the chancel so that on following the clergyman, the
groom finds himself at the top instead of the foot of the chancel steps.
He goes forward to the right-hand side (his left), his best man behind
him, and waits where he is until his bride approaches, when he goes down
the steps to meet her--which is perhaps more gallant than to stand at the
head of the aisle, and wait for her to join him.

The real bride watches carefully how the pseudo bride takes her left hand
from her father's arm, shifts her fan, or whatever represents her bouquet,
from her right hand to her left, and gives her right hand to the groom. In
the proper maneuver the groom takes her right hand in his own right hand
and draws it through his left arm, at the same time turning toward the
chancel. If the service is undivided, and all of it is to be at the altar,
this is necessary as the bride always goes up to the altar leaning on the
arm of the groom.

If, however, the betrothal is to be read at the foot of the chancel (which
is done at most weddings now) he may merely take her hand in his left one
and stand as they are.

=THE ORGANIST'S CUE=

The organist stops at the moment the bride and groom have assumed their
places. That is the cue to the organist as to the number of bars necessary
for the procession. After the procession has practised "marching" two or
three times, everything ought to be perfect. The organist, having counted
up the necessary bars of music, can readily give the leading ushers their
"music cue"--so that they can start on the measure that will allow the
procession and the organ to end together. The organist can, and usually
does, stop off short, but there is a better finish if the bride's giving
her hand to the groom and taking the last step that brings her in front of
the chancel is timed so as to fall precisely on the last bars of the
processional.

No words of the service are ever rehearsed, although all the "positions"
to be taken are practised.

The pseudo bride takes the groom's left arm and goes slowly up the steps
to the altar.

The best man follows behind and to the right of the groom, and the maid of
honor (or "first" bridesmaid) leaves her companions and advances behind
and to the left of the bride. The pseudo bride (in pantomime) gives her
bouquet to the maid of honor; the best man (also in pantomime) hands the
ring to the groom, this merely to see that they are at a convenient
distance for the services they are t