'No Cards' on 1871 newspaper marriage notice - any thoughts to meaning?

[Annbee]

A normal marriage announcement, between two upper middle class families in 1871 in Melbourne. They married in a church and it looks like the announced it once the deed was done. New husband Henry is a successful businessman and a widower with 4 children under 12. New wife Harriet is 30 years old, from well-to-do family but they went bankrupt a couple of decades before and her father died a decade ago. She and her mother and sister struggled financially after father died. It looks like a perfectly reasonable union, probably practical for both parties. At the end of the notice is 'No Cards'.

Does that mean no visiting cards? And if so, do you think that might mean they're just getting on with business, no fussing around here...? Might this be normal practice for second marriages perhaps.  Or...?

[kinnigit]

I found a similar one and wondered why there was a notice in the paper at all ... no fussing around here:

RUSSELL— O'BRIEN - On 12th January, 1886, at Wellington (New Zealand), Henry Russell, to Mary O'Brien. No cake, no cards, and everybody mind their own business.

[Annbee]

No CAKE?! Why marry?

[oldfashionedgirl]

Absolutely 

The suff of life !

[sparrett]

It was an extremely common statement in wedding announcement of the late 19th century.
Here is some explanation.

https://susannaives.com/wordpress/2012/04/how-to-get-married-in-the-1860s-and-early-1870s/

Sue

[Guy Etchells]

At the end of the notice is 'No Cards'.

Does that mean no visiting cards? And if so, do you think that might mean they're just getting on with business, no fussing around here...? Might this be normal practice for second marriages perhaps.  Or...?

No, "No cards" means that no "invitation to the wedding cards" will be sent prior to the wedding, either invited gusts will meet at the coupes home for a wedding breakfast or they might hand out cards to invited guests to come to the couples house at a later date.
Cheers
Guy

[Annbee]

Thanks Sue, that explanation has been helpful. I hated to think the new bride was being short changed on her wedding, so I think not now. They were a social pages type of family, weddings were reported on sometimes in great detail, and this one wasn't. A few other dramas were going on at the time, which were in the papers, so I expect they kept it to family.

The explanation I found relevant: "...Either a card is sent, bearing the name of both bride and bridegroom on one card; or two cards, with the address of the joint residence on the card of the bride only. Of late years the custom of sending cards has been generally discontinued, and when such is the case, the advertisement inserted in the public journals announcing the marriage conveys the notice of ” No cards.” The reason is, that certain people may not take offence at not receiving cards...."



 

[Annbee]

No, "No cards" means that no "invitation to the wedding cards" will be sent prior to the wedding, either invited gusts will meet at the coupes home for a wedding breakfast or they might hand out cards to invited guests to come to the couples house at a later date.

Thanks Guy, most helpful. 

[maddys52]

I found a similar one and wondered why there was a notice in the paper at all ... no fussing around here:

RUSSELL— O'BRIEN - On 12th January, 1886, at Wellington (New Zealand), Henry Russell, to Mary O'Brien. No cake, no cards, and everybody mind their own business.

There are many many marriage notices with "no cake, no cards ..." around this time. Would be interested to know where it started. I can see the phrase in a satirical poem in Punch in 1873, but not sure if it occurred earlier anywhere. Not sure about this one in NZ - "no cake; no cards; no one cares" . ( New Zealand Herald, 8 April 1904 )

Then there is this cheeky reference to the emerging trend:
"In a capital city across the Murray they are becoming quite confidential in their matrimonial announcements. As a tag to one of the customary notices of persons who have agreed to afflict each other for life there is added this - "No cake; no cards". We may presently find the addendum of "No sugar" - which of course, only slangy young men will understand."
 The Australasian,  Sat 7 Apr 1877