as you look to-day!" Or, if you are a woman and a
relative or really close friend, you kiss the groom, saying, "All the luck
in the world to you, dear Jim, she certainly is lovely!" Or, kissing the
bride, "Mary, darling, every good wish in the world to you!"

To all the above, the groom and bride answer merely "Thank you."

A man might say to the groom "Good luck to you, Jim, old man!" Or, "She is
the most lovely thing I have ever seen!" And to her, "I hope you will
have every happiness!" Or "I was just telling Jim how lucky I think he is!
I hope you will both be very happy!" Or, if a very close friend, also
kissing the bride, "All the happiness you can think of isn't as much as I
wish you, Mary dear!" But it cannot be too much emphasized that
promiscuous kissing among the guests is an offense against good taste.

To a relative, or old friend of the bride, but possibly a stranger to the
groom, the bride always introduces her husband saying, "Jim, this is Aunt
Kate!" Or, "Mrs. Neighbor, you know Jim, don't you?" Or formally, "Mrs.
Faraway, may I present my husband?"

The groom on the approach of an old friend of his, says, "Mary, this is
cousin Carrie." Or, "Mrs. Denver, do you know Mary?" Or, "Hello, Steve,
let me introduce you to my wife; Mary, this is Steve Michigan." Steve says
"How do you do, Mrs. Smartlington!" And Mary says, "Of course, I have
often heard Jim speak of you!"

The bride with a good memory thanks each arriving person for the gift sent
her: "Thank you so much for the lovely candlesticks," or "I can't tell you
how much I love the dishes!" The person who is thanked says, "I am so glad
you like it (or them)," or "I am so glad! I hoped you might find it
useful." Or "I didn't have it marked, so that in case you have a
duplicate, you can change it."

Conversation is never a fixed grouping of words that are learned or
recited like a part in a play; the above examples are given more to
indicate the sort of things people in good society usually say. There is,
however, one rule: Do not launch into long conversation or details of
_yourself_, how you feel or look or what happened to you, or what _you_
wore when you were married! Your subject must not deviate from the young
couple themselves, their wedding, their future.

Also be brief in order not to keep those behind waiting longer than
necessary. If you have anything particular to tell them, you can return
later when there is no longer a line. But even t