Q. In case of a broken engagement, what becomes of the wedding presents?
A. They are usually returned to their donors.
Q. Is it customary for a young man to ask the parents of the young lady for their consent to his mariage to their daughter?
A. Formerly a young man who wished to propose marriage to a young woman asked the permission of her parents first. Now, however, he usually obtains the favorable answer of the young woman before speaking to her parents.
Q. I have broken my engagement; should I return all of the gifts given me by my former fiance?
A. When an engagement is broken all expensive gifts and all letters that have been exchanged between the two should be returned. The engagement ring should of course be returned.
Q. When a young man becomes engaged is it all right for him to tell his friends before it has been announced?
A. The announcement of an engagement should always come from the bride-to-be. A young man should not tell even his intimate friends until after the young lady has announced it either formally or informally to her friends.
WEDDINGS
Q. How long before the wedding should the invitations be sent out?
A. Wedding invitations are sent not later than fifteen days and not earlier than four weeks before the date set for the wedding.
Q. What is the usual form of wedding invitation?
A.
Mr. and Mrs. John S. Brown
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Elizabeth
to
Mr. James William White
on Monday afternoon, October the fifth
at four o’clock
Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church
New York
Q. When the bride is an orphan how should the wedding invitations be worded?
A. An orphan’s wedding invitations or announcements may be issued in the name of a bachelor brother of the bride-elect, a married brother and his wife jointly, or a married sister and her husband jointly, her grandparents, an uncle and aunt, or a guardian. If there are no relatives or no guardian the invitations should read as follows:
The pleasure of your company is
requested
at the marriage of
Miss Virginia Stone Fairfax
to
Mr. John J. Smith
on Monday, October Twelfth
at eight o’clock
at St. John’s Episcopal Church
New York
Q. Is it necessary to reply to a wedding invitation?
A. If the wedding invitation is to the church alone no reply is necessary. If, however, the invitation is accompanied by cards of invitation to a breakfast or reception following the ceremony, an immediate answer in writing—accepting or declining—should be sent.
Q. Are wedding presents ever sent to the groom instead of the bride?
A. All wedding presents are addressed to the bride, even though they are sent by friends of the groom. It is not cus-
