r a big
wedding.

But to return to our particular bride; everyone seemingly is in her room,
her mother, her grandmother, three aunts, two cousins, three bridesmaids,
four small children, two friends, her maid, the dressmaker and an
assistant. Every little while, the parlor-maid brings a message or a
package. Her father comes in and goes out at regular intervals, in sheer
nervousness. The rest of the bridesmaids gradually appear and distract the
attention of the audience so that the bride has moments of being allowed
to dress undisturbed. At last even her veil is adjusted and all present
gasp their approval: "How sweet!" "Dearest, you are too lovely!" and
"Darling, how wonderful you look!"

Her father reappears: "If you are going to have the pictures taken, you
had better all hurry!"

"Oh, Mary," shouts some one, "what have you on that is

Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something blue,
And a lucky sixpence in your shoe!"

"Let me see," says the bride, "'old,' I have old lace; 'new,' I have lots
of new! 'Borrowed,' and 'blue'?" A chorus of voices: "Wear my ring," "Wear
my pin," "Wear mine! It's blue!" and some one's pin which has a blue stone
in it, is fastened on under the trimming of her dress and serves both
needs. If the lucky sixpence (a dime will do) is produced, she must at
least pay discomfort for her "luck."

Again some one suggests the photographer is waiting and time is short.
Having pictures taken before the ceremony is a dull custom, because it is
tiring to sit for one's photograph at best, and to attempt anything so
delaying as posing at the moment when the procession ought to be starting,
is as trying to the nerves as it is exhausting, and more than one wedding
procession has consisted of very "dragged out" young women in consequence.

At a country wedding it is very easy to take the pictures out on the lawn
at the end of the reception and just before the bride goes to dress.
Sometimes in a town house, they are taken in an up-stairs room at that
same hour; but usually the bride is dressed and her bridesmaids arrive at
her house fully half an hour before the time necessary to leave for the
church, and pictures of the group are taken as well as several of the
bride alone--with special lights--against the background where she will
stand and receive.

=PROCESSION TO CHURCH=

Whether the pictures are taken before the wedding or after, the
bridesmaids always meet at th