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Show Wedding "Gifts" Once Held Legal Obligation By a wedding custom common In the British Isles until the early part of the Nineteenth century, the couple sent out Invitations In which presents pres-ents were solicited from those who accepted the bidding. More slrange. these solicited gifts were regarded in the light of debts to be paid hack by the couple. On the eve of the wed ding the groom received at his house presents of money, cheese, butter, and cattle from his friends, and the bride received similar gifts at her house from her friends. An account of each sift and the giver was kept in writing by the clerk of the wedding and the presents then became debts, which In some cases were transferrahle or as signalile to other persons, in other words these wedding gift-debts were repayable upon demand at uny time, und upon refusal, recoverable at law 1 It was In Scotland, however, where a wedding became a real business eve:,t. At their "penny weddings" of the last century the expense of the marriage was defrayed not by the couple or their friends, but by the guests nil of whom paid something or stayed away. Delrnit News. |