Wedding

A wedding is a ceremony that joins two people in marriage. The specific traditions and customs surrounding weddings differ widely across cultures, ethnicities, religions, countries, social classes, and sexual orientations.

Christian customs

Typically, a wedding ceremony includes the couple exchanging marriage vows, the presentation of a gift (such as rings, flowers, money, or a dress), and a public declaration of marriage made by an authority figure or celebrant. Couples often wear special clothing, and the ceremony may be followed by a reception. Music, poetry, prayers, or readings from religious or literary works are also common, along with superstitious practices.

Many cultures have adopted the white wedding tradition, where the bride wears a white dress and veil. This custom became popular after Queen Victoria’s wedding; her choice of a white gown may have been a display of wealth or a reflection of her values regarding sexual purity. The wedding ring has long been part of religious ceremonies in the Indian subcontinent, Europe, and America, though its origins are unclear.

Common elements across cultures

One theory links it to the Roman concept of the vena amoris, a vein believed to run from the fourth finger to the heart, symbolizing a connection between hearts. Historian Vicki Howard notes that the idea of this tradition being ancient is likely a modern invention. In the United States, grooms did not commonly wear wedding bands until the early 1900s, whereas in Europe the practice dates back to ancient Rome, as recorded by the jurist Gaius.

The departure from the ceremony, known as the "send off," often involves traditional acts. In Ethiopian weddings, the couple and wedding party bow and kiss the elders' knees. In much of the Western world, as well as in countries like India and Malaysia, guests throw rice or other seeds as symbols of prosperity and fertility—despite a common myth, uncooked rice does not harm birds. In some cultures, shoes are tossed instead.

After the ceremony, a wedding reception or breakfast may feature speeches from the groom, best man, bride’s father, and sometimes the bride; the couple’s first dance; and the cutting of a wedding cake. Recent years have seen the addition of a father-daughter dance and a mother-son dance.

Certain countries restrict wedding locations.