|
The Etiquette of Weddings
Scarcely a week passes during the year that the
fashionable journals do not publish "answers to
correspondents" on that subject of all others most
interesting to young ladies, the etiquette of
weddings. No book can tell the plain truth with
sufficient emphasis, that the etiquette at a grand
wedding is always the same. The next day some one
writes to a newspaper again,
"Shall the bridegroom wear a dress-coat at the hour
of eleven A.M., and who pays for the wedding-cards?"
The wedding of to-day in England has "set the
fashion" for America. No man ever puts on a
dress-coat before his seven-o'clock dinner,
therefore every bridegroom is dressed in a
frock-coat and light trousers of any pattern he
pleases; in other words, he wears a formal morning
dress, drives to the church with his best man, and
awaits the arrival of the bride in the vestry-room.
He may wear gloves or not as he chooses. The best
man is the intimate friend, sometimes the brother,
of the groom. He accompanies him to the church, as
we have said, follows him to the altar, stands at
his right hand a little behind him, and holds his
hat during the marriage-service. After that is ended
he pays the clergyman's fee, accompanies, in a coup,
by himself, the bridal party home, and then assists
the ushers to introduce friends to the bridal pair.
The bridegroom is allowed to make what presents he
pleases to the bride, and to send something in the
nature of a fan, a locket, a ring, or a bouquet to
the bridesmaids; he has also to buy the
wedding-ring, and, of course, he sends a bouquet to
the bride; but he is not to furnish cards or
carriages or the wedding-breakfast; this is all done
by the bride's family. In England the groom is
expected to drive the bride away in his own
carriage, but in America even that is not often
allowed.
The bride meantime is dressed in gorgeous array,
generally in white satin, with veil of point-lace
and orange blossoms, and is driven to the church in
a carriage with her father, who gives her away. Her
mother and other relatives having preceded her take
the front seats. Her bridesmaids should also precede
her, and await her in the chancel of the church.
The ushers then proceed to form the procession with
which almost all city weddings are begun. The ushers
first, two and two; then the bridesmaids, two and
two; then some pretty children--bridesmaids under
ten; and then the bride, leaning on her father's
right arm. Sometimes the child bridesmaids precede
the others. As the cortege reaches the lowest
altar-step the ushers break ranks and go to the
right and left; the bridesmaids also separate, going
to the right and left, leaving a space for the
bridal pair. As the bride reaches the lowest step
the bridegroom advances, takes her by her right
hand, and conducts her to the altar, where they both
kneel. The clergyman, being already in his place,
signifies to them when to rise, and then proceeds to
make the twain one.
The bridal pair walk down the aisle arm-in-arm, and
are immediately conducted to the carriage and driven
home; the rest follow. In some cases, but rarely in
this country, a bridal register is signed in the
vestry.
Formerly brides removed the whole glove; now they
adroitly cut the finger of the left-hand glove, so
that they can remove that without pulling off the
whole glove for the ring. Such is a church wedding,
performed a thousand times alike. The organ peals
forth the wedding-march, the clergyman pronounces
the necessary vows to slow music, or not, as the
contracting parties please. Music, however, adds
very much to this ceremony. In a marriage at home,
the bridesmaids and best man are usually dispensed
with. The clergyman enters and faces the company,
the bridal pair follow and face him. After the
ceremony the clergyman retires, and the wedded pair
receive congratulations.
An attempt has been made in America to introduce the
English fashion of a wedding-breakfast. It is not as
yet acclimated, but it is, perhaps, well to describe
here the proper etiquette. The gentlemen and ladies
who are asked to this breakfast should be apprised
of that honor a fortnight in advance, and should
accept or decline immediately, as it has all the
formality of a dinner, and seats are, of course,
very important. On arriving at the house where the
breakfast is to be held, the gentlemen leave their
hats in the hall, but ladies do not remove their
bonnets. After greeting the bride and bridegroom,
and the father and mother, the company converse for
a few moments until breakfast is announced. Then the
bride and groom go first, followed by the bride's
father with the groom's mother, then the groom's
father with the bride's mother, then the best man
with the first bridesmaid, then the bridesmaids with
attendant gentlemen, who have been invited for this
honor, and then the other invited guests, as the
bride's mother has arranged. Coffee and tea are not
offered, but bouillon, salads, birds, oysters, and
other hot and cold dishes, ices, jellies, etc., are
served at this breakfast, together with champagne
and other wines, and finally the wedding-cake is set
before the bride, and she cuts a slice.
|