A Lady's Letter.

Manawatu Herald, 2 June 1896, Page 2

A Lady's Letter.

Wellington, May 80, 1896. I think I had better begin about the wedding of Miss Maud Grace and Mr J. 6. Duncan, first. The young oouple were married in St. Mary's Cathedral at 8 o'olock last Thursday afternoon, which happily was fine. The ohuroh was prettily decorated for the occasion with large pot plants and white chrysanthemums. The bride who wai given away by her father, the Hon. Dr Grace, looked very nice indeed. Her gown was of white satin, trained and trimmed with gathered white chiffon and sprays of orange blossoms, and she carried a bouquet of lovely white flowers nestling among the soft; foliage of delicate maiden hair fern. The bridesmaids, four in number, namely, the Misßaa

Alice and Pearl Grace, Miss Russell, daughter of Captain Russell, and Alias Ella Johnston, who is a cousin of tho bride, were very prettily dressed, two in white glaoe siik striped with pale green and two in the same kind of silk striped with pink. These gowns were made alike and finished off with soft white chiffon fichus. Instead of hats, White tulle veils ward worn falling from the back of the head and fastened in with clusters ef white tips. The bouquets were of Russian violets, tied with wide white satin ribbon. The bridegroom presented each bridesmaid with an enamel pendant watch engraved with their initials. There were four groomsmen, the Messrs K. and A. Duncan, R. Grace and H. Rolleston. After the knot had been securely tied by Very Rev. Father Dawaon, the Wedding Party drove to the residence of Dr and Mrs Grace in Hawkestone street, where a large reception was held. The large rooms were beautifully decorated with white flowers and ribbons, and in one very large room were long tables, most daintily spread with all tho luxuries of the season, ranging from a huge weddingcake of five or six tiers, to tiny dishes of delicious home-made sweets. Mrs Grace received in a rich black velvet gown trimmed with white satin bonnet to correspond ; Mrs Duncan, mother of the bridegroom, wore a handsome black satin gown very much trimmed with mauve chiffon, small bonnet trimmed with lace wings and pink and mauve flowers ; Miss Duncan, becoming English gown of light grey material with a vest of pale pink figured silk, pale pink toque edged with light brown fiir and trimmed with pink rosettes and tips. A few others whom I noticed were particularly well dressed, were Mrs C. Johnston in black velvet with ruffles of deep cream lace down the front of the bodice, peculiar bonnet of shot green and blue straw and flowers j Mr 3 W. Johnston, black eatid trimmed with white satin and jat, jet bonnet trimmed with pink ; Mis 3 Johnston wore a very pretty gown of cream siik trimmed with bands of moss green silk edged With yellow lace, very large black velvet picture hat with high plumes ; her sister Miss S. Johnston wore white spotted silk j trimmed with laoe, black velvet hat i trimmed with tips and violets ; Mrs Newmans blouse was very much admired, it was of pale coral pink brocade with full bishop sleeves of accordian silk the same colour as the brocade, there was a soft ruche of lace at the neck, with this was worn a black satin skirt and stylish black i toque trimmed with violets and tips ; Mrs Russell, (Hawkes Bay), hand* some black velvet gown trimmad with jet, black velvet bonnet edged with yellow velvet. The brides travelling gown was of dull green brocade with a full vest of ecru lace over white silk or satin, with it was worn a rather small green straw hat trimmed with chiffon and flowers to match. The happy pair left by the five o'clock train for Piimm^rton, from whence they intend to proceed to Wanganui. I must not forget to cay that Captain Russell, Jn as nice a speech as he is capabta of making, proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom, the latter of ' course responding suitably. 1 The Hutt Assembly dance which took place last night went off most 1 successfully. It was a beautiful moonlight night and a number of > guests drove out from here in breaks. The Masonic Hall was very i nicely decorated on this occasion with numbers of flags and pots of bamboo and other plants. The floor was in perfect condition, and to make it still better we danced to King's music, which is always good, i'he Committee ot ladies who undertook the arrangements of the dance, were Mesdames E. J. Riddiford, Fitzherbert, Scales, Treadwell, G. Pearce, Pearson, Wilfovd and Miss Burnett. Mrs Riddiford wore a very handsome gown of black figured glace silk, with panel on the skirt and very wide shoulder pieces of white satin covered with silver sequined black tulle ; Mrs Pearson pretty white silk trimmed with deep cream laoe ; Mrs G. Pearce, black figured net over pink silk ; Miss Burnett, very pretty pale green brocade gown, her sisters also looked nice, one in white satin covered with silver striped gauze and the other in black satin oovered with black silver striped gauze and trimmed with peacock green velvet ; Miss L. Wilford wore a very pretty pale pink gown trimmed with soft gauze to match ; Mrs (Dr) Purdy, very handsome black moire antique trimmed with laoe and velvet ; Miss Grace, black satin with white silk Bleeves ; Miss S. L. Chapman, rich whit,e brocade and lace ; the Misses Gore (2), Chapman, Johnson (2), Barron i (2), Friend, Mowbray and Lee war* also present. The Vice-Regal party are expeoted back in Wellington early next month. We will be very pleased to welcome them back after such a long absence. I hear that Mrs Robert Pharazyn intends giving a big ball in Thomas' Hall next month. Golf and Bicycling are the chief topics of conversation in social circles just now, and it one does not indulge in either of these pastimes, j one fisls quite out of it. Sigma. <