Little Women Chapter 25

Meg and her family put together a very simple wedding, with their closest friends attending. The ceremony is to be in the garden, and Meg's dress is very plain and simple. She has made it herself. The sisters dress the bride, a feast is spread in the dining room, flowers decorate the house.

Aunt March arrives. She is horrified to see the groom nailing a garland up, and the bride running to welcome her. Meg explains that she is not for show, that she doesn't need a fancy dress or wedding. The wedding begins without a procession and their father, as a minister, marries the couple under a green arch in a simple ceremony. Afterwards there is a small lunch. Laurie asks where the bottles of wine are. He is told that they were given to the Soldier's Home, with a little kept for medicinal purposes, as their parents don't approve of serving men alcohol under their roof. Laurie says he likes that idea.

The final touch to the wedding comes from Laurie when he notices the bride and groom standing together in the middle of the lawn. He has all the married couples join hands and dance around them, and the single people dance in another circle around them, as the Germans do at weddings. After this the guests leave, Sallie Moffat tells her husband that it was the best wedding she has been to, but that she can't understand why, since it didn't have any style at all. After all is done, Meg and John walk together to their little house with the family all saying goodbye to them, even though they are not going far away.

Topic Tracking: Poverty 12