n increase
of respect from her husband, and lessened the humiliation of her legal
and social position. By degrees the rich wife gained the upper hand,
and what the law would not give to her sex as a right, she obtained by
virtue of her money.

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CHAPTER XV

_The Wedding-Day--What is expected of (1) The Bride; (2) The
Bridesmaids; (3) The Bridegroom; (4) The Best Man; (5) The Bride's
Parents--At the Bride's House--Dressing--Starting for the
Church--The Tying of the Knot--Social Aspect--Reception or Breakfast._

The Wedding-Day.

"Happy is the Bride that the Sun shines on!" runs the old adage, but
we may hope that the lives of all English brides are not as grey as
the skies under which they are often married. We can also hope that
every bride will have the sunshine of joy in her heart on her
wedding-day. Most weddings now take place at 2 o'clock or 2.30, in
consequence of the extension of the marriage hours, and this has in
a great measure abolished the old "breakfast," which was a rather
trying affair for all concerned. Now, a more informal reception takes
place on the return from church, with champagne, tea, ices, and all
sorts of pretty light refreshments. Those who, from choice or force
of circumstances, decide upon the morning for the ceremony, would
naturally give a luncheon, but the smarter section of society has
spoken in favour of the reception.

I know of a capricious couple who played their friends a very shabby
trick. The invitations had been issued for a Wednesday, and at the
last moment they decided to be married on the Tuesday morning. They
went quietly to church in the early hours, left the town separately
during the day, met in London, and started for the honeymoon. The next
afternoon their friends assembled to find that the objects of their
congratulations were away across the Channel. This was a most serious
breach of etiquette, as there was no reason for such rudeness.

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What is Expected of the Bride.

However long and frequent the visits of the _fiance_ may have been to
his sweetheart's home, tradition decrees that he must not sleep under
the same roof with her the night before the wedding, nor is he
supposed to see her on the day, till he meets her in all her bridal
beauty. She is supposed to keep in retirement even from the members of
her own household during the early part of the day; but this is a
matter of opinion, and all old ideas are giving way to more modern