Wedding Fancies of 1893

The favorite hour for weddings is at noon and the chosen place church, the reception at the home of the bride immediately following the ceremony. This early hour necessitates a wedding breakfast, of which the guests partake seated at large or small tables, or with less formality and expense it may be served from a buffet.

With the Present Matrimonial Season have Come Some Changed Customs

This world is a world of change, and each season brings its variation of manners and customs. Wedding etiquette is undergoing some alterations, though in the main it remains unchanged, and some of these fancies are noted as follows by Harper’s Bazar: 

The preference in engagement rings still inclines toward the solitaire diamond, the purest stone, even though small, being in better taste than a more showy one, defective in color. The setting is narrow, showing as little gold as possible, and the gem is not too prominent. Though the solitaire ranks first, yet for the sake of novelty some young people select a diamond and emerald cluster or a ruby and diamond set obliquely, a fine ruby tripling in value a diamond of equal size. The wide and heavy wedding ring has been discarded in favor of a narrow oval band of gold, as pure as is feasible for long wear. The “square” ring is entirely out of vogue.  

The favorite hour for weddings is at noon and the chosen place church, the reception at the home of the bride immediately following the ceremony. This early hour necessitates a wedding breakfast, of which the guests partake seated at large or small tables, or with less formality and expense it may be served from a buffet. The wedding cake is provided in small, square boxes, tied with satin ribbon, a gold or silver monogram in one corner, the boxes arranged on a table near the door and handed out by a functionary to each departing guest.  

The floral decorations are to be more elaborate at the house than at the church. Any blossoms not shading on purple are appropriate for wedding decoration, but the long stemmed American Beauty roses will be much used, as they are very effective when massed together in jars or vases, with a background of maiden-hair fern and palms. Lilies of the valley and white orchids are the most choice flowers for the bridal bouquet, but the rose known as the “Bride,” though creamy rather than dead white, is used, it being much liked not only from the sentiment attached to it for its name’s sake, but because it has a firm stem and is easily carried. 

Gardenias are too stiff for the bouquet, but they are worn ns a boutonnières by the groom, best man and ushers. Ropes or garlands of flowers will form a pretty alternative for the satin ribbons dividing the family seats from the rest of the church, and the little maids attendant upon the bride may carry baskets of cut flown or loose nosegays, as taste or preference has decreed.– San Jose Herald, 1893

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