Evening star., 1938-06-05

take place outdoors
- In few the reception alone is to be held
outdoors. Outdoors" includes almost every
setting - from city yard to country place
or farm.
In making plans for an outdoor wedding,
the one first and obvious handicap is the
chance of bad weather. Outside of the far
western states, alternate plans must be made
on the chance that your weather turns out to
be rain.
The great delight of garden wedding is
that the whole outdoor picture lends itself to
many innovations. True, the marriage cere-
mony is a solemn one. A clergyman officiates;
a young man and woman stand before an
altar; and their VOWS are the same, when
taken under the blue arch of the sky. Even So
the picture is much less constrained Friends
waiting for the bride, talk and laugh together,
and demeanor becomes serious, only when the
presence of the clergyman makes it evident
that, for the time being, the garden has taken
on the solemnity of church.
When we are choosing the spot for this
ceremony, near background is better than
distant view. Remember that the bridal scene
is of first importance. and that the bride and
groom and clergyman, silhouetted against
far reaching landscape, are made almost in
visible. Ideally the bridal party should stand
against background of shrubbery, which
forms an alcove of green. A high hedge or any
stretch of dense planting is suitable. If you
have no high hedge or dense shrubbery, it is
practical to plant them now!
My own two standbys, poplar trees and
California privet, transplant perfectly For
one wedding, had a semicircle of poplar
trees planted close together. In front of these
- to simulate the altar - privet hedge,
four and-a-half feet high by seven feet long
and foot in depth, was moved from nurs-
cry. These were all transplanted, with plenty
of fertilizer around them, in June. The trees
cost seventy-five cents each and the piece of
hedge was loaned" Six weeks later, the
hedge was clipped fiat on top and sides, and
made to suggest an altar by upright stakes
thrust through it on either side. To these were
fastened sheaves of white dahlias.
You know, of course, that, exactly as in a
church or at house wedding, the brides
family and friends are at the left side of the
on the right Sometimes crash is pegged down
or a strip of carpet laid for the bride and her
attendants. But this never looks very well.
1t is much better that they trail their dresses
over whatever comes in the way. Though
trainless dresses are therefore, good, there is
To other reason why garden bride should
not wear train. But thin material and
skirt almost as full as that of a ballet dancer
are particularly lovely outdoors.
In those states where the summer heat is
intense so long as the sun is up an evening
wedding may be advisable. In this case, the
lighting should be done by an expert-if pos
sble by one who has had experience in stage
production. l remember garden Illuminated
with foodlights that came from the top Of the
house. Search-lights placed in distant trees
pointing in the same directions as the food
lights illumined many vistas with simulated
moonlight. The altar was lighted with dozens
of candles Lanterns encircled that part of the
garden where the guests stood.
But let me return to typical ay-time,
garden wedding and to the inevitable question
of mems clothes. 1t seems to me that the men
OF the bridal party should be permitted to
wear almost anything they please, so long as
they are we'll turned out and exactly alike.
Light gray or putty or faWn-colored trousers
would be excellent. Bow ties matching dark
blue coats look very nice. But light gray suits,