Teas and "Kettledrums," High Tea and Afternoon Receptions, have come
to bear a strong resemblance one to another, in fact to infringe so
much upon the same territory that it is very difficult at times to
distinguish between them sufficiently to apply the appropriate name. A
simple affair is announced thus by those ladies who have a regular
reception day: MRS. JOHN ST. JOHN. Thursdays. Tea at five o'clock. 40
West 49th Street.
Or: MRS. JOHN ST. JOHN. Five o'clock tea. Thursday, February fifth. 40
West 49th Street.
The words "kettledrum" or "afternoon tea" are not to be used, and
these cards may be sent by mail, enclosed in a single envelope. They
require no answer. Where the lady has not a regular reception day and
wishes to give an afternoon tea, an engraved card, like the following,
is usually sent out: MRS. ARTHUR MERRILL. MISS MERRILL. Monday,
February third, from four to seven o'clock. 274 Chestnut Street.
In case of the hostess having no one to receive with her, her name
would appear alone upon the card. The name of any friend may take the
place of a daughter's. Such an entertainment partakes more of the
nature of an afternoon reception, or high tea. It may be adapted also
to other occasions, such as the introduction to one's friends of a
guest who is to make a prolonged stay, as for instance: MRS. ARTHUR
MERRILL, At Home, Monday, December seventh, from one until seven
o'clock. To meet MRS. FRANCES ELMER. 55 Vine Street.
Invitations like this and the one just above are to be enclosed in
two envelopes, same as for dinners and sent out ten days or two weeks
in advance.
Kaffee Klatsch.
This furnishes very much the same class of entertainment that is to be
found at an afternoon tea, save that coffee is the predominating
beverage. The invitation is precisely the same as for teas, simply
substituting the words "Kaffee Klatsch."
Suppers.
For the evening supper, invitations are issued in some one of the
forms presented for dinner parties, substituting the word "Supper."
Answers should be returned at once.
Coming-out Parties.
These special festivities may take almost any form, so that the
presentation of the blushing _debutante_ may be at a dinner, ball,
reception, evening party or afternoon tea; which latter custom has
become very frequent of late. So much is this the case that it is
somewhat to be reprehended as rendering afternoon teas too ceremonious
in character. There is this in its favor, however; it relieves young
girls from the strain incident upon a large party or ball. In some
cases, the invitations preserve their usual form (whatever that may
be) and the card of the _debutante_ is enclosed in the same envelope.
Even this distinction is sometimes wanting. Again, in the case of "At
Homes" and "Teas," the name of the young lady is engraved beneath that
of her mother; if it is the eldest daughter, the form would be: MRS.
ARTHUR HOLT. MISS HOLT.
A younger daughter, under the same circumstances, would pose as: MISS
EDITH MAY HOLT.
Such cards do not need a reply, but the guest will remember to leave
cards in the hall for the _debutante_ as well as her mother or
_chaperon_. It may be said here that, should it for any reason occur
that the young lady is "brought out" under the wing of some friend
instead of under her mother's care, the relative position their names
will occupy on the cards is precisely the same, as: MRS. D.G.
HAVILAND. MISS HOLT.
A more formal presentation would be in the style of an engraved note
sheet:
[Illustration:
_Mrs. Arthur Holt_
_Requests the pleasure of introducing her daughter,_
_Edith May,_
_To_
_Mr. and Mrs. Ross Clark,_
_On Thursday evening, December fifth,_
_At nine o'clock._
_28 St. Caroline's Court._
_R.S.V.P._]
This invitation, of course, implies a large evening party, reception
or ball, and should be sent out ten days or two weeks in advance of
the event.
Receptions.
Informal receptions and full-dress occasions of the same kind are
announced somewhat differently. In the first case the affair partakes
so closely of the nature of an afternoon tea that the same form of
invitation is used: MRS. HOWARD POST, At Home, Tuesday, October
second, from four to seven.
If a series of receptions are planned the form would be: MRS. HOWARD
POST, At Home, Tuesdays in November, from four to six o'clock.
Full-dress receptions are frequently given both afternoon and evening,
sometimes in the evening only. Invitations to these should be engraved
on square cards or note sheets, and sent out two weeks previous to the
reception day. A very good form is:
[Illustration:
_Mrs. Jerome Hastings_
_Requests the pleasure of your company,_
_On Thursday, November twelfth,_
_From five until ten o'clock._
_711 DuPage Street._
_R.S.V.P._]
If a daughter or a friend is to assist in receiving, the invitation
should include her name also: MRS. JEROME HASTINGS, MISS HASTINGS, At
Home, Thursday, November twelfth, from five until ten o'clock. 711
DuPage Street.
When the reception is given by a gentleman, and its object is to
enable his friends to meet some distinguished guest, the following
form is used: MR. HOWARD POST requests the pleasure of the company of
MR. ALONZO METCALF to meet GENERAL E.L. BATES. Union League Club. 100
Cedar Street. _R.S.V.P._
Though some prefer placing the name of the honored guest first,
according to the form given under dinner invitations. The answer
should be:
Mr. Alonzo Metcalf accepts with pleasure Mr. Howard Post's
kind invitation to meet General E.L. Bates.
Weddings.
Wedding invitations are issued two weeks in advance, sometimes earlier
to friends at a distance, in order that they may lay their plans
accordingly. They are engraved in fine script on small sheets of cream
note, and the form most used for church weddings is as follows:
[Illustration:
_Mr. and Mrs. Richard Earle_
_Request the pleasure of your company_
_At the marriage of their daughter,_
_Guendolen_
_To_
_Mr. Egbert Ray Cranston_
_On Tuesday, June Eighteenth, 1895,_
_At half-past twelve o'clock,_
_Christ Church,_
_Binghamton._]
Still another form would give the daughter's name as "Miss Guendolen
Earle."
There may or may not be a monogram on the sheet of paper, but, if used
there, one to correspond must be placed on the inner envelope also.
The envelope, however, may be stamped with a monogram and the paper
left plain, this latter style being much in favor. Where the wedding
is in church, it is usually followed by an after-reception, cards for
which are engraved in some similar form to the following: Reception
from one until three o'clock, 107 Washington Street. Or: At Home after
the ceremony. 107 Washington Street.
A still more ceremonious invitation to the reception may be issued in
the parents' name, and in the usual form of similar invitations, as:
MR. and MRS. RICHARD EARLE request the pleasure of your company at the
wedding reception of their daughter, GUENDOLEN, and MR. EGBERT RAY
CRANSTON, Tuesday evening, June eighteenth, 1895, from nine to eleven
o'clock. 107 Washington Street.
If there is reason to believe that the church will be crowded with
uninvited guests, admission cards are engraved as follows: Christ
Church. Please present this card to the usher. Tuesday, June
eighteenth.
How Invitations are Sent.
Several of these cards are usually enclosed for distribution to
friends of the invited and for the use of servants that have
accompanied guests to the church. This custom is hardly necessary in
country towns. All of the cards and the invitation are enclosed in one
envelope superscribed with the name only of the person invited, and
re-inclosed in another envelope bearing the full address. All formal
invitations are to be enclosed in the two envelopes as above; less
stately affairs requiring but one envelope; send by mail.
In England, wedding invitations are issued in the name of the mother
of the bride only; here custom sanctions the use of the father's name
as well. If the invitation is issued in the name of some other
relative, then the word "granddaughter," "niece," etc., should be
substituted for that of "daughter." If the future home of the young
couple is decided upon, "At Home" cards also should be enclosed for
all the invited guests that the bride desires to retain upon her
visiting list. The following form is appropriate: MR. and MRS. EGBERT
RAY CRANSTON, At Home, Thursdays in September, from four until six
o'clock. 48 Washington Street.
Or, in place of designating especial days, it may read: MR. and MRS.
EGBERT RAY CRANSTON, At Home, after September first. 48 Washington
Street.
Where the list of acquaintances is very large it sometimes happens
that a portion of the guests are invited to the church only. When this
is the case the reception card is omitted from the envelope; but if a
visiting acquaintance is to be maintained, "At Home" cards must be
enclosed.
Wedding Invitations.
The home wedding is, perhaps, less stately in appearance, but,
involving as it does, less care on the part of friends and less
nervous strain on that of the bride, is frequently adopted. The
invitations are precisely the same as for a church wedding, merely
inserting street and number in place of designating the church,
omitting, of course, the card of admittance and that for reception.
The "At Home" card of the newly-married couple should always be
enclosed lest doubt as to their new address prove perplexing to their
friends.
Sometimes, where life is to be commenced in their own home, the wedded
pair, soon after their establishment therein, send out "At Home" cards
for a few evenings after this style: MR. and MRS. EGBERT RAY CRANSTON,
At Home, Tuesday evenings in September, from eight to eleven o'clock.
48 Washington Street.
Gatherings such as these partake of the nature of semi-formal
receptions and present a delightful opportunity for welcoming friends
to the new home, and at same time arranging a visiting list for the
season, no one receiving a card to these entertainments that is not to
be honored with a place thereon. These invitations are to be sent out
after the return from the bridal tour, and, when thus used, the
first-given "At Home" card is omitted in sending out the wedding
invitation.
If the wedding is to be a morning affair from the church, followed by
a breakfast, the first given invitation is issued and the following
engraved card enclosed in the same envelope: MR. and MRS. RICHARD
EARLE request the pleasure of your company at breakfast, Tuesday, June
twentieth, at half past twelve o'clock. 107 Washington Street.
"At Home" cards and cards to the church should be enclosed as before.
The time should be carefully arranged so that not more than half an
hour is allowed to elapse between the ceremony at the church and the
reception or breakfast at the house.
A home wedding with a breakfast simply sends out the ordinary wedding
invitation, indicating the hour and giving the street and number.
Sometimes, at a home wedding, it is desired that no one but relatives
or very particular friends should be present at the ceremony. Under
these circumstances the usual invitations are issued. Then, for the
favored few, ceremony cards are enclosed, on which the words are
engraved: Ceremony at half past eight.
"At Home" cards may be enclosed as before.
Where the wedding has been entirely private, the mother, or some other
relative of the bride, frequently gives a reception upon the return
home of the young couple, invitations to which are issued as follows:
MRS. RICHARD EARLE, MRS. EGBERT RAY CRANSTON. At Home, Wednesday,
September first, from four to ten o'clock. 107 Washington Street.
For an evening reception the form is a little different: MR. and MRS.
RICHARD EARLE request the pleasure of your company, Thursday,
September second, from nine to eleven o'clock. 107 Washington Street.
Enclosing the card of Mr. and Mrs. Egbert Ray Cranston.
Announcement Cards.
Announcement cards, where the wedding has been strictly private, are
sent out after the following style: MR. and MRS. RICHARD EARLE
announce the marriage of their daughter, GUENDOLEN, to MR. EGBERT RAY
CRANSTON, Tuesday, November nineteenth, 1895. 107 Washington Street.
The before-given "At Home" cards may be enclosed, or the necessary
information conveyed by having engraved in the lower left hand corner
of the sheet of note paper: At Home, after December first, at 48
Washington Street.
Another form of announcement is also used: EGBERT RAY CRANSTON.
GUENDOLEN EARLE. Married, Tuesday, November nineteenth, 1895.
Binghamton. With this form use "At Home" cards, or engrave the street
and number in the lower left hand corner of the announcement card.
This form is permissible in any case, but is more frequently employed
where there are neither parents nor relatives to send out the
announcement.
If the wedding should have taken place during a season of family
mourning or misfortune, the bridegroom himself issues the following
announcement: MR. and MRS. EGBERT RAY CRANSTON, 48 Washington Street.
These cards are large and square, and in the same envelope with them
is enclosed a smaller card engraved with the maiden name of the bride:
MISS GUENDOLEN EARLE.
Wedding Anniversaries.
[Illustration:
_1885._
_1890._
_Wooden Wedding._
_Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Grant,_
_At Home,_
_Thursday evening, December fifth, 1895,_
_At half-past eight o'clock._
_263 East Thirteenth Street._]
In sending out invitations for the various anniversaries that
pleasantly diversify the years of a long wedded life, the simplest
form will always be found in the best taste. There are varied devices
for rendering these invitations striking in effect, such as silvered
and gilded cards for silver and golden weddings, thin wooden cards for
the wooden wedding, etc., but good taste would indicate that none of
these, not even gold and silver lettering (though this last is least
objectionable of all), should be used. The large engraved "At Home"
card, or the small sheet of heavy note paper, also engraved, are the
most elegant.
"No Presents Received."
The words, "No presents received," are sometimes engraved in the lower
left hand corner of the note sheet, or card. A much-to-be-admired
custom, since the multiplicity of invitations requiring gifts, is, in
more cases than one, burdensome to the recipient.
Revise the Visiting List.
Now, that it has become the custom to engage the services of an
amanuensis to direct the invitations for a crush affair by the
hundred, it would be well for every hostess to frequently revise her
visiting list, in order that the relatives of lately deceased friends
may not be pained by seeing the dear lost name included among the
invitations of the family; also, this care is necessary to remove the
names of those who have recently departed from the city, and those
whose acquaintance is no longer desired.