rces it to bloom at the appointed
time. White roses and carnations can be had at almost any season; sweet
peas, white lilacs, lilies of the valley, are less easy to procure. The
"shower bouquet" has many narrow white satin ribbons falling from it to
the foot of the skirt, and knotted at intervals round flower sprays.

The rarest of bridal flowers are the orchids, so costly that only the rich
may have them, though a few orchids, two or three, are sometimes put with
lilies of the valley, or Roman hyacinths, intermixed with stephanotis or
stevia, for the bridal bouquet. Bridesmaids may carry large clusters of
flowers tied with ribbons, the flowers suiting their costumes. Or, if they
all wear white, American Beauties may be chosen. The usual preference is
for flowers in more delicate hues.

The Widow's Bridal Attire.--A widow does not wear white at her second
wedding, nor a veil, nor does she have bridesmaids. Her usual choice is to
be married in a handsome traveling gown of some light color, wearing hat
and gloves to match. The material may be silk or broadcloth for a church
wedding. She wears her wedding ring up to the day of her second marriage.
Though she may have no bridesmaids she may have a matron-of-honor, some
married friend, who wears a street or reception dress, with suitable hat
and gloves.

A woman who has entered her fourth decade does not, as a rule, wear white
when married.

It is no longer customary for a woman to go into semi-retirement preceding
her marriage. She does not parade herself; no lady would do that, but she
accepts invitations and appears at all the fetes planned for her up to the
wedding day. As a result, she is often very tired and fagged before the
event.

The Man's Wedding Garments.--One of the most frequent inquiries made of
the editors of women's departments in magazines relates to the proper
attire for the bridegroom. "When is it correct to wear a dress suit?" and
"What should the bridegroom wear at a day wedding?"

"The dress suit," so called, is the man's evening clothes. Naturally,
then, he will not don his evening attire until evening--after or for a six
o'clock dinner,' This should dispose of the question of "the dress suit."
For a man to wear evening clothes at a noon wedding would be as absurd as
for a woman to appear in a ball dress at that hour.

For a day wedding a man wears a black frock coat and gray trousers; his
waistcoat may match the coat or be of white duck or