Page:Book of Etiquette, Volume 1, by Lilian Eichler.djvu/84

 reception, it is nothing short of ridiculous to spoil it all by boisterously overdoing an old tradition. The cultured person is always well-poised, always calm—whether it be during the tense moments of the wedding-vow utterances, or the half-glad, half-sad moments of seeing the happy pair off.

Fashionable weddings, if not celebrated with a wedding breakfast, are followed by a reception either in the afternoon or evening. All the bridal attendants are present, and those relatives and friends who have previously received invitations.

The reception takes place in the drawing room of the bride's home. The room is decorated with flowers, and in the hall is a refreshment table on which is punch, cakes and boxes containing favors for each of the guests.

The bride and groom stand together under a floral bell and accept the congratulations and good wishes of the guests. The bride's mother and father are at the door of the drawing room to welcome them, and the parents of the groom are also ready to receive and welcome the guests as they arrive.

It is an important duty of the ushers, at the wedding reception, to introduce to the bride all those guests whom she does not know. She accepts their congratulations with a smile and a cordial word or two in acknowledgment of the introduction.

Wedding breakfasts, though an old English custom, are often held after the church wedding. If it is decided