of thanks. Some of them doubtless will come from persons unknown
to her, friends of the groom, and to these she must be especially
prompt in returning her acknowledgments.

List of Invitations.

Making up the list of invitations should be attended to carefully. The
engaged couple should carefully prepare their respective lists and the
mother of the bride should attentively scan names, for from this is to
be made up the future visiting list of her daughter, and she cannot
but hesitate at burdening her at the outset of her new life with a
host of calling acquaintances, hence is forced to exclude every
ineligible name; a cutting painful but oftimes necessary.

Ushers.

The duties of the ushers in a church wedding are very important. At
large weddings as many as half a dozen, or more, ushers are sometimes
needed to manage the great number of guests. They usually appoint one
of their number as head usher, and to him falls the duty of deciding
on the space to be reserved for near relatives, which is to be divided
from the remainder of the church by white ribbons. He makes sure that
the organist is in place, indicates the approach of the bridal party
that the Wedding March may greet them, and instructs the other ushers
as to their respective duties.

Ushers must escort guests to their seats, and as relatives of the
groom are seated on the right of the main aisle, or center of the
church, and those of the bride on the left, it is proper for an usher
to ask any one with whom he may be unacquainted whether their
relationship is to the bride or groom.

In escorting guests to their seats an usher gives his right arm to a
lady. A gentleman who may be in her company should follow after.

The guests assembled, part of the ushers should leave the church at
once and drive to the bride's residence in order to be there to
receive the bridal party upon their return.

"The Best Man."

The "best man" is usually an intimate friend or relative of the groom.
He drives to the church with him, stands by his side at the
altar-rails while he awaits the approach of the bride, and, stepping
back, it is he that holds the groom's hat during the ceremony and
hands it to him at its close. To him is confided the payment of the
wedding fee, and if there is a marriage register he signs as a
witness. He then drives by himself to the bride's home, reaching there
in time to receive the bridal party and to assist the ushers in the
presentatio