THE VANDERBILT-FAIR WADDING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6496, 27 May 1899, Page 3

THE VANDERBILT-FAIR WADDING.

The wedding of the New York.season has been that of William K. Vanderbilt to-Miss Virginia Fair, the daughter of a once humble California© mkier, who afterwards became a great Western bonanza, king. The wedding took; place on April 3, at the splendid residence of Mr . Hermann Oelrichs, tire brother-in-law, of the. bride. So dense was the crowd of people in the street that the police actually had to lead the carriage horses ; of the guests and bridesiriaids as they approached the house. The Roman Catholic priest who performed the ceremony arrived at half -past eleven, arid the marriage -took place-'soon 1 afterwards. The guests, as soon as they had removed their wraps, were directed to -the -large ballroom facing, the, conservatory, .where the. altar and the priedieu were placed. Just behind these a fountain, rhmled a pleasant undertone to the buzz of. conversation. Now and aarain conversation subsided as an qrchestra of fifty musicians, under direction of Emil Paur, Slaved. The large room was decorated with thousands of rosc3 and with apple and peach blossoms, smilax, asparagus sprays and flowering shrubs. In the conservatory were budding fruit trees, palms, and vines', and an avenue of live trees ieading out into the ballroom and hung with pink arid white ribbons, above which was a jn-eat arch of roses. Such was the mass° of bloom that ..the -fragrance permeated the air out of doors when t£e upper windows were thrown open, : after the. ceremony Promptly at noon the organ played the Lohengrin" wedding march,' and to ite slow measures -William K. .Vanderbilt, with his best .man,- J.. : Prentice EeUog, walked to the. altar, .where Father Murphy stood, waiting. From the further end of the ballroom the maid of honour, Miss Mary Baldwin lolfree, was seen advancing. She was followed by Mi ss Fair, who leaned on the arm of her Brother-in-law, Mr Hermann Oelrichs. Tlie briae wore a Paris gown of ivory sa£m, cut with a long train and covered with fine point d'esprit of creamy tint; corresponding to that of satin. Instead of ponvb Tace, old cream-coloured Irish lace, whiclr is somewhat heavier in texture, was used in applique designs all ? v . er *]"> B own - Lencrthwise insertion tnmined the front of the skirt, the SS w«us bordered with deep edgkTg, and Tie oMa^^r ,° f thß ««*«• wli entirely lL« P c Sl6eve reachftd barel " to the the organ poured .out the harmonies of the Mendelssohn wedding march, and the newly-married couple walked over to the dais beneath a canopy of apple blossoms and roses there to receive congratulations. «o f **v Wa ? \ n P r °g ress *he second part of. the musical programme was gone through, comprising some very choice selections from the best operas. The young pair then led the way to the dining-room, where was served a very elaborate breakfast. It is a very bie dining-room; in fact, the greater part of two floors of the house are given over to the dining-room and salon. The couple took their seats in the centre of a long table which ran clear across the room. i our other tables were arranged at right angles to the honour-table. The latter had seats only on one side, so that the bridal party could see and be seen by the others Miss Tolfree sat at the right of young Mr Vanderbilt, while Mr Kellogg sat at the left of the bride; At this table sat the younger people only, Mr VanderbUt's brother and cousins, and Mrs Clarence Mackay. This table was decorated with lilies of the valley only, while the other tables were adorned with yellow spring flowers. , There was a little speechmaking, and the bridegroorii did very well indeed. That is to say, he talked very briefly and very simply, and didn't go all to pieces, as bridegrooms are expected to do. The cutting of the bride's cake ended the feast, and the orchestra played "The StarSpangled Banner," which stirred an immense amount of enthusiasm. Some idea of the floral wealth of decorations may be gleaned from the fact that, after the guests had gone, Mrs Oetrichs sent two waggon-loads of roses to one of the large New York hospitals.