib
bons used to mark off the seats in the
aisles reserved for the bridal party cost
40 cents a yard and the rented palms from
81 to s. according to size The smaller
palms, that measure from twelve to fifteen
feet, can be hired for 81. while those that
needed in most churches cost 81 each. AS
twenty-five or thirty of these palms are
usually necessary to properly ornament a
chancel, the sum for them alone is $50 or
So
Cost of Cut Flowers
The amount spent for the cut flowers,
such as smilax, farleyance, ferns, sweet
peas. roses, lilies. orchids for vases on the
altar for decorating the pillars of the
church, depend on how many are used. and
upon the season of the year. The simplest
kind of floral characterization, unless wild
flowers gathered in home gardens or in the
woods are used, costs $500, and from that
upward.
Though the decorations are costly, they
are not the largest item of expense that
the bride pays, for the REFRESHMENTS If
many guests are invited, amount to several
hundreds of dollars when comparatively
simple dishes served.
The lightest kind of refreshments, If
served by good caterer, cost at least a
dollar a plate. and these will include only
the simplest things, such as dainty white
bread sandwiches with minced chicken,
nuts or cheese, tied with narrow pink or
blue ribbons and rolled or cut diamond
shape. With these a cup Of iced or hot
coffee, tea or chocolate with whipped
cream, and later a water ice with or with
out fruit and some small cakes makes a
simple but tasty luncheon.
COLLATION. May be Simple or Elaborate.
A buffet wedding breakfast served stand
ing may be had at a cost of $3.50 plate, or
| seated for So or $3.50. This collation. would
include jellied soup. cold; crabs fixed in
some relishing and attractive way, or seal
lops or chicken croquettes Veal or SQUAD
| patties would also be appropriate for this
course. For the next service boneless tur-
key or chicken with white jelly, or tongue
garnlshed with white jelly and pars ey
An Ice or Ice cream with macaroons fol-
lowed by demi-tasse Of coffee, would be
the last course. If champagne or wine
punch are served to the guests the cost of
the plates will be from 81 to g extra.
ME not necessary part of the decora-
tons or ceremony, the brides bouquet, al
ways given by the bridegroom is consid-
cred essential even at a private home we'd
ding, as well as at a large church function.
The cost of this bouquet, which is usu-
ally a shower of white roses orchids or
gardenias, with lilies -the-valley de-
pends. entirely upon the size. The sum
pald Tor even small bunch of flowers
mace into a shower is rarely less than
sio. and from that amount up into the