Duty of a Bridegroom-Elect.

The bridegroom elect has on the eve of matrimony no little business to transact.  His first care is to look after a house suitable for his future home, and then, assisted by the taste of his chosen helpmate, to take steps to furnish it in a becoming style.  He must also, if engaged in business, make arrangements for a month’s absence; in fact, bring together all matters into a focus, so as to be readily manageable when after the honeymoon he shall take the reins himself.  He will do well also to burn most of his bachelor letters, and part with, it may be, some few of his bachelor connections; and he should communicate, in an easy informal way, to his acquaintances generally, the close approach of so important a change in his condition.  Not to do this might hereafter lead to inconvenience and cause no little annoyance.

We must now speak of

Buying the Ring.

It is the gentleman’s business to buy the ring; and let him take especial care not to forget it; for such an awkward mistake has frequently happened.  The ring should be, we need scarcely say, of the very purest gold, but substantial.  There are three reasons for this:  first, that it may not break—­a source of great trouble to the young wife; secondly, that it may not slip off the finger without being missed—­few husbands being pleased to hear that their wives have lost their wedding rings; and, thirdly, that it may last out the lifetime of the loving recipient, even should that life be protracted to the extreme extent.  To get at the right size required is not one of the least interesting of the delicate mysteries of love.  A not unusual method is to get a sister of the fair one to lend one of the lady’s rings, to enable the jeweller to select the proper size.  Care must be taken, however, that it be not too large.  Some audacious suitors, rendered bold by their favoured position, have been even known presumptuously to try the ring on the patient finger of the bride-elect; and it has rarely happened in such cases that the ring has been refused, or sent back to be changed.

Having bought the ring, the bridegroom should now put it into his waistcoat-pocket, there to remain until he puts on his wedding vest on the morning of the marriage; to the left-hand pocket of which he must then carefully transfer it, and not part with it until he takes it out in the church during the wedding ceremony.

In ancient days, it appears by the “Salisbury Manual,” there was a form of “Blessing the Wedding Ring” before the wedding day; and in those times the priest, previously to the ring being put on, always made careful inquiry whether it had been duly blessed.  It would seem to be the wish of certain clergymen, who have of late brought back into use many ceremonial observances that had fallen into desuetude, to revive this ancient custom.

Who should be Asked to the Wedding.