MARRIAGE 4^ Tliis partv may l)e given at a reslaiiraiit if it should be moVe convenient. Should the bride's parents hve in the countr3^ or in a house too small to entertain a large party, they may liire a hall in the nearest town. The invitations are of the usual kind, bearing no reference whatever to the raisofi d'etre of the gathering. The announcement is made quite informally, the hosts intro- ducing their future son-in-law to their friends and relatives. Should it be a dinner party these intro- ductions are made in the drawing-room ])cfore going down, and sometimes the health c t the engaged couple is drunk towards the close of the meal. A party of this kind is fairly usual in well- to-do classes of society, but famihes possessed of but small means are not expected to entertain on these occasions in this way. PR R PA RATIONS FOR THE WEDDING Preparations for the wedding have to begin betimes. The church is chosen, and the hour settled with the vestry clerk. Shall the service be fully choral ? If so what hymns shall be sung, and has the bride any choice about tlie " XVedding March " ? Does she prefer Mendelssohn or Wagner ? All these details have to be settled. Then comes the question of the printed cards or booklets to be placed in the pews for the use of the invited guests. These are sometimes very dainty and attractive, though very much ornament is out of place. Anything approaching the florid is now con- sidered bad form ; pretty type, liowever. may be chosen. The initials" of bride and bridegroom, and the date, appear on the first leaf, and the name of the church is also given some prominence. Before settling upon the music it is onlv civil to consult the organist of the church. It is also politic, for he may have some good suggestions to offer. The fees for the choir are ascertained, and should an anthem be included in the service it is but fair that some extra payment should be made to the owners of the beautiful voices to be heard in it. Some very special fees arc occasionally paid in this way. At a wedding in the Brompton Oratory several j^ears ago, a boy with an exquisite voice received /200 for singing a solo. Those who heard him can never forget how the music seemed to fall from above and fill with sweetness this immense building ; the effect was thrilling. nECORATIONS The floral decoration of the church is generally entrusted to the florist with whom the bride's family is accustomed to deal. Usually the chancel is decorated with tall palms and bamboos, exotic plants clustering round and upon the great pots in which the palms are growing. At one wedding a beautiful effect was obtamed by placing tall white lilies along the chancel rails. Very elaborate floral decorations are seen at some weddings. Flowers are ranged down either side of the central aisle, and even round the font. The window-sills have been covered with moss and cut flowers, and, at one wedding, the pulpit was included in the scheme of decoration. Tn this instance the pillars were wreathed with smilax, and from the galleries hung festoons of this invaluable ornamental " greenery " with roses tied to it at intervals. Appropriate as flowers are at a wedding, there is a need for proportion. Marriage is a solemn sacrament. Flowers arc ap- propriate to the joyful occasion, but when immoderately used the}'- render the sur- roundings insignificant in comparison. THE INVITATIONS Invitations to a wedding arc sent out in the joint names of the father and mother of the bride, should both be alive. If not, the surviving parent invites the guests. Should he or she have married again, the name of the second partner appears upon the invitations, though there is a slight difference in the wording. The following is the form of invitation on ordinary occasions, when both parents are .alive : AFr. and Mrs. Fitz- Jones request the pleasure of company on the occasion of the marriage of their daughter Helen Mary, with Captain George Richard Smith, at St. George's, Hanover Square, on Saturday, November 27th, at 2.30 o'clock and afterwards at ■ The London Hotel, Norfolk Avenue. ■R.S.V.P. to Qoo, Berkeley Grove, W. The invitations should be sent out about three weeks before the date fixed for the wedding. Should anything occur to prevent the marriage being solemnised or the day arranged, a notice of the alteration must be sent to ever^'onc who had received an in- vitation, or an intimation of the change should appear in the " INforning Post." Should, however, the delay be owing to serious illness, the family can scarcely be cx- [)ected to send out notices. They may safch' conclude that the news of this should have spread among their friends and acquaintances. The bride's mother gives a number of her invitation cards to the bridegroom's famil}^ in order that they may invite their friends to the wedding. Sometimes this is done by giving a list of the names and addresses to the bride's mother. She then sends out the invitations with the rest. THR PRESENTS Though some presents may be received previous to the sending out of the invitations
