EVENING PARTIES

The etiquette of the ballroom now is slightly different than that of an evening party.

1) Invitations issued for an evening party should be written and sent out at least 3 weeks before the day of the event and they should be replied to within 1 week of their acceptance or decline.

2) A lady invited to an evening party, may bring a gentleman to accompany her, even though he may not have received an invitation from the hostess.

3) It is usual for 9:00 to be the hour that the hostess should be prepared to receive her guest. By 10:00 all guests should arrive. However, some people purposely delay their appearance, until very late.

4) As ladies and gentlemen arrive, each should be shown to a room exclusively provided for their reception. The gentleman should conduct the lady of his charge to the door, as with a ball. The room set apart for the ladies should have attendants waiting to assist in uncloaking and helping arrange their toilet. They then rejoin the gentlemen, and make their entrance together. If it's a very large, formal party, a servant may announce the names of the guests as they enter the room.

5) It is up to the lady of the house to be near the door to receive her guests. If she is not there, you need not seek her out.

6) As tine guests enter the room, the lady of the house does not have to greet each one at the door. She may merely rise from her seat to receive their courtesies.

7) It is usually the practice of the gentleman of the house to introduce one gentleman to another, but occasionally the lady will perform this and then it will be, of course, polite for those persons thus introduced to take their seats together for a time being.

8) When entering a private ball or a drawing room, the visitor should always bow to the company, even though it may not be noticed.

9) It is best for the hostess, even though she does enjoy to dance, that she do not do so at any great extent, unless she is sure all of the other ladies are accompanied to the dance floor.

10) The host or hostess will chat with their friends. It is up to them to furnish seats and see that those who wish to dance have partners.

11) No member of the family, be it male or female, should spend too much time dancing. The ladies should attend to the fact that all other ladies are attended to, and the gentlemen should be entertaining the married ladies who do not get to dance otherwise.

12) ln the private party, formal introductions are not necessary, as it is presumed that the hostess has only invited people to her party who are compatible and a lady should not refuse an invitation to dance.

13) If a lady refuses you, do not ask another who is seated near her to dance to the same set. Do not go immediately to another lady, but chat a moment with the one you first invited.

14) Gentlemen will not get together in groups to neglect the ladies.

15) Members of an invited family should never be seen conversing with each other at a party.

16) If you accompany your wife to a dancing party, be careful not to dance with her, except for the first set .

17) Where there are no programs, engagement should not be made until the dance is announced.

18) In ascending a staircase with ladies, go at their side or before them.

19) No gentleman will neglect a suggestion from one lady, stating that another lady has remained unengaged for several dances.

20) If at a private party while singing or playing is going on, it is very ill -mannered to converse, as well as being cruel to the performer .

21) It is considered extremely ill-bred to take any place previously engaged by someone else, or when joining a dance, by cutting into the middle. You should take your place at the end of the couples who are standing up.

22) If there be a supper , the gentleman should always escort his last dance partner, unless asked by the hostess to do otherwise, and then he should provide a new partner for his last lady.

23) No gentleman should offer to conduct a lady home after a party, unless he has been requested to do so by the host .

24) When you are leaving a hostess's home, if by taking your leave your create any excitement and observation by everyone in attendance, then it would be better for you to leave very quietly without bothering or intimidating your hostess. This is more respectful.

25) Sometime during the next week, the hostess will expect to receive a call or a card expecting gratification of her entertainment. This is due to every lady giving a party.