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25 June 1912 — Chateau Le Muette, Paris | |
Tuesday. 25th [June 1912]. When I got up this morning my bonnet to wear at the wedding was not even begun– The French modiste near here came at 9 oclock with a vacant face to say she could not do it. My good maid Baker seized an old one of mine & in an hour had transformed it into what was required to match my dress wh was dark puce touched up here & there with paste diamond buttons. We lunched at a little after 11 & afterwards the Franquevilles drove off to attend the wedding of their friends & I with Baker drove to the church de l’Etoile in Avenue des Grande Armés—the Protestant “temple” as it is here called. On entering the porch I was conducted to the vestry where I found all the members of the 2 families assembled with 6 bridesmaids & the témoins. A great talk & buzz was going on while we waited for the arrival of the bride. When she came looking very pretty & young & bright the parson came in & the necessary papers were signed & then the cortége was formed—& we went in procession to the front door of the church thro’ a side passage & so walked solemnly up to the altar. The organ was playing, the church was full & was tastefully adorned with white flowers. The people in the procession were placed in chairs behind the bride & bridegroom, & their parents who sat in the front row. The parson in a black gown & bands mounted into the pulpit & made an oration about the different families concerned & an exhortation to the bride & b’groom. After which a quéte was made by the bridesmaids & their grooms—the choir during the time singing from the gallery at the back of the church. This over the pastor came to the altar rails & performed the marriage ceremony & all was over. The cortége proceeded back to the sacristy & there on a raised dais the married couple took their places & beside them their respective parents. The doors of the church then were opened & all the people therein assembled entered & walked past shaking hands as they did so with those on the dais. The relations stood round the wall & shook hands with those they knew as they went by. I stood next to Bessborough but my neighbour’s epaulettes (he was an officer) almost hid me from view so I was only a looker on. The défilé lasted about 1½ hour & one was not sorry when it was over & the family returned to the Neuflize house 7 Rue Alfred de Vigny & got some refreshments. There were not many of us there & I did not remain to see the departure of the happy pair but drove back to La Muette to rest. Later I went with Sophy to call on Mme de Talyrand & her sister Pss Poggie Suarso. They have a charming house almost under the Tour Eiffel & so back to La Muette. The Ct & Css de Franqueville dined here also Mrs Douglas Campbell & a french lady pianist came after dinner & played delightfully till we retired to bed. | |
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