CHANGES IN WEDDING CUSTOMS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 75, 21 December 1929, Page 22

CHANGES IN WEDDING CUSTOMS

There are changes in wedding customs as in everything. The actual service may have altered little in the course of centuries —some brides like to have the ring blessed, and this is done in several /churches —but as regards the music there are distinct changes, and for the better, -states a London writer. The hymn, “The Voice that Breathed O’er Eden” does not often herald the bridal procession to the altar in these days. The usual hymn for opening the service now is “Lead Us, Heavenly Father.” Of course, some brides have special favourites which they have . included in their wedding services. At one time experts from operas would not have been played in church by the organisf or guardsmen musicians in the Guards’ Chapel, now they are usual, and Wagner’s bridal music from “Lohengrin” rivals Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” in favour for the close of the service. Only in the Guards’ Chapel is the National Anthem played at the end. During the last few years there has been a leaning toward medieval words set by modern composers, such as “God Be In My Head,” from a 1398 sarum set by £>ir Walford Davies, now very largely included Jn wedding services, or Edmund Spenser’s “This Joyous Day, Deare Lord,” set by Martin Shaw. A curious change of recent date is that Saturday has become a favourite day for weddings, especially for those of daughters of legal luminaries. On some Saturdays lately there have been as many as seven fashionable weddings in well-known West End churches. In Edwardian times Saturday was a favourite wedding day. Then came the week-end craze, and a Saturday wedding was most unusual. Now the motor-car makes it easy to get

TENDENCIES IN ENGLAND

into the country comfortably after a Saturday wedding at the now smart hour of 2.15 or 2.30.

Nowadays bridal dresses are varied in colour; bridal white is no longer the unanimous choice. Many dresses are pale pink or pale blue. If dead white is considered too trying, ivory or oyster shades are resorted to, and these often lined with pink, which glows softly through. Gold has become quite a favourite choice for bridal attire, in which case the veil and wreath are usually gold too. The “wreath of orange blossoms” celebrated in the old song, is still worn, but looked upon as somewhat demode. Diadem, coronet and tiara shaped wreaths, Russian halo, and medieval head-dresses ' are now preferred to the simple wreath. The vogue for short-skirted and sleevei less bridal dresses is rapidly passing. It r has become apparent that they do not harmonise with an ecclesiastical background. Medieval dresses, .or .what used to be called princess robes, with closelyfitting bodice and skirt in one, are more generally worn. Romantic weddings are as many as ever. The question of the remarrying of divorced people has made the register office marriages quite usual. At these there is little ceremony, although often 1 they are followed by a wedding service in a church, with bridal dress and bridesmaids, exactly the same as at the weddings of undivorced people. The ring is by no means always gold. Modern girls have platinum rings, and frequently a favourite motto engraved inside. These are seldom of the romantic character of those in the old posy wedding rings, now regarded as interesting antiques.