small country weddings not to wear gloves at
all! But at every wedding, great or small, city or country, etiquette
demands that the groom, best man, and ushers, all wear high silk hats, and
that the groom carry a walking stick.

Very particular grooms have the soles of their shoes blacked with
"water-proof" shoe polish so that when they kneel, their shoes look dark
and neat.

=WHAT THE BEST MAN WEARS=

The best man wears precisely what the groom wears, with only one small
exception: the groom's boutonniere is slightly different and more
elaborate. The groom and best man often wear ties that are different from
those worn by the ushers, and occasionally white waistcoats. Otherwise the
two principal men are dressed like the ushers.

=WHAT THE USHERS WEAR=

It is of greatest importance that in dress each usher be an exact
counterpart of his fellows, if the picture is to be perfect.

Everyone knows what a ragged-edged appearance is produced by a company of
recruits whose uniforms are odd lots. An after-effect of army training
was evident at one or two smart New York weddings where the grooms were in
each case ex-officers and their ushers turned out in military uniformity.
Each of these grooms sent typewritten instructions to his ushers, covering
every detail of the "equipment" exacted. Few people may have reasoned why,
but scarcely any one failed to notice "what smart looking men all the
ushers were." It is always just such attention to detail that produces a
perfectly finished result. The directions sent by one of the grooms was as
follows:

"Wedding rehearsal on Tuesday, St. Bartholomew's at 5 P.M.

Wedding on Wednesday at 4 P.M.

Please wear:

Black calfskin low shoes.
Plain black silk socks.
Gray striped trousers (the darkest you have).
Morning coat and single-breasted black waistcoat.
White dress shirt (see that cuffs show three-quarters of
an inch below coat sleeves).
Stand-up wing collar.
Tie and gloves are enclosed.
Boutonniere will be at the church.
Be at the church yourself at three o'clock, sharp."

=THE HEAD USHER=

Usually there is no "head usher," but in certain localities courtesy
designates the usher who is selected to take the bride's mother up the
aisle as the "head," or "first" usher.

Very occasionally, too, a nervous groom appoints an especially "reliable"
friend head usher so as to be su