Etiquette: French Marriage Milestones

For a Silver Anniversary, “The lady is again called the bride, and her toilet is superb, supposing her position in the world justifies it. The flowers which she is expected to wear are large white ox eyes - known in France as reines marguerites. The bridegroom wears a dress coat.” – An1880’s Bridal Set. Design by M. Benoit (23, rue Royale), Drawing by L. Mesnil

Silver marriages are very pleasing festivals in France. When a couple have completed twenty-five years of married life the event is celebrated with all the show of joy and festivity possible. In the first place, there is a religious ceremony in church, which has a good deal of the outward forım of a genuine wedding. The lady is again called the bride, and her toilet is superb, supposing her position in the world justifies it. The flowers which she is expected to wear are large white ox eyes - known in France as reines marguerites. The bridegroom wears a dress coat. The pair are surrounded by their children and grandchildren- if there are any. All relations are invited, for a grand family muster is considered essential. 

A dinner is given, followed by a ball, which is opened by the newly remarried couple, the lady dancing with her eldest son and her husband with his eldest daughter. Golden weddings are much rarer than silver weddings. Death only allows a very small proportion of married people to live fifty years together. The ceremony is the same as in the case of silver weddings. There are now great-grandchildren as well as grandchildren present, and the old people open the ball with the eldest of the last generation of their decendants. -Paris Co. Boston Transcript, 1887

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