The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-04
ROYAL WEDDING
 IS CELEBRATED Prince Wilhelm of Sweden Mar ries Russian Grand Duchess CEREMONY IS SPLENDID
Marriage Takes Place in Tsarsko-Selo Palace and Is Witnessed By Royal Relatives and High Dignitaries
 of Many Nations.

St. Petersburg, Ma 3.-Prince Will helm of Sweden, second son of King Gustave, the popular sailor prince who visited America in 1907, was married this afternoon to Grand Duchess Mare Pavlovna, cousin of the Emperor of Russia and daughter of Grand Duke Paul AleXandrovItch. The ceremony took place at Tsarskoe-S -Selo and WIS | accompanied by all the brilliant dis play of color characteristic of the most stately court in Europe The day was marred by a few falls of snow. which have failed to chill the enthusiasm of the great crowds that gathered around the palace to catch a glimpse of the l Emperor and other royal personages | and the arriving guests
 In the evening a great state ban. quet was served, at which toasts were drunk to the good understanding be- tween Sweden and Russia recently | reached in the Baltic agreement, to which today's wedding-theS first in modern times between the ruling houses of the two countries-puts the seal.
 The wedding guests who took part a the ceremony assembled at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon at the great palace at Tsarsko-Selo. Only Premier Stolypin, the members of the cabinet, the pres- ident of the douma and the president of the council of state, the principal ambassadors to Russia and their wives, md fa of n h ferl, net ito oYia ,p the empire found place in the smatl blue and gold chapel of the palace where the orthodox ceremony was per- formed. The other guests were sta tioned according to their rank in the various salons and halls through which the bridal procession passed. Robing the Bride.
 The robing of the bride was per l formed in accordance with custom in | the private apartments of the Elm | press. She was dressed by the Empress and the Dowager Empress, assisted by | their maids of honor and their ladies' in-waiting. The bride wore on Tier l head a jeweled diadem, and from her shoulders hung a long trained mantle of strawberr velvet lined with ermine. In the procession the train of this gar | ment was borne by five court cham berlains. As soon as the bride had been completely arrayed, Prince Will helm was notified by the master of ceremonies and conducted to the inner apartments, where the Grand Duchess Marie was waiting.
 A salute of 21 guns and a blare of trumpets announced the start of the pro- cession At it's head came the Dowager Empress on the arm of King Gustave. the Emperor of Russia escorting Queen Olga of Greece; the Empress escorted by the Grand Duke of Hesse; Crown Prince Ferdinand and Crown Princess Marie of Roumania, attended by court ushers and marshals and other function aries. Then, arm in arm, came in the bridal pair. Behind tn, young couple marched Prince Nicholas and Prince An drew of Greece and their wives; Prince Christopher of Greece and Prince Carlo of Sweden and his wife. The guests from foreign courts were followed by more than a score of Russian grand dukes and grand duchesses. The grand duchesses, like all the invited ladies. wore the pie turesque Russian court costume of high arl-encircled caps and low-cut dresses, with ancient Russian embroideries.
 Received By Priest.
 The imperial guests were received at
 
 the court and a number of priests. After the Emperor had been blessed and sprink- led with holy water, he conducted the bridal procession to before the golden gates of the high altar The wedding rings were brought from the altar on golden salvers and placed upon the fin- gers of the bride and ths bridegroom by the Emperor's confessor. The metropolitan then completed the rites of the Russian marriage service two of the brides near est relatives holding crowns over the heads of the bridal pair during the cere- mony. While the Te Deum was being chanted an imperial salute of 101 guns was fred. The procession then returned to the ante-salons where the ceremony was performed by the Swedish Bishop of Lund. This brought the afternoon pro- gramme to an end.
 The nuptial dinner was served at 7:30 o'clock in the evening.
 After the dinner the members of the imperial family and their royal guests participated in a polonaise. This stately progress around the great reception hall was something in the nature of the ''Ho- henzollern torch dance." After this func- ton the guests were driven in state to the Alexander paace the private resi- dence of the Emperor. the bridal pair rid ing with their sponsors in a gala equip age The Emperor, the Empress and the Dowager Empress were surrounded by torch bearers and escorted by a com pany of the Emperors cossack guard in brilliant blue and scarlet uniforms.
 At a late hour the bridal pair took a special train for St. Petersburg, where