eans of all
bridegrooms, be they ever so poor.

* * * * *

=During the Engagement= the question of presents to the brides-elect is
never absent from the thoughts of their bridegrooms. The wealthy please
themselves and their brides by giving costly jewels, which are often
chosen by the brides themselves in company with their bridegrooms. This
is very delightful shopping, but it does not fall to the lot of the
great majority. Men of moderate means give presents of moderate value
and few in number; they are not bound by etiquette during their
engagements to give any jewellery if their incomes do not warrant this
outlay; but a man must have very little money to go upon if he cannot
contrive to give a bracelet or necklet or some such trinket to the girl
he is about to marry.

* * * * *

=To give Presents to the Bridesmaids= is another of the obligations of
bridegrooms. Here again, the wealthy exercise their generosity and good
taste with the concurrence of their brides, who assist them in the
choice of suitable presents in articles of jewellery. These average L5
and upwards for each bridesmaid, which bring it to a good total when the
bridesmaids are numerous. The point that affects the generosity of
bridegrooms, however, is not how much they ought to spend on these
presents, but rather, how little may be spent upon them with due
consideration for the fitness of things, viz. the position of the
bridesmaids. Two sovereigns would be a reasonable sum for a man of small
means to spend on each gift to the bridesmaid.

* * * * *

=The Bridal Bouquet and the Bridesmaids' Bouquets= come next on the list
of expenses a bridegroom defrays. Rich men spend liberally in this
direction, but average sums to give to meet ordinary incomes are two
guineas to one guinea for a bride's bouquet, and five and twenty to
fifteen shillings each for the bridesmaids' bouquets.

* * * * *

=The Fees connected with the Ceremony= are strictly the province of the
bridegroom to defray. If a marriage is by licence, he pays the cost,
which in town amounts to L2 2s. 6d., and in the country from L2
12s. 6d. to L3 3s. The fee to the vicar of the church where the
marriage is to be solemnised varies from L1 1s. to L5 5s.,
oftener L1 1s. than not with the majority of bridegrooms with
moderate incomes, the exception being L5 5s. The min