In most countries, the wedding ceremony is a formal way of acknowledging the lawful and oftentimes religious marriage. The ceremony joins together two wedding participants. In some cultures, consummation of the marriage, or successful sexual intercourse is considered a requirement or the final step of the wedding ceremony.

In any type of traditional or contemporary wedding setup, the woman who is about to get married is referred to as the bride. The term could also be used to describe a woman who has been married recently or for less than a year.

The Bride’s Partner

Today, with same-sex marriages legal in some states and countries, it’s not far-fetched that both wedding participants be referred to as brides.

In the traditional setting, however, the male counterpart or the male partner of the bride is called the groom, or more formally, the bridegroom. After the wedding ceremony, the bride becomes the wife, and the groom, her husband.

Wedding Attire

In most western countries, the bride wears a formal dress that is sometimes accompanied by a tiara. There are some countries, however, that require the bride to don the country’s national costume for her wedding. In most instances, the wedding dress is bought especially for the wedding ceremony and is never worn again.

Most traditional Western brides prefer white wedding dresses, mistakenly thinking that white represents a bride’s virtue and virginity. In truth, wearing a white wedding dress is a fairly recent tradition that began with Queen Victoria’s wedding in the 1800s.

Before the Queen’s royal nuptials, women were more practical, picking their favorite dress as their wedding gown regardless of color. It was not uncommon for brides to be wed in black, blue, green or red dresses.

A pure white wedding gown with flowers and veil

A bride wearing her wedding dress with a medieval look

A beautiful bride with her floral wedding gown

These days, colored wedding dresses have made a successful and fashionable comeback. More and more brides opt to add color to their white dresses or to completely forgo white in favor of colorful alternatives.

Apart from the wedding dress, the bride also wears a garter and a veil while carrying a bouquet of flowers. In some instances, the groom removes the garter during reception in front of the wedding guests.

Practices and Tradition

The bride is often attended to by her maid of honor and one or two bridesmaids.

During the wedding march or walk down the aisle, the bride is usually the last member to enter the Church. Traditionally, the bride is escorted by her father or a male relative/friend as she walks down the aisle. At the end of the ceremony, the bride and her groom are the first to exit or leave the church.

After the wedding, the bride usually throws her bouquet of flowers over her shoulder to a crowd of waiting and single female guests. The woman who catches the bouquet is believed to marry next.

Want a glimpse of what a wedding is like? Here’s a short video from the American Wedding(American Pie 3).