The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-06-07
BRILLIANT SOCIAL
AFFAIR At OLD
FIRST CHURCH
Miss Agnes Van SantVOOrd Bride
of William Thompson Rice
MARRIAGE SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Ceremony in Historic Structure Fol-
lowed by Reception at
Shadowbrook Farm.

Miss Agnes Van Santvoord, daugh-
ter of Hon. Seymour Van Santvoord,
chairman of the second division OF
the New York public service commits
sion, and William Thompson Rice,
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Rice OF
Pittsleld, Mass, were married at A
o'clock Saturday afternoon at the
Old First Congregational church at
Old Bennington. Rev. Isaac Jennings,
the pastor, ofiiciated assisted by
Rev. Adelbert p. Higley, of Cleve-
land, formerly OF the First Presbyter-
ian church of Troy.
Exceptional opportunities for deco
ration were afforded by the quaint,
old fashioned architecture of the
church interior. Strands of laurel
roping were festooned along the
balustrades of the horseshoe gallery
with frequent pendants of the same
material The lofty pulpit was bank
ed with palms, the solid green pleas
ingly broken with the white of pot
ted marguerites and large clusters of
spirea.
The ushers were Irving Fish of
Minneapolis, Philip Haywood of Wor-
cester. Mass, Frederick Victor of
New York, Donald Weston and
Thomas Plunkett of pittsfield, class
mates of Mr.. Rice at Williams col
lege, and William Leroy Shields OF
Bennington.
To the strains of the wedding
march from 'Lohengrln," played by
Charles Stafford. organist of st.
Georges church, New York, the bride
walked up the ribboned aisle Of the
church on the arm of her father
who gave her in marriage She was
charmingly gowned in white satin,
trimmed with lace and pearls and
her veil of lace and tulle was draped
from wreath of orange blossoms
about her hair. Her boquet was n
shower of lilies of the valley and
sweet peas.
The bridesmaids were Miss Virgin
ia Van Santvoord and Miss Edith
Van Santvoord, sisters of the bride.
Miss Eloise Stevens of Hoosick Falls
and Miss Elizabeth Dutton of Pitts
field. They were beautifully gowned
in light blue tulle with silver slippers
and black lace and tulle hats. Their
boquets were of pink Sweetheart
roses and sweet peas tied with silver
tulle.
At the altar the procession was
met by the bridegroom and his best
man, Secor Cunningham of Chicago,
a student at Cornell university.
The brides gifts to her attendants
were blue enamel pins set with
pearls and the bridegroom presented
the best man and ushers gold key
chains.
A reception at Shadowbrook, the
sumer home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Van
Santvoord, followed the ceremony.
The house was prettily decorated
with palms, laurel and cut flowers. In
the evening there was a dance for
the young people at the Mount An
thony club house.
After their wedding trip Mr.. and
Mrs. Rice will reside at 1877 Wendell
avenue. Pittsfield. Mr.. Rice, who
graduated from Williams in the class
of 1913 is associated with his father
in the silk manufacturing business.
The guests Included many from Pitts
field, Williamstown, Troy and yicini-
ty
Mrs. Rice is one of the charming
young women members of Berning-
TONS large summer colony ana her
pleasing personality has made for her
large circle of acquaintances IN
the community who will wish her
every happiness.