r the bridesmaids cost anything from 15s. to L5, while
that for the bride may run from L4 to L10, or as much more as the
bridegroom likes to give.

Many people who do not want their homes turned upside down or whose
houses are not convenient for a wedding, entertain their friends at an
hotel or a restaurant. This has its advantages, but is not so homelike
for the bride's farewell to her old associations and home life.

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CHAPTER XVI

_The Guests--The Presents on View--Starting for the
Honeymoon--Dress and Luggage--Where to Go and How Long to
Stay--Inevitable Test of Temperament--Possible
Disappointments--Disillusion, Passing or Permanent._

The Guests.

The average crowd, mainly composed of women, who throng to see a
wedding are unfortunately notorious for their utter lack of reverence
and total want of manners. The invited guests do not always behave in
accordance with the rules of etiquette. One hears a running fire of
comments, such as: "They say she's marrying him for his money!" or
"Well, her mother ought to be glad; she's worked hard enough to catch
him." "He's stepping into a nice thing. I suppose the old boy paid his
debts!"

Frequent allusions to former flirtations, or worse, are made in a
stage whisper, and open expression is given to the question: "How long
will it last?" by the cynics who seem to have come to be disagreeable.
A wedding is bound to call forth both retrospective and anticipatory
thoughts, but all unkind words should be silenced by a common desire
to let that one day pass happily for all. Guests who snatch at
wedding-favours to take home, who are boisterous in their leave-taking
of the departing couple, who stay to the bitter end and pocket morsels
of bridecake, who loudly appraise the value of the presents, or
audibly speculate as to "what it has cost So-and-So to get his
daughter off," have as yet to learn the rudiments of etiquette.

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The Presents on View.

The hostess should see that all the guests have opportunities of
seeing the wedding presents; but it is not judicious for visitors at a
big function to poke about among the gifts unless accompanied by one
of the family or, perhaps, a bridesmaid, because it is generally
deemed wise to have a detective present on such an occasion, and he
might misinterpret this friendly interest to the discomfort of the
prying guests. In arranging the presents a nice thoughtfulness and
tact are necessary. Let the smaller