Before the Wedding

Wedding

A wedding is a ceremony where two or more people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vows by a couple, presentation of a gift (offering, rings, symbolic item, flowers, money, dress), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or celebrant. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers, or readings from religious texts or literature are also commonly incorporated into the ceremony, as well as superstitious customs originating in Ancient Rome.

Before the wedding

Marriage proposal

Wikipedia article: Marriage Proposal

A marriage proposal is an event where one person in a relationship asks for the other's hand in marriage. If accepted, it marks the initiation of engagement. It often has a ritual quality, sometimes involving the presentation of an engagement ring and a formalized asking of a question such as, "Will you marry me?" In western culture, it is traditional for the man to propose to the woman while "kneeling" before her (technically, this is genuflection, not kneeling), and sometimes physically putting the ring on her finger, as opposed to merely giving it to her. Often the proposal is a surprise.

Engagement

Wikipedia article: Engagement

An engagement is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage – which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be affianced, betrothed, engaged to be married, or simply engaged. Future brides and grooms are often referred to as fiancées or fiancés respectively (from the French word fiancé). The duration of the courtship varies vastly.

Wedding planner

Wikipedia article: Wedding Planner

A wedding planner is a professional who assists with planning and organization of weddings. Weddings are significant events in people's lives, and those involved are often willing to spend a considerable amount of money to ensure it is organized as perfectly as possible.

Professional wedding planners exist in several countries and communities, with extensive certification courses available to those who wish to pursue the career.

Save the date

Wikipedia article: Save the date

A save the date notice is an item stating the date of a wedding or other formal event. It typically states the date when a couple plans to marry, so that recipients will know to keep that date free. Save the dates usually take the form of a card, but can also be a refrigerator magnet or similar item. They are generally sent out at least six to twelve months before the wedding date, and are usually followed by a formal wedding invitation.

While save the date started as a wedding-related custom, it is now used by individuals, businesses, and organizations to announce the date of any formal event, ranging from wedding anniversaries to grand opening ceremonies for office buildings.

Save the dates are growing wildly in popularity around the world.

Marriage licence

Wikipedia article: Marriage licence

A marriage license is a document issued, either by a church or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between countries and has changed over time. Marriage licenses began to be issued in the Middle Ages, to permit a marriage which would otherwise be illegal (for instance, if the necessary period of notice for the marriage had not been given).

Today, they are a legal requirement in some jurisdictions and may also serve as the record of the marriage itself, if signed by the couple and witnessed.

In other jurisdictions, a license is not required. In some jurisdictions, a "pardon" can be obtained, for marrying without a license and in some jurisdictions, common-law marriages and marriage by cohabitation and representation are also recognised. These do not require a marriage license. There are also some jurisdictions where marriage licenses do not exist at all and a marriage certificate is given to the couple after the marriage ceremony did take place.

Bridal registry

Wikipedia article: Bridal registry

A bridal registry is a service provided by a website or retail store to assist engaged couples in the communication of gift preferences to wedding guests. Selecting items from store stock, the couple lists desired items and files this list with the chosen merchant. The list is then made available to wedding guests, either by the couple's family or the merchant. Upon the purchase of a listed item, this gift registry is updated accordingly. In addition to providing valuable information for the buyer, the system helps prevent the receipt of duplicate or unwanted gifts, potentially saving time for both giver and recipient.

Bridal shower

Wikipedia article: Bridal shower

A bridal shower is a gift-giving party held for a bride-to-be in anticipation of her wedding. The custom originated in the 1890s and is today most common in the United States, Canada, and by American influence, in Australia.

The history of the custom is rooted not necessarily for the provision of goods for the upcoming matrimonial home, but to provide goods and financial assistance to ensure the wedding may take place.

Engagement party

Wikipedia article: Engagement party

An engagement party is a party thrown to celebrate a couple's recent engagement and to help future wedding guests to get to know one another. Traditionally, the bride's parents host the engagement party, but many modern couples host their own celebration

Wedding Invitation

Wikipedia article: Wedding Invitation

A Wedding Invitation is a letter asking the recipient to attend a wedding. It is typically mailed six to eight weeks before the wedding date. Wedding invitations may be printed using one of the following methods: engraving, lithography, thermography, letterpress printing, sometimes blind embossing,compression plate process, offset printing, and more recently, wedding invitations with laser and inkjet printers as many do-it-yourself brides are printing on their home computers. Invitations can be ordered from an artist, or vendor specializing in invitations. For the artistically inclined, they can be handmade.

Chinese pre-wedding customs

Wikipedia article: Chinese pre-wedding customs

The first step is the Selection of auspicious dates for the Chinese wedding, the betrothal and the installation of the bridal bed. A Chinese monk, a temple official fortune teller select a suitable date based on the couple's birth dates and times. Some may also refer to the Chinese calendar or almanac for good days. Even numbered months and dates are preferred, and the lunar seventh month is avoided as it is the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

After the selection of the auspicious dates, wedding details such as types and quantities of betrothal gifts, reciprocal gifts, bride's price, and number of tables at the wedding banquet provided by the groom's parents for the bride's parents' guests are settled.

Up to a month and at least three days before the wedding day, the groom and a friend or a matchmaker will deliver the betrothal gifts on the auspicious date chosen.

Western and Chinese wedding cakes and peanut candies, together with two bottles of brandy, at least six tins of canned ham and even number of oranges are included in the wedding gift baskets. Two pairs of dragon and phoenix candles are also included. Also included is gold jewellery from the groom's parents to the bride, such as the Cantonese Dragon and phoenix bangle or the teochew's four items of gold.

Some include the bride's price with the betrothal gifts, whereas some will only present it when the groom fetches the bride.

Bachelor party

Wikipedia article: Bachelor party

A bachelor party (USA and South Africa), also known as a stag party, stag night or stag do (United States, Canada, UK, Ireland and New Zealand), a bull's party (South Africa), and a buck's party or buck's night (Australia) is a party held for a bachelor shortly before he enters marriage, to make the most of his final opportunity to engage in activities a new partner might not approve of, or merely to spend time with his male friends (who are often in his wedding party afterwards). Bachelor parties are usually planned by the best man or the friend of the bachelor that has the most extensive partying experience and, occasionally, with the assistance of a bachelor party planning company.

Bachelorette party

Wikipedia article: Bachelorette party

A bachelorette party, hen's party, hen's do, or hen's night, is a party held for a woman who is about to be married. The term hen's party or hen's night is more common in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, while the term bachelorette party is more common in the United States. The term stagette is used in Canada. It may also be referred to as a girls' night out or kitchen tea (South Africa in particular) or other terms in other English-speaking countries.

The bachelorette party is modeled after the bachelor party, which is itself historically a dinner given by the bridegroom to his friends shortly before his wedding. Despite its reputation as "a sodden farewell to bachelor days" or "an evening of debauchery," a bachelorette's party is simply a party, given in honor of the bride-to-be, in the style that is common to that

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