Bridal Etiquette, Customs and a "Proposing Chair"

No tossing of the bouquet at the Newhall-Cheseborough wedding ~"It is the habit of the Misses Newhalls when they become brides to establish new rules for nuptials."

A Society Bride Shattered Precedents

Mrs. Arthur Chesebrough (Nee Newhall) Keeps Bouquet Despite Ancient Custom

No fortunate maiden grabbed the exquisite bridal bouquet that Miss Elizabeth Newhall carried at the moment she became Mrs. Arthur Chesebrough Wednesday evening. For Mrs. Chesebrough held to the beautiful shower of white orchids and lilies of the valley and enmeshed in tulle and satin ribbon. Thus she established a precedent, for all the brochures on etiquette have admonished the bride to toss her bouquet among the languishing bridesmaids and let them scramble for it. The attendants at the Chesebrough-Newhall wedding were Miss Marion Newhall, the bride's sister; Miss Julia Langhorne, Miss Martha Calhoun, Miss Helene Irwin, Miss Helen Chesebrough and Miss Alexandra Hamilton.

It is the habit of the Misses Newhalls when they become brides to establish new rules for nuptials. When Mrs. Athole McBean, who was Miss Margaret Newhall, was married, the bride set a pretty fashion of simplicity. Her gown of clinging white satin was cut in long straight lines, there was exquisite lace, but as little of it as the mode of her gown would permit, and the bridal veil was simply confined with a wreath of orange blossoms. She wore no sting of pearls nor tiara of diamonds. Her only ornament was her wedding ring. Mrs. Chesebrough followed the bridal traditions with her wedding cake. The tiny gold wedding ring went to Miss Helen Chesebrough and the coin to Stewart Lowery. The thimble, symbol of spinsterhood, was not found.

Bay Area society matron, Mrs. Athole McBean, circa 1940s, had many years earlier, been proposed to in the "proposing chair"owned by her family, the Newhalls.

If ever there should be an auction sale of the Newhall furniture, every society girl in town would set out to acquire one particular article of the household. It is a chair, known as the "proposing chair." Whether or not it is responsible there've been two brides claimed in the domicile recently —the chair has been reupholstered twice.— San Francisco Call, 1911

Etiquette Emthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor  for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia