Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-26
GERRY-T0WNSEND
Noon Ceremony Unites New
Yorker and Washington Belle.
I'm PRESENCE OF Mr.. TAFT
Two Hundred and More Guests Wit
ness the Ceremony.
a VERY BEAUTIFUL BRIDE
Parents of Bridegroom, Other Rela-
tives and Close Friends Here
From New York.

In presence of the President, their near
est kin and a company brilliantly repre-
sentative Of the diplomatic, official and
| resident life of the capital, Miss Matbilde
Townsend. only child of Mrs. Richard III.
Townsend, and Mr.. Peter GoeIet Gerry,
second SON of Mr.. and Mrs. Elbridge T.
Gerry, of New York, were ma FRIED today
at noon at the home of the brides moth
Ell. Rev. Roland Cotton Smith, rector of
| st. Johns Church, performed the mar
riage ceremony. which was followed by
| seated breakfast.
| The couple left late this afternoon.
| their destination being first, New York,
where they will board Commodore
Gerry's steam yacht Electra for the
| Gerry country place on Delaware bay.
! They expect to spend a month in that
vicinity, and will later go to Bar Har
| Dor and Newport, their present intention
being to defer sailing for Europe for
several months. They will make their
! winter home in New York.
The Presidents Arrival.
President Taft, accompanied by Capt.
| Archibald Butt, arrived at the Townsend
! home a few minutes before l. o'clock.
| He was escorted TO the main hall, where
Mrs. Townsend welcomed him. During
the ceremony he stood near the hostess
at the right of the altar which had
| been erected in the splendid gold and
white ballroom. The President remained
| for the wedding breakfast. being seated
| at a round table over which Mrs. Town
| send presided and at which the Vice
| President and Mrs Sherman and the
| members of the cabinet and their wives
| were also seated, At the appropriate
moment the President toasted the bride
| in most felicitous speech.
The Floral Decorations.
| There never has been a more beauti-
| full floral decoration seen at the capital
| than adorned the ballroom for the cere-
mony. Artistic in itself. the absolute
harmony of the room to which it added
| a new and feeting beauty, made a we'll
nigh perfect picture. The upper half was
| transformed into a chancel The alcove
| held the altar. the background of which
| was EMPOWERED in tall palms, whose
| arching branches reached to the ceiling.
Separating the mirrors which line the
| room were tall Jars each filled with white
| lilies Like sentinels al the entrance to
| the chancel were Louis XVI pedestals on
| which stood vases filed with lilies.
Stretching out like ribbons were other
vases filled with lilies. outlining a path
through which the bridal party approach
ed from the door at the east to the pres
ence of the officiating clergy man.
| The bridal party was small one. The
| lovely bride. whom SO many admring
glances followed each step of her way to
| the altar was escorted by her uncle, Mr.
| Charles Hamat Strong of Erie Pa, and
| preceded by Miss Katherine Elkins, her
only attendant. In front OF the altar was
| the waiting bridegroom. with his brother,
Mr.. Robert Livingston Gerry. as best
| man.
| The brief ceremony over. the couple re-
| ceived the congratula tons OF relatives
! and friends and within a half hour the
| company which numbered about ID per-
| sons was seated AT breakfast President
! Taft escorted the bride to her place at Il
round table. where the bridegroom. the
! bridesmaid and best man and the young
relatives OF the couple were also seated.
Mrs. Townsend's table. where the PTesi-
dent sat. was a larger one also ar
ranged in the dining room, which, like
the ballroom is among the largest at the
! capital. Each of these tables and the
| others. at which the rest of the company
in groups of six and eight was enter
| tanned, was beautifully adorned with
flowers. The tables were arranged in the
han as we'll as the dining room.
i The Lovely Bride.
II In her bridal finery Miss Townsend
made a. beautiful bride. her conleliness,
her height and her happiness contributing
| to her we'll known charms
Her wedding dress came from Rue de
| la Faix artist in gown building. Its
| hssty preparation. as already outlined in
news articles referred only TO its mount
ing. The fabrc-a robe of point d'alen-
con lace-was long since wrought by
patient fingers awaiting royal or a
millionaire order White satin yelled in
mousseline de sole formed the founda-
ton for the lace. which fell in court
train, the conventional three OR four
yards behind the fair wearer. The