Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-07
Georse.Simon

Preceded by festivities which have
covered nearly every evening of the
previous week, the wedding of Miss
Sadie Simon and Joseph George. well
known members of the Syrian colony
OF Watervilie. took place Sunday at
the Sacred Heart church at l o'clock,
Father kealey performing the cere-
mony.
According to the Syrian custom. can
dies were lighted in the home Of the
bride Sunday previous to the time set
for the wedding and she was escorted
from room to room by girl friends,
who also when the time came, helped
her to array herself in her wedding
finery singing chants during the dom
ming of the garments. Meanwhile the
groom, in his own home, vas in the
hands of his men friends, for u Syrian
man is not permitted to make his own
toilet on the occasion of his marriage,
hut is assisted to don his wedding gar
ments by his friends.
When the stated hour drew near.
the bride was led forth from her home
by men friends Of the family, who
escorted her carefully half way down
the stairs, where she was met by men
friends of the groom, who with studied
care of her wedding garments, escort
ed her to the waiting automobile,
where she was seated by the side Of
her bridesmaid, as the custom or her
country would not permit her to SIT
with the groom, who must sit beside
the best man on the way to the church.
The bridal gown was thoroughly Am
erican, being of white embroidered
crepe de chine. while the veil was a
hand decorated tulle, caught with
orange blossoms. In addition, the
bride wore the various fine gifts OF
the groom, which were in this case,
gold watch, handsome and very
heavy bracelet Of a snake pattern, ana
one or two other ornaments.
The ceremony at the church was at
tended by many Of the Syrian peo-
pie of the city The bride was at
tended by Miss Rosie Hart and the
groomsman was Joseph Kelley. The
bride was given in marriage by her
father Simon Stephen. Returning
from the church, the bride and groom
sat together and went directly to the
home prepared for them. Here they
were met with showers of confetti ana
rice by a delegation of friends. The
wedding festivities then proceeded,
there being Syrian songs and dances
to Syrian music on Syrian instru-
ments. One of these instruments was
a sort of pipe which was lavishly DEC
Grated with bead fringe, another was
:, sort of drum, the head being
stretched over a vase shaped article,
open at the opposite end. This was
beaten with the bare hand with a sort
of slapping motion and was very res
onant and musical. The third lnstru-
ment was very like the tambourlne.
dinner was later served, also OF
Syrian dishes. which We're most ap-
petizing in appearance. There was
chicken served in several ways, meat
and rice cakes, string beans with pi-
mento and a delectable looking dish
consisting of a vegetable looking much
like a cucumber, from which the IN
side was scooped out and the shell
filed with meat and vegetables and
boiled and there was also the newt
able thin bread in large sheets. After
the dinner, Syrian wines, nuts and coz
fections. cigars and cigarettes were
served The evening was also given
over to the continuation Of the wed
ding celebration, at which there were
more songs. dances and different forms
of merriment, lasting until midnight.