There were no ushers--no bridesmaids. But
shortly after that (c- 10,329--30 B.C. to be exact) two young
Neoliths named Haig, living in what is now supposed to be
Scotland, discovered that the prolonged distillation of common
barley resulted in the creation of an amber-colored liquid which,
when taken internally, produced a curious and not unpleasant
effect.
This discovery had--and still has--a remarkable effect upon the
celebration of the marriage rite. Gradually there grew up around
the wedding a number of customs. With the Haig brothers'
discovery of Scotch whiskey began, as a matter of course, the
institution of the "bachelor dinner." "Necessity is the mother of
invention," and exactly twelve years after the first "bachelor
dinner" came the discovery of bicarbonate of soda. From that time
down to the present day the history of the etiquette of weddings
has been that of an increasing number of intricate forms and
ceremonies, each age having added its particular bit of ritual.
The modern wedding may be said to be, therefore, almost an
"Outline of History" itself.
ANNOUNCING THE ENGAGEMENT
LET us begin, first of all, with the duties of one of the minor
characters at a wedding --the Groom. Suppose that you are an
eligible young man named Richard Roe, who has just become
"engaged" to a young lady named Dorothy Doe. If you really intend
to "marry the girl," it is customary that some formal
announcement of the engagement be made, for which you must have
the permission of Miss Dorothy and her father.
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