WEDDING AT S. AUGUSTINES, WAIMATE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1133, 18 January 1884, Page 3

WEDDING AT S. AUGUSTINES, WAIMATE.

(From the Waimate Times, Jan. 2nd, 1884.) Quito a ripple of excitement ruffleil the surface of the quiet little pool of Waimate life-on Wednesday last, the cause whereof might have been easily arrived at by the stranger by a process of deductive season* ing founded upon the premises of carriages with pairs of greys dashing about and a sudden eruption of white favours. For there was nettling less than a wedding afoot, and that one in which the public,, and par- 1 ' ticularly the old identities of the township, were pleased to take an especial interest, owing to the fact that the bride., the eldest daughter of Mr H Middleton,-' had been known to them from her chi dhood, and to the general esteem won by the bridegroom, MrJ. B Wingfield, during a residence of some years here as an officer of the B ink.of New Zealand. The ceremony was per* formed at S Augustine’s Church by the Incnbent, the Rev. Charles Coates, evm-y available seat in the building being occupied ere the hour appointed, not a few, indeed, having to content themselves with standing room. The altar was tastefully decorated with white lines and other flowers, and the wedding as a spectacle was certainly a very pretty one. The bride’s dress was of white silk, with bodice a d train of brocade, over which fell the usual bridal veil, fastened with a wreath of o- ango blossoms ; and the bridesmaids—Miss Charlotte K. Middleton, Miss K. Middleton, I sisters of the bndel, Miss Slee, and Miss Baxter—wore dresses of doru brocaded sateen, t-imme I with bowi and shoulder knots of hel otmpe and lavendar ribbon, very bewlching little mob caps of doru Indian muslin, trimmed with lace of the same color, and handsome silver lockets, the gift of the bridegroom. The bride was given away by her father, Mr H. Middleton, and Mr Alexander Potter acted as best man ; and there was also present in the wedding party Mr T. Wingfield, Miss M. Wingfield, Mr A. Burt, and Mr J. Burt (brother, sister, uncle, and cousin of the bridegroom) and Miss Cavanagh (cousin of the bride). After the ceremony Meudelohn’s "Wedding March” was played by Miss Hnokham, who kindly officiated as organist, and the path from the church porch to the carriages was strewn with flowers by eight little girls attending the Sunday School, who were prettily dressed for the occasion. The wedding breakfast took place at the Royal Hotel, about 40 guests sitting down to a very elegantly apE'ed table. In giving the health of the and bridegroom,Mr M Owen manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Waimate, spoke in high terms of Mr Wingfield, and mentioned in proof that he was as highly esteemed where ha now resided as he was in Waimate, that a telegram of congratulation on the happy event had just been received from some 20 residents of Alexandra (Otago), of the branch of the Bank of New Zealanc at which place Mr Wingfield is the manager. The happy couple left for Studholme Junction to take the express for the north about I p.m. having to make their way to the carriage amid a perfect shower of race, followed by a volley of slippers, and hearty cheers of their friends, whom we join in wishing them Long Life and Prosperity.” "We may add that if further proof were.neejl.ed of th? general esteem in which both, .bride and bridegroom are held it wduCi be found in the very large number of present?, many of them of a costly and valuable character, which were sent to them from all quarters. The proceedings were wound up with a ball, at which a large number were present, dancing being kept np till about 5.80 a.m.