SILVER WEDDINGS
The German custom of celebrating Silver Weddings has become thoroughly
recognised in this country. It is an interesting custom to celebrate the
first twenty-five years of married life under the poetic title of a
Silver Wedding, but those who can do so must be for many reasons the
few, rather than the many; Royal personages, and distinguished and
prominent ones for instance, and again, those in humbler walks of life
"far from the madding crowd," are also inclined to do so; but the
"crowd" that divides them, formed of different classes and different
sets in society, will hardly avail itself of the opportunity of
celebrating this period of married life. Husbands as a rule dislike the
fuss and parade and prominency it entails, and wives are disinclined to
announce to their friends and acquaintances that they have been married
five and twenty years, and are consequently not so young as they were.
* * * * *
=The entertainments given to celebrate a Silver Wedding= are: An
afternoon reception and a dinner-party. A dinner-party followed by an
evening-party. A dinner-party followed by a dance. Or a dinner-party
only, of some twenty or thirty covers.
The invitations are issued on "at home" cards some three weeks
beforehand, the cards being printed in silver, and the words "Mr. and
Mrs. White at home, To celebrate their Silver Wedding" printed on them,
with day and date, etc. The dinner cards should also be printed in
silver, with the words "Mr. and Mrs. White request the pleasure of
Mr. and Mrs. Black's company at dinner to celebrate their Silver
Wedding," etc.
For a dance the invitations should be worded "Mr. and Mrs. White at
home, To celebrate their Silver Wedding." "Dancing" printed in the
corner of the card.
* * * * *
=Each person invited= is expected to send a present in silver, costly
or trifling as the case may be, whether the invitation is accepted or
not. These presents should be exhibited in the drawing-room on the day
of the Silver Wedding with a card attached to each bearing the name of
the giver.
At the afternoon reception the husband and wife receive the
congratulations of their friends as they arrive. They enter the tea-room
together almost immediately afterwards followed by those guests who have
arrived. Refreshments are served as at an afternoon wedding tea. (See
page 143) A large wedding-cake is placed in the centre of the table,
and the wife makes the first cut in it as a bride would do. The health
of the husband and wife is then proposed by one of the guests, drunk in
champagne, and responded to by the husband.
At the dinner-party the husband and wife go in to dinner together,
followed by their guests, who are sent in according to precedency.
The health of the husband and wife is proposed at dessert and responded
to. A wedding-cake occupies a prominent place on the table, and
the dinner-table decorations consist of white flowers interspersed
with silver.
* * * * *
=At the Silver Wedding dance=, the husband and wife dance the first
dance together, and subsequently lead the way into the supper-room
arm-in-arm, and later on their health is proposed by the principal guest
present.
The wife should wear white and silver, or grey and silver.
In the country, when a Silver Wedding is celebrated, the festivities
sometimes range over three days, but this only in the case of prominent
and wealthy people; balls, dinners, and school-treats being given, in
which the neighbours, tenants, villagers and servants take part.
* * * * *
=Golden Weddings.=--The celebration of a Golden Wedding is rather an
English custom, and one that from circumstances can be but seldom
observed. It denotes that fifty years of married life have passed over
the heads of husband and wife, and is a solemn rather than a festive
epoch. Presents on this occasion are not so generally given, and
children and grandchildren rather than acquaintances make up the circle
of those who offer congratulations.