Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1880 — Wedding Breakfast in London. [ARTICLE]

Wedding Breakfast in London.

When breakfast is announced the bride and bridegroom lead the way, and seat themselves either at the head of the table, or, as is now more usual, in the center, immediately opposite the weddiag cake. The father of the bride follows with the mother of the bridegroom, and seats hinseli next the daughter. During the interval before breakfast the hostess has indicated to the gentlemen what ladies they are to take, and they follow ia due order of precedence, she herself going down last with the bridegroom’s father, and sitting next the bridegroom. The best man always takes the head bridemaid and tho others are taken by gentlemen assigned to them by the hostess. It is usual for them to sit opposite the bride, but'this is not essential. Very frequently the breakfast is not laid out on one long table, at which all the guests sit, but is served like a ball supper, at a long, buffet, where the majority of the gue*ts partake of tbe meal standing, while some small round tables are appropriated to the nearest relatives and principal guests. The menu should include soup, cold salmon, mayonnaises of lobster and chicken, hot cutlets, chaudfroid oi chickens, larks, quails, or something of that kind, cold’ lamb, chicken, bam, tongue and sweets. The table must be prettily arranged with fruit and flowers, the dishes being generally ornamented with silver cosaques, etc . and tho menus printed in silver. Champagne is indispensable, and sherry and claret are likewise offered. Neither tea nor coffee is offered, and ice is a matter of taste, which is as often omitted as not. It is the wise pustom of the day to abolish speeches as much as possible. The guest of the highest rank proposes the health of the bride an 4 bridegroom, and the bridegroom responds, the more briefly the better. If it is wished to drink the health of the bridesmaids, the bridegroom proposes it, and the best man responds, ft is quite obsolete to drink the health of the parents, the object being to curtail the speeches as much as possible. Previous to her health being drunk, the bride cuts the cake, of which it is obligatory that everyone should eat a tiny piece, and then reitres to change her dress, about a quarter of an hour after the guests adjourn to the drawing room. Of course, at afternoon weddings there is no sitting down meal, qnly a buffet, with such refreshments a« are gjven at large afternoon parties, with t|»p addition of the wedding cake. When the adieux are over, two white shoes, at lewd, should be thrown—one by the chief bridemaid, and the of>cr by the best man. It is the farewell of the unmarried to those who have Just left their ranks. If rice is thrpwfl at all, it be lythe matrons, and not by the young lad is*/