Bridesmaids Luncheon for an August Bride - 1904

Table Laid For A Bridesmaid's Luncheon

Table Laid For A Bridesmaid's Luncheon © 1906 Table Talks Illustrated Cook Book

 

A luncheon given by one of the bridesmaids to an autumn bride was marked by some pretty and novel features. The color scheme was green and white, and the company, which included all the girl attendants of the bride, together with the matron of honor, were seated at a round table.

In the center of the cloth stood a large glass dish holding six bunches of white roses, each bunch tied with white ribbon, the other end of which was carried to a cover, ending in a pretty rose-petal name-card, white, delicately touched with green, the gold lettering in old English text.

The roses were buried in rice in the dish and attached to each ribbon near the flowers was the favor, a gold heart pierced by an arrow and with the initials of the bride and bride groom on the two sides. On the bride's chair, tied on with white satin ribbon, was a gilded horseshoe.

At each place was a white rose-shaped candy box, with a long stem and filled with green bonbons. Silver candlesticks holding green candles with green silk shades lighted the feast, the bunch of breadsticks at each cover was tied with narrow white ribbon, and in the finger-bowls handed round after the first course white rose leaves floated in water tinted faintly with green.

Bride and Bridesmaids – Pretty House Wedding in Chicago Society 1901

Bride and Bridesmaids – Pretty House Wedding in Chicago Society © 1902 Beautiful Homes and Social Customs of America

 

The menu began with grapes à la neige, the bunches of the light green fruit tied with white ribbon. This was followed by a Purée of green peas served in cups with whipped cream, lobster à la Newburg, pates à la reine, squabs on toast with string-beans, olives, and celery; a salad of tomatoes stuffed with celery and peppered olives, crackers, and cream cheese made into balls and rolled in finely minced parsley, with white currant Barle-Duc jelly.

The ice was served in forms, a wedding bell for the bride, two hearts intertwined for the matron of honor, and cupids for the bridesmaids; cakes in the shape of hearts iced in green, with white cupids on top in white icing, went around with the ices, and finally brandied cherries crystallized in green and white.

Following the coffee, the hostess gave the signal, each one of the company pulled her ribbon and got, amid a shower of rice, her bouquet of roses with the favor attached.

An afternoon card party given by a bridesmaid of another wedding had features that could be applied easily to a function in honor of Saint Valentine. A large pink crepe-paper heart hung in the centre of the parlor, and from it twenty bands of pink ribbon went to all parts of the room, each bearing a number at its end.

To each guest, as she entered, a corresponding number was given, and she quickly found her proper band. As the games progressed winners of points received pink paper hearts to be duly tied on to the bands, so that at the end of the afternoon the room was all aflutter with blushing hearts.

The prizes were in touch with the occasion and, in addition, each guest received as a souvenir a heart-shaped sachet of white satin to which was attached a satin neck ribbon. On the sachets were painted in pink the monograms of the bride and bridegroom.

For Saint Valentine's day the hearts should be deep red, and cupid's darts might alternate with them for the men, as tally points.

If there is in the house (and there usually is, banished, perhaps, to the servant's room) one of the old-fashioned rather long, mahogany-framed mirrors, the clever young girl has the better part of a very pretty dressing-table within her reach.

Hang it rather low and stand beneath it one of the small square tables with two drawers and narrow drop-leaves that are to be had for three or four dollars, with a fine mahogany finish, in almost any shop.

Open the leaves, spread over their length a narrow bureau doily of open-work, and with candlesticks, dainty toilet articles, and the like, a thoroughly good dressing-table is evolved. Before it may stand a low square seat with a cushion.

Scotch Woodcock by Chafing Dish

Girls who are fond of chafing-dish cookery should count Scotch woodcock in their list of possible, as it is easily made and very appetizing. It may appropriately precede grilled sardines or kidneys for a Sunday night supper.

Boil five eggs for an hour, shell, and chop very fine. In the blazer melt a heaping tablespoonful of butter with a tablespoonful of flour, stirring smooth, after they are well mixed, with a cupful of milk.

It may be inserted here that in making in the chafing-dish any sauce that calls for a cupful of milk, the process is much hastened if the milk is heated, not by any means scalded, before it is added.

A cupful of ice-cold milk thickens very slowly. Add a good pinch of salt and one of paprika, with a half-teaspoonful or more of anchovy sauce, according to taste, and the minced eggs. Simmer gently for five minutes.

Have ready a number of slices of thin crisp buttered toast. With a spoon spread a layer of the mixture over each slice, pile on a hot platter, pour over the remainder, and serve quickly.

Hats for Bridesmaids or Brides Trousseau

Automobile Veils

The automobile veils which are a necessity for the touring car have been found to be useful for all driving, and young women now consider that they are wearable for walking and shopping. If of a becoming color, they are certainly very effective and graceful, their long ends knotted about the throat in soft fluffiness.

They can be made at home easily and will cost less than to buy them at the shops. A yard and three-quarters of chiffon is needed. Put a narrow hem on one end in which to run bonnet wire to make a circle about four inches in diameter.

Before slipping it on this circle, fold the chiffon lengthwise and cut through the middle to within a half-yard of the top. Finish the raw edges thus left with a quarter-inch hem and the two ends with one a little wider. Slip the uncut end on the wire, which is then drawn together to form the circle.

This rests over the crown or middle of the hat, the divided ends straight in front, and is pinned fast." The long ends are then crossed to the back and brought around to tie loosely in front.

As physicians say loose veils are much better for the complexion than those drawn tightly against the face, it may be well to encourage the spread of the automobile veil.

Ultimate Chocolate Drink

The daughter of a certain New York household is the chocolate-maker of the family, and the drink as she serves it is especially delicious. Her secret, which she willingly gives away, lies, she says, solely in the fact that the drink is made hours before it is served.

Plain unsweetened chocolate is used, a half-pound cake for ten cups. The chocolate is broken into pieces, put in an earthenware vessel, and slowly dissolved in warm water whose heat is gradually increased till the boiling-point is reached, and it is allowed to boil for fifteen minutes.

The porcelain or earthenware vessel in which it is cooked is then closely covered and left to stand on some warm but not hot part of the range for several hours. Just before it is to be served, boiling milk is added, and the mixture brought to a quick boil.

By this process the chocolate is thoroughly blended, and that smooth rich flavor from which all raw taste is taken is produced. In this connection it is recalled that Brillat-Savarin gives a formula for the making of chocolate that permits the blending process to go on overnight.

A treasure from Japan in the shape of a fine black crepe shawl heavily embroidered in colors, —reds, blues, and greens,—which is possessed by a young bride, has been effectively utilized in the little up-town apartment in which her married life has begun.

The little room which in most small apartments opens from the parlor by double doors has a closet built along one wall. On this, perfectly concealing it, hangs the shawl, a low divan drawn up against it. This divan has cover and pillows of a dull yellow corduroy that, with the background of black and brilliant embroidery, makes the corner a marvel of artistic effect.

Banquet table and decorations

Banquet table and decorations © 1902 Beautiful Homes and Social Customs of America

Table Decorations

At a luncheon recently given the table was most effectively treated in red carnations, daisies, and brilliant red Japanese ivy. A dinner preceding a theatre party was set off, by way of a centerpiece, with a mound of violets in a wreath of asparagus fern, daisies studding the arrangement at intervals.

A broad band of violet satin ribbon led from the center to each lady's plate, alternating with half-inch lines of yellow ribbon that terminated at the men's covers. At the end of the dinner the ribbons pulled freed huge bunches of violets and single daisies, corsage bouquets, and boutonnieres.

Much prettier than the bamboo porch curtains, which, however, are, in their turn, much better than no sun shield, was a piazza screen lately seen at a country house. It was a rather tall affair, and as wide as two widths of matting permitted.

The matting was of a rich red color and mounted in a frame of dark-stained wood. This screen being movable, was amenable to much shifting. It shut off the hammock in the corner when someone was curled up therein for a quiet read or a bit of a nap.

It kept out the sun from any point at which it shone too ardently or shut off a draught that was playing havoc with writing materials, and always made an effective background for summer gowns, toning beautifully with the green of the vines, without which no present-day piazza is complete.

To smooth floors for emergency dancing, the best and quickest agent is grated paraffine. Use a coarse grater and sprinkle evenly on the floor, the wax to be rubbed in by having one or two persons shuffle over the boards.

A lump of wax not larger than a small egg will smooth the floor of a fairly large room. At an autumn house party great fun was had one evening over an animal contest.

Animal Contest

To each person was furnished a piece of course, stiff tarlatan, or foundation muslin, and about as large as a lady's handkerchief, together with two or three yards of narrow, flat, red braid wound end and end, like the figure eight, on a small stick or pencil, and needle and thread.

Pinned to one corner of the cloth was a bit of paper on which was written the name of an animal, this name to be carefully concealed by the one who received it.

When all were supplied, each set to work to sew on the braid in at least a semblance of the form of the animal designated.

Afterwards the squares were exchanged and passed around, each trying to name the animal indicated on the pieces. Prizes were given for the most correct designations.

“Girls,” in Harper’s Bazaar: A Monthly Magazine for Women, New York: Harper & Brothers, Vol. XXVIII, No. 1, January 1904, p. 93-95

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