HOLLYWOOD WEDDINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20704, 30 April 1929, Page 20

HOLLYWOOD WEDDINGS.

HIGH PRICE OF MATRIMONY. AVERAGE COST ABOUT £6000;; WORLD’S MOST COSTEY PLACfi. One of the most frequent'news items from Hollywood is the announcement of a surprise wedding between two film stare, or one film star and a ;cclebrity. - This may convey the impression that marriage is. cheap there, or that stare find it well within, their means, but according to Miss Laura La Plante, who writes in Tit .Bits, there is scarcely another ;dace in the world where courtship and -marriage are so costly. Yet stars are constantly getting married and unmarried,, and married again, although most of them only do so when they have been at the top of their profession for some years. The average inclusive co.it is stated to be about £6OOO. Mias La Plante ‘ says;—“ First, there are the presents a young mw gives the girl of his fancy before he. can persuade himself to propose. ■ They range from diamond wrist watches, and bracelets to platinum chains with, diamond pendants. He must own a car. as trips -into the country are essential, and these entail membership of ■ various clubs where the journey may be.broken. And on weekends there are visits to the beach. When the engagement, stage is reached there iSan all-round increase in expenditure. The ring may mount up to £2OOO. Emeralds are very popular just now, and cost about £4OO a carat. Then there is. another £l5O for the special - design of .the ring, and a further sum. for, platinum mountmp. ' ; v “ The wedding details are usually taken over by friends. Who always do their very best for the young adventurers, which usually means they go one better than somebody else in the previous' month. Flowers run to £IOO. The minister gets £3O, and the ring costs anything up ‘to £l5O, as it is a round, stone diamond and platinum wedding ring.. At toe close of the ceremony there must be,a car costing One or two thousand, akd - the bridegroom’s gift to the bride may be a string of real pearls. These vary, coneiderably in price. They can. be found-as cheaply, as |SOO, and . the biggest, price ever paid m Hollywood was just over £15,000. . ‘ Ceremony and reception- there is the honeymoon. A trip to ' Europe, with more presents in Paris, and a round of toe shows in London, i a first choice, with a yacht to, Honolulu a good second. Before setting out,- the bride must have a practically inexhaustible stock of gowns. This item recently cost '£lsoo. - ; ■ Meantime' the young husband’s friends have been putting his house in'order. The total cost will certainly pass £12,000, and may reach £30,000. Upkeep charges will be in tune with the others,, for there will probably bo a domestic staff of six. or seven;. . The wife will want -a car for' around; town,” "and,-.of course, the husband, must.have his own, roadster. In all- probability, there will be. a big family, automobile in -the bargain, - ..'“■Within;a month ,br'so the .wife will find it necessary, to adjourn .to.to ew. York to , replenish her wardrobe/- and : -if -"one thinks this Will bo the last of the big items I must hasten to add that it ie- not. This is often the time chosen to start divorce proceedings. The highest-priced lawyers are engaged and the milliondollar battle begins.”