Shocking!
Posted by Arnessa on November 24, 1997 at 01:50:53:
In response to Announced in the paper, written by Amy on November 23, 1997 at 12:22:20
] I keep meaning to post this, but every time I see the thread, I've been too lazy to look up the reference. In one of the new Austen bios, there's a mention of the amount of the bride's fortune published in the paper in the wedding announcement!
] It was a surprise to me because I'd always felt fairly comfortable accepting that the gentry was a small circle and that information about people's wealth was merely gossip.
] I will look it up and post now I've come this far. Promise.
That does seem like a bit much. What if the bride brought nothing to a marriage? Did they just leave that part of it out, or did they make some sort of euphemism? "the bride brings much love and bright hopes (read NO MONEY) to her new family" I'll be breathlessly awaiting your info. I suppose someone could argue the society pages now are not much different. Even now, we print where the bride and groom work and where their parents work. Incidentally, these bridal announcements in the paper are REALLY BIG in the town where I grew up. Every few months I get a letter from one of my parents or an aunt, with the bridal announcement of one of my former classmates enclosed.
Posting followups to old messages is disabled; instead go to the main index and post a new message which mentions this one.
