Announcing the Engagement - Preparations for the Wedding - Presents - In the Church Bridesmaids - The Reception - The Best Man - Going Away

There are two things to be done when an engagement has been made, and ratified by the families of the two persons who have promised themselves each to the other.

One of these two things concerns the bridegroom. He has to take the measure of his lady's finger and buy the engagement ring. The other is to write to his relatives and tell them the news.

These letters should all be sent by the same post. Nothing annoys aunts, uncles, and cousins more than to think that some other member of the family has been told of the engagement before them. No one should be forgotten. All very intimate friends should be informed of the event at the same time.

The bride writes to her own friends and her mother to the elder ones. There is no formality about such letters. They simply convey the news and are usually answered very soon, the replies being more or less congratulatory.

When the family is of good social position, the announcement is sent to the "Morning Post " and the " Court Journal," in the well-known formula:

" A marriage has been arranged between Captain Whyte, 2nd Fusiliers. son of Sii Robert Whyte. of Greylands, and Miss Dorothy Browne, elder daughter of Mr. Arthur Greene-browne, of The Towers, Fifeshire, and 200, Belgrave Square."

The bride's family send out this announcement, and friends and acquaintances, seeing it in the paper, write their congratulations.

Sometimes the date of the marriage is included in this published announcement. " A marriage is arranged and will take place on November 12th," etc., etc.

It is hardly necessary to remark that undue haste in announcing the engagement would be a great mistake; and, above all things, the approval of the bridegroom's parents should be gained before even announcing the betrothal to one's friends.

It is usual to give a dinner or evening party at which the engagement is announced. This is done before any news paper paragraph appears on the subject. The relatives on both sides are invited, as well as the friends of the host and hostess, and perhaps some of the bridegroom's as well

This party may be given at a restaurant if it should be more convenient. Should the bride's parents live in the country, or in a house too small to entertain a large party, they may hire a hall in the nearest town.

The invitations are of the usual kind, bearing no reference whatever to the raison d'etre of the gathering. The announcement is made quite informally, the hosts introducing their future son-in-law to their friends and relatives.

Should it be a dinner party these introductions are made in the drawing-room before going down, and sometimes the health of the engaged couple is drunk towards the close of the meal.

A party of this kind is fairly usual in well-to-do classes of society, but families possessed of but small means are not expected to entertain on these occasions in this way.