AS SEEN THROUGH WOMAN'S EYES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2, 13 January 1906, Page 60

AS SEEN THROUGH WOMAN'S EYES.

Celebrating the Silver Wedding. By LINDA HULL LARNED (Author of "The Hostess of To-day.”). \\ hen a couple reach the tweuty-ttftu milestone on the marriage loud it is usually the zenith of their prosperity. \\ neu this prosperity is harnessed to happiness, with good Health to drive it, there must be a celebration ot some kiuu 111 order to mark the passing of a quarter of a century of wen being. The lortunate couple may give a silver reception to a crowd ol friends and acquaintances, or a dinner to a few old cronies. As a compromise between the two they may have a supper to which tiie nearest and dearest oi friends, botii old and new, are invited, if the atlair be a dinner or a supper, husband and wile will not only receive the guests together, but contrary to ordinary rules 01 procedure, they will go to the diningroom toge tner and sit side Uy side, as tiiey did on that memorable occasion a quarter ot a century ago. occasionally a happy coup.e celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary by taking another wedding journey a la Howell, and sometimes they do both, making the social function a fit ending to their tour lor selfish pleasure. Whatever the function may be, either large or small, formal or without ceremony, it is usually an occasion of serene, silvery dignity, and bears no resemblance to the rollicking jollifications that have marked former celebrations. The invitations should be engraved in black on white cards, with the date of Hie two weddings as the only signification of the reason for the function. Pv lhe other hand, if one wishes to cai.y the silver idea to its extreme limit, the invitations could be made of silver paper engraved in white, or they could be of white with the lettering in silver. The first suggestion is, however, rather the better form, as those who have reached this goal are generally too settled or too near to being middle aged to be extreme or freakish. The more sober minded and conservative will simply fill the home with white flowers and adorn the table with more white flowers —perhaps in a huge silver loving cup. There should be some delicious wedding cake in white boxes tied with silver gauze ribbon, and the bride should wear a silver grey gown. This is for the sedate pair, whose heads, as well as their lives, are crowned with silver. To this couple a few intimate friends would send some choice gifts in silver, although there might be no reference to a silver wedding anniversary in the invitations. But there are others who have been married just as long, to whom life has not been dealt out quite so strenuously. They are still young and full of joyful spirits, and because their sons and daughters are either safely married or are off at school or college they are ready to throw off all care and to dance and play golf and motor—in fact, do all things that keep folk from being oldish and settled. It is the fashion now to be young, though really old in years and experience, so to such as these the doings of the silver wedding anniversary may be carried to any extreme, provided it always conforms to good form. These hosts will probably trim everything in the house with silver paper. They will hang silver tinsel from the chandeliers, and there will be a silver marriage bell beneath which the bride will be resplendent in white lace and silver spangles. Silver flowers may adorn her head, or a silver bul terfly on the tip top of her magnificent pompalour, and she will wear a sib. er necklace and perhaps a stomacher of silver. All of this jewellery and the bell, too, may be made of brightly polished tin for the occasion, or they may be covered with silver paper. Silver tissue ribbon may be used profusely, and even silver paper tablecloth and napkins may be secured for the occasion. An orchestra concealed behind a screen of flowers and silver tissue should play the familiar airs of long ago to the accompaniment of a string of silver bells.

If the table is in white there should be nothing but silver upon it. Even the flowers in the centrepiece could be white paper touched up with silver paint. Silver coated candles set in silver candlesticks, under silver filigree shades, are the proper thing for the ends of the table, while around the centrepiece one could have a wreath of silver leaves or a silver ring in which are set twenty-five candles. These candleeould be lighted before the guests assemble in the dining room, or the guests may light them, each one giving a toast to the bride and bridegroom. If the bride is a good raconteuse she should light the candles, telling a short story of each year of married life, or repeating the happenings of each year. For instance, she might say this: "This is the year we went to Europe,” and

‘•This is the year that Harold was born,” or “This is the year that we built our new home,” and so on. This would be interesting to a few personal friends, and it would be easy of accomplishment, for there is scarcely a year in one’s life in which something worth recounting does not happen. There should be a cake for the bride to cut in which there should be a thimble, a penny and a ring, and those drawing them should know how to apply the significance. If the function be a dinner, silver gauze ribbon or white satin ribbon could be used as runners from tne centre piece to each place, upon the end of which there should be a silver star bearing the name of each guest in white paint, or the place cards could be made in the form of balls out of white cardboard, with date and name in silver

paint. There should be silver baskets for the food, and the bonbons done up in silver paper should repose in silver receptacles. The most appropriate ices are in the form of wedding bells in white, at th top of which there is a spray of orang? blossoms tied with silver gauze ribbon. These sprays may afterward lie fastened to the dress or coat as a wedding favour, as they are provided with pins for tha' purpose. Even if one does not celebrate, th? silver wedding is a delightful stopping place in which to take account of the number of friends one has secured dur ing this quarter of a century of married life, and none but those to whom happiness has been granted will care to punctuate the day by joyful festivities. LINDA HULL LARNED.