Wedding Ceremony: Meaning, Examples & Traditions

Meaning 1：marriage ritual (wedding ceremony)

wedding ceremony 🔊

/ˈwɛdɪŋ ˈsɛrɪmoʊni/

the formal event where two people get married, often with vows, rings, and a party.

Wedding ceremony with couple exchanging rings under flower arch

marriage ritual 🔊

➕

/ˈmærɪdʒ ˈrɪtʃuəl/

A formal event where two people are united in marriage, typically involving vows, exchange of rings, and a celebratory gathering.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'weddung' (pledge) and Latin 'caerimonia' (religious rites).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a couple 'wedding' their lives together at a formal 'ceremony'.

📖 Example

Their wedding ceremony in the garden was filled with beautiful flowers and heartfelt vows. 🔊 Their wedding ceremony in the garden was filled with beautiful flowers and heartfelt vows.

🔗 Collocations

attend a wedding ceremony – To be present at a marriage event

wedding ceremony venue – The location where the wedding takes place

traditional wedding ceremony – A wedding conducted according to long-established customs

🔄 Synonyms

nuptials (n.) – The formal event of a marriage

marriage service (n.) – The religious or civil ceremony of marriage

wedding (n.) – The act or ceremony of marrying

🚫 Antonyms

divorce (n.) – The legal ending of a marriage

separation (n.) – The act of living apart from one's spouse

🌱 Derivatives

ceremonial (adj.) – Relating to a ceremony

ceremoniously (adv.) – In a formal or ritualistic manner

📖 Cultural Story

Wedding ceremonies date back to ancient Mesopotamia. The white wedding dress became a global tradition after Queen Victoria's 1840 wedding. Rings symbolize eternal love.