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53-425: Entertaining guests after a wedding ceremony is traditional in most societies, and can last anywhere from half an hour to many hours or even days. Most wedding receptions are made in the evening for dinner; however, the couple may opt for a luncheon, brunch, or even afternoon tea. Ultimately the married couple chooses the details and location of the reception. In some cultures, separate wedding celebrations are held for

106-445: A bridal purse (or money bag ) is also common. The term bride appears in combination with many words, some of which are obsolete. Thus, "bridegroom" is a newly married man, and "bride-bell," "bride-banquet" are old equivalents of wedding-bells, wedding-breakfast. "Bridal" (from Bride-ale ), originally the wedding-feast itself, has grown into a general descriptive adjective, the bridal ceremony. The bride-cake had its origin in

159-596: A check is always the best gift. This tradition is the same in traditional Italian weddings. In addition to the check, in Chinese weddings some elder relatives might also give gold jewelry. The check should be in a red envelope or red pocket with the givers' names on it, and it is always given when signing in at the restaurant. In choosing the amount of money to give, givers scrupulously avoid unlucky numbers, such as 4 and favor combinations of lucky numbers, such as 8 and 9. Also, white envelopes are never used to wrap gifts for

212-399: A choreographed dance routine or other forms of dancing, like club, disco or hip hop. Top 40 chart hits becoming an increasingly popular option for the first dance – the most popular first dance song at UK weddings in 2020 is You Got Me Thinking , a soft rock ballad by Joshua Radin . Before the wedding, the newlyweds choose a DJ and agree on a playlist with them. As a rule, the performance of

265-422: A nod to an ancient Roman wedding rite , may feed a bite to one another and perhaps sip a glass of wine or other drink with linked arms. Then the cake is served to the guests. Like being asked to pour tea at a formal tea party , being asked to serve the cake is generally considered an honor. In most Western countries, either before or after food is served, toasts are made by members of the wedding party, wishing

318-479: A tradition started by Queen Victoria. The white dress was once considered a symbol of luxury due to the difficulties in laundering delicate white clothing. Today, Western brides may wear white, cream, or ivory dresses, regardless of their number of marriages. In non-Western countries, brides often wear national dress, with white wedding dresses being uncommon in Asian cultures as it symbolizes mourning and death. Red, on

371-494: A wedding banquet menu. A whole fish, chicken, or pig means luck and completeness in Chinese wedding culture. Traditionally, after the fifth dish of the dinner, the groom and bride and their families will approach each table to toast the guests. Very often, the bride will change into a traditional Chinese red wedding dress (鳳褂, or qípáo ) at that time, if she has been wearing a different style of clothing before. The decorations vary by culture and budget. Bride A bride

424-452: A wedding or other joyful event, as the color white is associated with death. There are two times listed on the invitation: 恭候 (gōnghòu/greeting) and 入席 (rùxí/reception). Typically, they are at least two hours apart (some may be four hours). The first one is the time the groom and bride, along with their family, will be ready to receive guests and greet them; the second one is the time the reception/banquet will start. The gap between those hours

477-414: A wedding ring in other parts of the world. Wedding jewelry has traditionally been used to demonstrate the value of the bride's dowry . In addition to the gown, brides often wear a veil and carry a bouquet of flowers, a small heirloom such as a lucky coin, a prayer book , or other token. In Western countries, a bride may wear " something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue ";

530-511: A wedding, including both the ceremony and reception, has generally outpaced the rate of inflation. In the United States, as of 2016, the average price is $ 35,329, steadily rising year over year, as it also has in the UK where the average cost was £25,090, rising roughly 7000 pounds from two years prior. In Australia, the cost is $ 36,200 (AUD). Approximately 50% of a couple's entire wedding budget

583-403: A white wedding dress is usually worn, a tradition started by Queen Victoria , who wore a white court dress for her wedding. Through the earlier parts of the 20th century, Western etiquette prescribed that a white dress should not be worn for subsequent marriages, since the wearing of white was mistakenly regarded by some as an ancient symbol of virginity , despite the fact that wearing white

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636-565: Is a fairly recent development in wedding traditions, and its origin has more to do with conspicuous consumption from an era when a white dress was luxurious, even prodigal, because of difficulties with laundering delicate clothes. Today, Western brides frequently wear white, cream, or ivory dresses for any number of marriages; the color of the dress is not a comment on the bride's sexual history. Outside of Western countries, brides most commonly wear national dress . White wedding dresses are particularly uncommon in Asian traditions, because white

689-526: Is a woman who is about to be married or who is a newlywed . When marrying, if the bride's future spouse is a man, he is usually referred to as the bridegroom or just groom . In Western culture, a bride may be attended by a maid , bridesman and one or more bridesmaids . The word "bride" has its roots in the Old English word "bryd," which is shared with other Germanic languages. In Western countries, brides typically wear white wedding dresses,

742-537: Is common to both the Greek Christians and members of the Jewish faith. It is thrown against a wall or trodden under foot. The phrase "bride-cup" was also sometimes used of the bowl of spiced wine prepared at night for the bridal couple. Bride-favours , anciently called bride-lace, were at first pieces of gold, silk or other lace, used to bind up the sprigs of rosemary formerly worn at weddings. These took later

795-485: Is mentioned as early as 1806, in André Viard 's culinary encyclopedia Le Cuisinier Impérial , and Antoine Beauvilliers ' 1815 L'Art du Cuisinier . In Viard's encyclopedia and other early texts (e.g., Grimod de La Reynière 's, Néo-physiologie du gout ), it is included in lists of entremets —elaborate dishes, both savory and sweet, that were served between courses during large banquets. On 6 March 2009, alumni of

848-560: Is no requirement that any particular people dance at all, much less with any particular person, and no absolutely required order for the bridal couple, their families, or the bridal party to begin dancing in. Wedding receptions are often the time when couples want to ensure their family and guests will be entertained, and a variety of options such as disc jockeys, live bands, professional dancers such as ballroom dancers or belly dancers , magicians, fire artists, electric violinists, comedians and more unusual entertainers are brought in to heighten

901-515: Is often a multi-tiered layer cake that is elaborately decorated with white frosting. Some couples have a smaller display cake, which is supplemented by sheet cake . The groom's cake is a tradition observed mainly in the southern United States. In the Colonial and Victorian eras, the white-iced bride's cake was considered "too light" for male tastes, and a second cake choice—usually a dark, liquor-soaked fruitcake—was also offered. Today, chocolate

954-410: Is popular, although the groom's cake may be in any flavor and is usually shaped or decorated as something significant to the groom, such as a favorite hobby or sport. If a full meal is served, the wedding cake is usually served after the meal. Otherwise, the cake may be served as soon as the family has received all of the guests. Commonly, the couple ceremonially cut the first piece of the cake, and in

1007-405: Is referred to as entertainment time. Very often, the restaurant will provide poker and mahjong (麻將) for gambling; the time can also be used to socialize with other guests and take photos with the bride/groom and their families. Nowadays, for Chinese couples' weddings in the U.S., you are less likely to see mahjong being played before the banquet; it is often replaced by a cocktail party. However, if

1060-694: Is said to have started with the Saracens, who regarded them as emblems of fecundity . It was introduced into Europe by the Crusaders. The bride's veil is the modern form of the flammeum or large yellow veil that completely enveloped the Greek and Roman brides during the ceremony. Such a covering is still in use among the Jews and the Persians. The "bride's crate" was the bride's container to gather all

1113-458: Is spent on the reception alone. This is primarily due to the cost of food and alcohol. The wedding industry is a huge industry grossing $ 161 billion annually, according to Rebecca Mead, author of One Perfect Day . Wedding traditions vary between countries, and between regions of the same country. Some shared traditions include: Unless the wedding couple has a wedding registry, it is best not to give gifts or gift certificates. For Chinese weddings,

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1166-473: Is the color of mourning and death in those cultures. In many Asian cultures, red is usual for brides, as this colour indicates vibrance and health and has over time been associated with brides. However, in modern times other colours may be worn, or Western styles preferred. Regardless of colour in most Asian cultures bridal clothes are highly decorative, often covered with embroidery, beading or gold. In some traditions brides may wear more than one outfit; this

1219-566: Is true, for example, in Japan, parts of India, and, archaically, in parts of the Arab world. Particular styles of jewelry are often associated with bridal wear; for example wedding rings in most Western cultures, or chura (red and white bangles) in Punjabi Sikh culture. Hindu brides are presented with a mangalsutra during the wedding ceremony, which has much of the same significance as

1272-482: Is usually introduced by a master of ceremonies , toastmaster , disc jockey , or band leader. It may be done in the same manner as they walked down the aisle during the wedding ceremony. This is generally much faster than a receiving line and guests may be seated before the arrival of the wedding party. In addition, it can be an event in itself and be as entertaining as wished. Introductions may be accompanied by music and information about each person to introduce them to

1325-641: The Epistles and related verses in the Old Testament . Sometimes, the Bride is implied by calling Jesus a bridegroom to the Church. For over 1500 years, the Church was identified as the bride betrothed to Christ. However, there are instances of the interpretation of the usage of varying from church to church. Most believe that it always refers to the church. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ,

1378-619: The French phrase croque en bouche , meaning '[something that] crunches in the mouth'. A croquembouche is composed of (usually cream-filled) choux piled into a cone and bound with spun sugar. It may also be decorated with other confectionery, such as sugared almonds, chocolate, and edible flowers. Sometimes it is covered in macarons or ganache . The invention of the croquembouche is often attributed to Antonin Carême , who includes it in his 1815 cookbook Le Pâtissier royal parisien , but it

1431-481: The bride 's and groom 's families. Before receptions – a social event that is structured around a receiving line, and usually held in the afternoon, with only light refreshments – became popular, weddings were more typically celebrated with wedding breakfasts (for those whose religious traditions encouraged morning weddings) and wedding balls (for those who were married in the evening). The popularity of receptions, rather than breakfasts, dinners, and balls, during

1484-509: The 20th century led to the name reception being applied to any social event after a wedding, whether it is brunch, tea, dinner, or a dance. Until after World War II, wedding celebrations were most commonly held in the bride's home, in whatever style of entertainment was within the means of the family. This might be a grand ball for a wealthy family, a luncheon for middle-class families, or an afternoon tea, featuring cake and lemonade, for working-class families. The choice depended primarily on

1537-524: The DJ takes place after the official traditional part. Traditionally, shortly after the dance begins, guests would promptly join in the dancing, in order of precedence , exactly like at any other ball . In very recent times, some families have told guests to not start dancing until after watching a sometimes lengthy sequence of "special" dances. For example, after the first dance, the newly married couple might dance with their parents and/or in-laws. However, there

1590-526: The Roman confarreatio , an upper-class form of marriage, the essential features of whose ceremony were the eating by the couple of a cake made of salt, water and spelt flour, and the holding by the bride of three wheat-ears, a symbol of plenty. The cake-eating went out of fashion, but the wheat ears survived. In the Middle Ages, they were either worn or carried by the bride. Eventually it became

1643-450: The bride must always wear a white dress when getting married in the church temple, and nothing but white is allowed. Croquembouche A croquembouche ( French: [kʁɔ.kɑ̃.buʃ] ) or croque-en-bouche is a French dessert consisting of choux pastry puffs piled into a cone and bound with threads of caramel . In Italy and France, it is often served at weddings , baptisms and First Communions . The name comes from

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1696-558: The bride's. Then the best man and the maid of honor will direct ushers to escort guests to their seat. Typically, the banquet will include a speech from the parents, the best man, the maid of honor, and the guest speaker. There will be cake cutting, toasts, a tea ceremony , and dancing. The two tables at the center of the room are for the groom's and bride's families. A Chinese wedding reception typically has nine or ten courses. Expensive dishes such as shark fin , abalone, lobster, jumbo shrimp, squab, sea bass, or sea cucumber are common on

1749-483: The cake-eating and the bride-cup, both of which had symbolic meanings. In Christianity, the term "Bride of Christ" typically refers to the Church, spiritually betrothed to Jesus Christ. The interpretation of this term varies among different denominations. The word comes from the Old English ' bryd ', a word shared with other Germanic languages. Its further origin is unknown. In Europe and North America ,

1802-427: The cleaning staff. As the newlyweds are the guests of honor, the other guests are expected to remain at the reception until they leave them, and consequently, it is an imposition on the other guests for the newlyweds to stay unreasonably long at the party. On occasion, the newlyweds will stage an official leave-taking, so that guests feel free to leave, and then quietly return through another door. The median cost of

1855-459: The couple well. Commonly, toasts are proposed by the bride 's father, the groom , the best man , and/or the maid of honor , although there is no absolutely required list of people who must make toasts, or indeed any requirement to offer toasts at all. A new trend involves the addition of a DVD slideshow or photo montage video, featuring pictures of the new spouses growing up and meeting. These are created using home movies and photos taken over

1908-410: The couple's life, edited and set to music. The montage is shown either on a large TV or monitor or with an LCD projector . If there is dancing, the newly married couple typically open the dancing with their first dance . When waltzing was popular, it was sometimes called a "bridal waltz" to a love song, although other dance styles are more commonly used now. The bride and groom might decide to choose

1961-437: The cry "Bread for life and pudding for ever," expressive of a wish that the newly wed may be always affluent. The throwing of rice, a very ancient custom but one later than the wheat, is symbolical of the wish that the bridal may be fruitful. The bride-cup was the bowl or loving cup in which the bridegroom pledged the bride, and she him. The custom of breaking this wine-cup, after the bridal couple had drained its contents,

2014-570: The custom for the young girls to assemble outside the church porch and throw grains of wheat over the bride, and afterwards a scramble for the grains took place. In time the wheat-grains came to be cooked into thin dry biscuits, which were broken over the bride's head, as is the custom in Scotland today, an oatmeal cake being used. In Elizabeth I 's reign these biscuits began to take the form of small rectangular cakes made of eggs, milk, sugar, currants and spices. Every wedding guest had one at least, and

2067-435: The family's economic situation, and in some cases, mass weddings were favored as a way to share costs. At the beginning of the 20th century, dance halls became common, and were rented by those planning a celebration beyond what their homes could hold. Typical locations for wedding celebrations now include hotel ballrooms, banquet halls , wedding venues, community halls, social halls at the church or other sacred place where

2120-564: The festivities and make the wedding stand out. Typically, including lavish entertainment at the wedding reception is a luxury. Wedding DJs have been increasing in popularity in modern cultures as has hiring a live band. A ceremony is often made of the newlyweds' departure. Rice or birdseed, signifying abundance, may be thrown at the departing couple, with birdseed preferred by facility managers, since it requires less clean up work than rice, and new, mess-free substitutes, such as blowing soap bubbles or ringing small bells being even more favored by

2173-442: The first (lowest precedence) person in the line and, if necessary, introduces him/herself. The first person then introduces the guest to the next person in the line, and turns to the next guest. As each guest properly speaks little more than his/her name (if necessary) and conventional greetings or congratulations to each person in turn, the line progresses steadily without unnecessary delays. Western etiquette requires at least one of

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2226-402: The form of bunches of ribbons, which were at last metamorphosed into rosettes. The bride-wain , the wagon in which the bride was driven to her new home, gave its name to the weddings of any poor deserving couple, who drove a "wain" round the village, collecting small sums of money or articles of furniture towards their housekeeping. These were called bidding-weddings, or bid-ales, which were in

2279-402: The guests. However, unlike a reception line, it does not give the guests an opportunity to speak to any of the people being presented. The food served at a wedding reception is determined by the time of the wedding and local customs. Food may range from a non-alcoholic drink with wedding cake to elaborate, multi-course dinners. The type of food is chosen entirely at the discretion and budget of

2332-442: The hosts and the newly married couple, as the guests of honor, to welcome and greet the guests, but the other members of the wedding party, parents who are not hosting the party, siblings, etc., are not required to stand in the receiving line. It is increasingly common to feature only the couple, since more modern couples host and pay for their own weddings rather than their parents. After formally receiving each guest in this fashion,

2385-540: The hosts as costs for catering weddings have soared. Some receptions, especially if the wedding party's culture or religious faith prohibits alcohol or dancing, focus on dessert. Hosts may also choose to honor regional or local customs, such as by serving a culturally important cake like croquembouche in France, or featuring a cookie table as is celebrated in Pittsburgh and some surrounding areas. The wedding cake

2438-631: The nature of "benefit" feasts. So general is still the custom of "bidding-weddings" in Wales, that printers usually keep the form of invitation in type. Sometimes as many as six hundred couples will walk in the bridal procession. The bride's wreath is a Christian substitute for the gilt coronet all Jewish brides wore. The crowning of the bride is still observed by the Russians, and the Calvinists of Holland and Switzerland. The wearing of orange blossoms

2491-687: The other hand, represents vibrancy and health and is commonly worn by brides in many Asian cultures. Brides may also wear multiple outfits, as seen in some traditions in Japan, India, and parts of the Arab world. Bridal jewelry holds cultural significance, such as wedding rings in Western cultures, chura (red and white bangles) in Punjabi Sikh culture, and mangalsutra in Hindu culture. Brides often wear veils and carry bouquets, prayer books, or other tokens. Wedding traditions have evolved over time, including

2544-484: The receiving line is finished and the people who had been duty-bound to stand in it can mingle with guests, eat, and enjoy more extended conversations. Another option, especially popular on the East and West Coast of the United States, is having a grand entrance instead of a receiving line. The grand entrance might involve presenting some or all of the wedding party, the parents, and/or the bride and groom. The wedding party

2597-678: The things for the wedding in Hungary. Once all the underwear and clothes were finished, the girl was ready for marriage. In Christianity, bride, the Lamb's wife, or the Bride of Christ, is a term that generally describes the Church (followers of Christ) spiritually betrothed to Jesus Christ . The term is found in related verses in the Bible that describe a woman, in the Gospels , the Book of Revelation ,

2650-509: The typical attire for a bride is a formal dress, and a veil . Usually, in the " white wedding " model, the bride's dress is bought specifically for the wedding , and is not in a style that could be worn for any subsequent events. Previously, until at least the middle of the 19th century, the bride generally wore her best dress, whatever color it was, or if the bride was well-off, she ordered a new dress in her favorite color and expected to wear it again. For first marriages in Western countries,

2703-416: The wedding ceremony took place, and, particularly for smaller weddings, restaurants and garden parties at home. There are also many small businesses that specialize in providing places for wedding ceremonies and celebrations. In a receiving line, newly wedded couple, the hosts, and often their parents and any honour attendants, stand in order of precedence and greet every guest in turn. Each guest greets

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2756-428: The wedding reception takes place in southern China, Hong Kong, Macau, and even parts of Canada (where there is a large Cantonese population), mahjong might still be played before the dinner. Two people will be at the sign-in tables (one from the bride's family and one from the groom's) to register guests and receive gifts/red envelopes. Often, they will have two separate guest lists, one from the groom's side and one from

2809-406: The whole collection were thrown at the bride the instant she crossed the threshold. Those that lighted on her head or shoulders were most prized by the scramblers. At last these cakes became amalgamated into a large one that took on its full glories of almond paste and ornaments during Charles II 's time. But even today in rural parishes, e.g. north Notts, wheat is thrown over the bridal couple with

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