A28
Weddings
In the UK people get married either in a church or a REGISTER OFFICE (=a local government building). In the US people often get married in a house, a park, a hotel, or WEDDING CHAPEL, as well as in a church. The traditional wedding, called a white wedding as the bride wears a white dress, takes place in a church. People who are not religious often choose to have a traditional wedding.
The main people at a wedding
The BRIDE is the woman who is getting married. Traditionally, she wears a long white dress and a VEIL, and carries a BOUQUET of flowers. She also wears something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue to bring her luck. The BRIDEGROOM (also called the groom) is the man who is getting married. He wears a SUIT, or sometimes a TUXEDO in the US, or a MORNING SUIT in the UK. The BRIDESMAIDS are usually female friends of the bride, or her sisters or cousins, and they usually wear long dresses and carry flowers. The BEST MAN is a male friend of the groom.
Before the ceremony
It is considered bad luck if the bridegroom sees the bride on the morning the wedding. The bridegroom arrives first at the church and waits at the ALTAR with the best man. The best man is responsible for bringing the WEDDING RING, and there are many jokes about him losing or forgetting it. The bride arrives at the church in a car with her father. There are often jokes about the bride being late, and the groom being very nervous as he waits and worries that she may not be coming.
The ceremony
It is traditional for the bride's father to give her away (=to walk to the front of the church with her and formally give permission for her to marry). The bride and her father walk slowly up the AISLE (=the central passage) and the bridesmaids follow. When the bride and bridegroom are together at the altar, the priest begins the wedding service. He or she asks if there is anyone present who knows of any legal reason why the couple should not get married, and says, 'Speak now, or for ever hold your peace.' Then the bride and groom exchange the traditional vows. It is sometimes possible to change the vows or even write your own. A typical example of a wedding vow might be: "I, Jane Smith, take thee, David Jones, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forth, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, forsaking all others, until death do us part."
The couple then give each other a gold ring and say "With this ring I thee wed" (=with this ring I marry you). At the end of the ceremony, the priest says "I pronounce you man and wife", which means that they are officially married. The husband and wife then sign the REGISTER (=the official record of their marriage).
After the ceremony
Outside the church the friends of the bride and groom throw CONFETTI (=small pieces of coloured paper) or rice over them. A photographer takes the wedding photographs.
The bride and groom and the guests then go to the RECEPTION, which is a special meal and a party to celebrate the wedding. During the meal the bride and groom cut the WEDDING CAKE together. In the US they feed each other a small piece, and it is traditional for them to try and make a mess on each other's faces. At the end of the meal there are speeches made by the bride's father, the groom, and the best man. Before the reception ends, the bride and groom drive away to a hotel to spend their WEDDING NIGHT, before beginning their honeymoon (=a holiday taken by people who have just got married). The car that the couple drive away in has usually been decorated by their friends. Before she leaves, the bride throws her bouquet to her friends. According to custom, the girl or woman who catches it will be the next one to get married.