Wedding Extravaganza

The extravagance of weddings is a popular topic. We blame it on modern commercialism. But then, what excuse could President Ulysses S Grant have for the money he spent on his daughter's wedding?

For the occasion the East Room which was chosen for the wedding ceremony, was resplendent and aromatic with flowers and greenery. From the ceiling, suspended on floral ropes, dominated a giant wedding bell composed completely of flowers. Never before, in the history of White House entertainment, were the decorations so lavish, and the atmosphere so laden with perfume.

200 guests sat in the State Dining Room at the White House, their hunger assuaged by a seven-course wedding breakfast. The savoury part of the fare included chicken, woodcock, snipe and crab. For the dessert there was the ever popular strawberry and cream and cake. Punch was laid on, of course, possibly based on Mrs Grant's favourite recipe.

When food was eaten, wine was drunk, and good wishes were exhausted, Nellie and Algernon slipped into a Pullman carriage groaning under the decorative weight of flowers and flags.

Nellie, of course, stole the show. She was attended by eight bridesmaids dressed in white, four carrying pink bouquets, the other four blue. Algernon, showing himself a sensitive guy at a time when men were men and women had babies, chose also to carry a bouquet. His was pink and white.

The wedding dress chosen by Nellie was of white satin, fashionably bustled in the back, and trimmed with lace, orange blossoms and miniature oranges. Yes, I did say miniature oranges. What I'm not sure about is whether they came from grafted miniature orange trees, or bonsai trees.

Suffice it to say, that the dress alone cost $5,000. And that was in the year 1874. President Ulysses S Grant had decided, like so many other people, that spending money on a wedding was as a good an excuse as any. Especially if you have the money.

Vlady, an Australian Civil Marriage Celebrant, is an author of "The Complete Book of Australian Weddings", "The Small Organsiation Handbook" and an ebook "Honeymoon! A Sizzle or a Fizzle?" which you can see on her website http://www.vlady-celebrant.com

maid service near Mundelein ..
In The News:

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.
New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.
A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.
AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.
A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.
New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.
Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.
Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.
Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

Finding the Perfect Bridesmaid Gift

The bridesmaid gift is essential to the planning of a... Read More

The Wedding Dress Revealed

Fashion Trends and Popular Styles and ColorsThe Wedding Dress ?... Read More

Beach Wedding Cakes

Looking for beach theme wedding cake ideas?When it comes to... Read More

Mexico Honeymoon Vacations

Mexico, a country rich in arts and ancient cultures and... Read More

Anniversary Gifts and Perfumes

How many times has your anniversary come around and you... Read More

The Most Important Things In Marriage

When it comes to marriage, there are things that you... Read More

Cancun Honeymoon Vacation - Pleasure Unlimited!

The Cancun honeymoon vacation comes with its bagage of sweet... Read More

Is Conflict Healthy in Marriage?

Today my three-year-old daughter told my husband that she wants... Read More

Marriage Advice: What to Throw Overboard When Your Marriage Is In Trouble

When your marriage is in trouble and you're fighting to... Read More

Help Your Marriage Survive The Rough Spots

Every marriage has its ups and downs, its rough periods.... Read More

To Choose a Wedding Planner or Not to Choose a Wedding Planner

When I was the owner of a major wedding facility,... Read More

Lighting The Way When Two Become One

Whether you want to add a little extra romance to... Read More

Slash Your Wedding Ceremony Bills

When it comes to your wedding services alone, nobody wants... Read More

The Monogram Theme Wedding

Monograms are a huge trend in weddings, to the point... Read More

Wedding Invitation Tips and Advice

You're well into planning your wedding and have finally decided... Read More

Wedding Extravaganza

The extravagance of weddings is a popular topic. We blame... Read More

5 Tips To Keep Marital Bliss Alive After You Retire!

Let's face it retirement is a time of great transition... Read More

Choosing the Perfect Wedding Gown

Selecting a wedding gown is possibly one of the most... Read More

Wedding Favors: A Brief History

For many centuries wedding favors have been a part of... Read More

Extreme Age Differences In Marriage Can Lead To Infidelity

"Extreme age differences between husband and wife may lead to... Read More

Wedding Flowers

The selection process of your wedding flowers will usually begin... Read More

Focus On What Is Important ? Your Wedding Disc Jockey Choice

Your true love got down on his knees and asked... Read More

Creative Wedding Cards

You invitation is a reflection on the type of wedding... Read More

The SURGE of the URGE!

Have you ever heard the expression, "The Urge to Merge"?It... Read More

Ten Ways to Have an Irish Wedding

Honor your Emerald Isle heritage with traditions that are romantic,... Read More

reliable maid service Wilmette ..