Clear Answers for Common Questions

In Western society, it is traditional for a new bride to wear a white wedding dress at the ceremony, often with a matching veil. This tradition is a fairly recent development, however — until the mid-1800s, and even through much of the 20th century, wedding dresses were merely formal ...

Throughout Europe and North America, it is traditional for the bride to throw her bouquet at the reception and for all single women present to compete in catching it. The woman who catches the bouquet is said to be the next who will marry. But how did this custom originate ...

For many little girls, a big magical wedding is a fantasy that is carried over into the adult years. Getting married at Disneyland is the perfect way to combine fairytale romance with elegance for an enchanted wedding. If you get married at Disneyland you have the option of many different ...

Marriage banns, also called the banns of marriage, serve as a formal announcement of intent to marry. By tradition, they are called in many Christian churches, including those administered by the Church of England and Catholic churches. Depending on the nation, banns may be used instead of a wedding license ...

If you’re getting married and would like to alert your guests to your wedding date, you might consider sending them save-the-date announcements. The beauty of save-the-date announcements is that you can advise your guests of your wedding date long before the invitations are mailed. These ...

The word “nuptials” is an adjective which means “relating to a marriage.” Some people may use it to refer literally to the wedding ceremony itself, and others use it to discuss objects or events which are related to a wedding, such as the nuptial vows and the nuptial bed. The ...

A bridal consultant may also be called a wedding planner or wedding consultant. Typically, though many people may offer consultant services, most professional consultants would agree that a true bridal consultant is the bride’s best friend in all the planning stages and on the day of the wedding. They ...

A unity candle is actually a set of three candles -- two thin tapers and a larger taper or cake candle supported by candle holders. A unity candle is traditionally used in a Christian wedding ceremony to symbolize the merging of two families or personalities into a new one formed in ...

A ring bearer, or page, is a participant in a wedding charged with presenting the bride and groom with their wedding rings. Often, this part is played by a young boy who is a relative of the bride or groom, but it can also fall to the best man to ...

There are many reasons to renew your vows. Couples often wish to "renew" their marriage after surviving a long separation or an unsettling period. Others are simply looking for a momentous way to celebrate an important anniversary. Those married out of town or abroad, may choose a renewal ceremony upon ...

A flower girl is a young girl who carries flowers in a procession. Most people associate them specifically with weddings, although technically they can appear in a variety of processions and events, and they are sometimes seen at parades to honor regional beauty queens or other community celebrities. Flower girls ...

As most people know, the honeymoon is a traditional vacation taken by a newlywed couple immediately after their wedding celebration is over. Generally, it can last anywhere from a week to a month, though it is sometimes of a shorter or longer duration. No one can say for certain what ...

The term “brideorexia” has been coined to describe women who lose weight at a dangerous rate or in unhealthy ways in advance of their weddings. This is simply one form of anorexia, a dangerous and unfortunately very wide-spread eating disorder. According to an article in the scientific journal Appetite ...

While in modern times, a bride's veil is often merely an accessory to the traditional white or cream bridal costume, it has along history. It symbolizes different things in different times and cultures, but it is generally designed to hide the bride's face. Sometimes, the groom did not ...

A marriage license is a legal document that grants a union between two people. Usually, marriage licenses are granted by local, regional or national governments. In some countries, however, religious leaders hold the sole or joint power to issue marriage licenses. In many countries, a couple can have a wedding ...

Many couples see a lawyer before marriage to prepare a contract known as a pre-nuptial agreement. Others see a lawyer after the wedding for another type of contract, which has a similar purpose, but is known as a post-nuptial agreement. There are various reasons for choosing a post ...

In a Hollywood love story, life is simple and straightforward. Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. Boy and girl raise a family. However, real life doesn't always imitate art. Sometimes boy meets girl, girl becomes pregnant, and boy meets shotgun-toting future father-in-law. This scenario is the ...

Engagement rings are different from wedding rings primarily in that they are worn before a legal or symbolic marriage ceremony. They are often bought before the wedding rings as well, although some people choose matching sets that are purchased together. Engagement rings tend to be flashier and more expensive than ...

If you think the typical white-dress, big party kind of wedding is the standard around the world, you are in for a surprise. Wedding traditions vary enormously around the world, and what we consider standard can be unusual not too far away. Here are some examples of unusual wedding ...

You are planning the day you have dreamed of since you were a child. Everything has to be perfect from the very start, including the wedding invitations. From handcrafted specialty invitations to formal, engraved styles or cards with raised letting, there are beautiful wedding invitations available to help make planning ...

A wedding planner or wedding consultant may be hired by an engaged couple to help take care of all the details associated with a wedding before the day and on the wedding day. These details may be significant, or relatively small depending upon the couple’s budget, the guest list ...

Cupcake wedding cakes are small, personal cakes created for use in a wedding celebration. They can serve either as the primary cake or as the servings provided to guests. When used as the primary cake, the bride and groom generally choose to use decorative tiers for the cupcakes, keeping them ...

Since the 1940s, it has become common in the United States and other countries for both men and women to wear wedding rings as a symbol of their union, and both genders can choose from a wide variety of models. In general, wedding rings are made of precious metal and ...

Getting married is one of the most important steps in many people's lives, and the wedding cake is one of the focal points of the reception. When deciding on the design of your wedding cake, it can be helpful to know some of the common wedding cake decorations that ...

When the nuptials are done and it’s time for the bridal party and guests to let their hair down, many put on their dancing shoes to head to the reception and partake in traditional wedding line dances. Line dancing at weddings has become popular over the years because it ...

Choosing invitations is an integral part of planning a wedding. However, choosing the wedding invitations is also an important process. The wedding invitation envelopes are the first things that prospective guests will see, so a bride is well advised to choose envelopes that are tasteful and may reflect the colors ...

A bride shopping for wedding gowns has a dizzying array of choices before her. There are as many different types of wedding gowns available as there are women to wear them. One way to sort wedding gowns into understandable categories is by how formal they are. The formality of the ...

When people think of wedding favors, colored or white Jordan almonds or perhaps birdseed in netted fabric may come to mind. While these are classic wedding favors — and there’s nothing wrong with a classic — they're by no means the only choices for wedding favors. In fact ...

Many people are embracing the concept of creating their own wedding crafts for decorating both the ceremony site and the reception site. As a result, many craft, fabric, and wholesale retailers sell wedding craft supplies. While wedding craft ideas are limited only to your imagination, budget and preferences, some ideas ...

Wedding hair styles for the bride will largely be determined by the kind of headpiece or veil the bride will be wearing. There are several options available, including hats, caps, crowns, combs, and wreaths. Once the headpiece is selected, the main question is, does the bride want to wear her ...

In their simplest sense, flower girl dresses are dresses worn by young girls playing the role of flower girl in a wedding. Not all weddings have flower girls; the tradition is most common in North America and parts of Europe, and is usually designed to incorporate a child who is ...

Bridal hairstyles are an important part of the overall look of a wedding, and also a fun way to pamper the bride on her special day. Brides all over the world use a wide array of hairstyles meant to compliment different types of facial structure and complexion, and limited only ...

A traditional bridesmaid bouquet is usually a smaller version of the bride’s bouquet, in a holder or tied with ribbon. However, a bride wanting something a bit different has a wealth of options when thinking about alternatives to the traditional bridesmaid bouquet. The bride should first consult her attendants ...

Wedding bouquets and floral arrangements are often the centerpiece of a beautiful wedding, whether they are casually arranged wildflowers or ornately structured floral masterpieces. Choosing the right flowers for wedding arrangements is dependent on a number of things: color, cultural values, and season. Some celebrants forgo fresh natural flowers altogether ...

Your special day is on its way and you have decided to have a beach wedding. Your husband-to-be will think you are beautiful if you float down the aisle in a potato sack, but you know that it’s all about the dress. One convenient thing about beach ...

Besides the dress and honeymoon destination, the wedding cake may be one of the most important components of planning a wedding. Therefore, choosing the right wedding cake baker is crucial. Most brides have ideas about what kind of cake they want and how they want it to look. They should ...

In the rush of preparing for a wedding, wedding invitations are often played down as a necessity rather than as essential part of the wedding. However, wedding invitations are important in setting the theme of a wedding, and should be given the place they deserve in their planning of a ...

You should definitely give some thought to what type of wedding guest book you'll have at your wedding. A guest book is an important keepsake because it serves as a record of all the guests that attended your wedding. It should fit in with the theme of your wedding ...

The wedding cake is one of the central items of the wedding reception. No matter what kind of party you have planned, guests always remember a wedding cake. Because the wedding cake is central to many of the photographs taken during a wedding, it's important that you choose a ...

A wedding favor is a small gift given to a wedding guest as a memento of the special day. It's also a way to say, "Thank you for being a part of our wedding." It used to be no more than imprinted napkins or tulle-wrapped candy covered almonds ...

Choosing a wedding gown is one of the most important decisions a bride will make. Every bride wants the dress that is perfect for her. A wedding dress is also expensive and should be a carefully considered purchase. When planning when to buy your gown, think about how far in ...

Wedding dress shopping is often the most anticipated, as well as the most dreaded, shopping event in a woman's life. Many women dream of finding and wearing the perfect wedding gown years before they are even engaged, some even anticipate the event in childhood. Such high expectations can certainly ...

Preparing a wedding toast doesn't have to be a struggle. Even the shyest person can have a great time when the time comes by following a simple set of rules as they are writing and presenting theirtoast. The first step to a great wedding toast is to be prepared ...

Considered by some to be a necessary evil, the mother of the bride is nonetheless an integral part of a wedding. She is essentially the hostess of the event and helps make sure the bride’s wishes are followed. It is often up to this woman to take care of ...

Although the mother of the groom traditionally takes a back seat in the details of planning her son’s wedding, one of the most important things that you need to do is to find an appropriate dress. It used to be commonplace for the mothers of the bride and groom ...

In a wedding, the maid of honor has a vital role in assisting the bride with many duties. Her responsibilities include various tasks in advance of the wedding, as well as during the ceremony and following it. A bride should consider the importance of the maid of honor's responsibilities ...

Choosing bridesmaids may seem like one of the easiest decisions you will make while planning your wedding, but there are some issues that need to be addressed. While you may assume that you can just pick your favorite people to serve as bridesmaids, it does not always work out quite ...

To be chosen as best man in a friend or relative's wedding is an honor. It means being a very special person in the groom's life, one who is trusted with several important responsibilities. The best man's first official duty is to plan and host the bachelor ...

In general, it is considered perfectly acceptable for a couple to register for wedding gifts if it is their second marriage. While it is acceptable, according to most etiquette experts, people attending one’s second marriage ceremony are not in any way obligated to give gifts. Especially when such people ...

Serving as a bridesmaid may be an honor, but it is not without responsibilities. Bridesmaids are expected to participate in certain activities, both before and during the wedding. They are also expected to perform certain tasks to help the bride and other members of the wedding party. It is wise ...

Choosing your groomsmen is one of the most important tasks you’ll have in preparing for your wedding day. These attendants are expected to support you and help you prepare for your wedding, assisting with details and tasks, before, during, and after your wedding. They are also expected to share ...

Deciding whether to write your own wedding vows or stick to the classic repeating of traditional vows is sometimes a challenging decision. Some people prefer the classics, and in fact in some countries, like England, you may need to take the traditional vows, as these represent entering into a contract ...

In the US it is never appropriate according to wedding etiquette to ask for a wedding gift. Wedding couples assume they will probably receive gifts, and as such they tend to register to give well-wishers suggestions on their wants or needs. Certainly money makes a nice wedding gift, but ...

Choosing who is in your wedding requires some forethought and diplomacy. You also may want to choose who is in your wedding based on the type of wedding you wish to have. A small intimate wedding might not require numerous bridesmaids and groomsmen, or even a flower girl or ring ...

A bridezilla is a bride-to-be who is so focused on creating a perfect wedding that she is extremely unreasonable. Bridezillas tend to destroy everyone in their path with their demanding attitudes. The name, bridezilla, was inspired by the 1954 Japanese movie monster, Godzilla which starred in a remake ...

A groomsman is typically a man who is important to the groom in some way. He may be a friend or a relative. Like a bridesmaid, he is visible on the happy couple’s day and may perform important tasks before the wedding. In some cases, a groomsman may not ...

In a wedding, the mother of the groom’s responsibilities are not as widely known as the responsibilities of other members of the wedding party. What the groom's mother is responsible for, however, is vitally important and quite varied. Traditionally, her job includes initiating contact with the bride’s ...