Christmas Brides- Attention!

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20995, 23 December 1939, Page 15 (Supplement)

Christmas BridesAttention!

Here is good advice for the prospective bride and bridegroom and for those who will be in the bridal party at the wedding. It appeared recently in the London Daily Mail, but it is just as applicijg able in New Zealand. THE BRIDE—Don’t think it in keeping with convention to arrive late. Three minutes, perhaps. §3 But any longer only annoys

waiting guests and makes the bridegroom even more nervous. Do discuss the ceremony beforehand with the officiating clergyman. He can give you invaluable hints on wedding etiquette. Don’t imagine that it is your job to give instructions to the bridesmaids. You will find that they will be able

to sort themselves out without your help. Don't,

as so many brides do, smile at some of your relatives as you go up the aisle. You can do this after the ceremony, but it looks flippant beforehand. THE BRIDEGROOM—Yes, by all means have a short, stiff drink with the ushers before the cere-

mony, but do arrive back in the church in time. How often it happens that guests arrive with no one to show them into their seats. Do keep out of sight until the bride arrives. Making jokes with the ushers about your last minutes of bachelorhood wears a bit thin, especially as they are

busy showing people to their* seats. THE BRIDESMAIDS—Don't make-up in the church. There has been plenty of time to do that in the car before you arrive. Do depute one bridesmaid to help to arrange the bride’s veil and see that her train is in order. THE BEST MAN—Don’t make a long speech at the reception, and please don’t make that old chestnut about hoping to see the bridesmaids married soon. It happens at nearly every wedding reception and. while the men may laugh, it invariably embarrasses the young women concerned. Do see that the bride and bridegroom’s car is just outside the door after the ceremony, and be waiting as they leave the church to help them into it. THE USHERS—Don’t talk among yourselves at the church door instead of showing relatives to their seats. Even although you

have not seen the bride’s sister for some months, there is no need to hold a long reunion in the church. And don’t forget that you are responsible for the bridesmaids in that you should see that their handbags are placed in safe keeping dur-

ing the ceremony and that you are responsible for their wraps if they have any. To you also falls the duty of seeing them into their cars. MOTHER—Don’t be tearful in church. We know it was the thing to do twenty years or so ago, but nowadays do try to hide your tears if possible. It not only embarrasses your daughter, but also the bridegroom and those guests who happen to be near you. Don't walk down the aisle carrying an enormous bouquet of flowers, as if you wanted to be mistaken for the bride. Many mothers still continue to do this, but to be really fashionable you should dress as smartly and unassumingly as possible and wear a spray of flowers either at the neck or attached to a muff.