Planning a wedding can be such an overwhelming experience, full of meanings 💍, traditions, and decisions. From the engagement 💑 onward and eventually, until the final farewell at the reception, many new wedding terms, wedding glossary 📖, and concepts are thrown at the couple 💕, some of which they probably never heard about before in their entire lives.
This wedding glossary is just an informative guide 📚 defining the terms that are going to make your planning easier and give you a better understanding of the many details involved in making your special day 🎊.
Ranging from choosing your venue to selecting your florals 🌸 and finally managing timelines ⏳, this wedding terminology from A-Z will clarify the slang of a wedding, and with these terms, you are sure to navigate through this exciting journey full of confidence and ease 😌.
The Ultimate Wedding Glossary: Essential Wedding Terms for Your Big Day
A:
Arbor/Arch:
Ornamental structure, adorned with flowers🌷 or fabric. A couple takes their vows within it. This symbolizes opening a new page 📖 in each other’s lives.
Aisle:
A path between rows of seats, where the bride 👰walks down during the ceremony. It is a major part of the ceremony and denotes how the bride is moving towards her groom.
Altar:
This is the most prominent area of the ritual wherein the couple would be standing. It may even be draped in flowers💐 or religious elements; this is where vows are exchanged, which signifies the sanctity of the moment🌟.
Appliqué:
One of the various ornamental processes that relate to wedding dresses 👗 is wherein fabric or lace is stitched onto the dress, thereby creating added texture and beauty to the overall design of the wedding dress.
Announcement:
An official declaration📜 of marriage, usually announced following an elopement or a small wedding, informing those guests who were not in attendance.
B:
Bachelor Party:
A “getaway” bash🕺 hosted by the groom for his closest buddies to celebrate his last bit of camaraderie before the big league, usually complete with joy 😄and a night on the town. It’s a last fling before settling into married life.
Black Tie:
A formal dress code for wedding events indicates guests should wear tuxedos🤵 or formal evening gowns. This will create an elegant affair.
Bouquet:
An elaborately arranged collection of flowers💐 that the bride carries during the wedding ceremony. It has been part of the traditional accessories that symbolize beauty and good fortune🍀.
Bonbonniere/Bomboniere:
Small gifts 🎁are given to guests in appreciation of attending the wedding. It can be filled with sweets and keepsakes, a small gift of appreciation.
Bridal Party:
The persons selected by the couple to stand with them at the ceremony. Usually, this entails bridesmaids and groomsmen🕴️.
Buffet:
A method of serving food🍲 where guests serve themselves from one or several dishes. It is less formal and can vary than a plated meal.
Bridesmaids:
The women👭, typically the bride’s girlfriends and sometimes relatives, are selected by the bride to be present at her side on the wedding day and to participate in the wedding preparation processes.
Budget:
The sum of money💰 that the bride and groom or fiancée have set aside to make note of how much is placed into every wedding-related expense – venue, food🍷, and clothing.
Bouquet Toss:
This lighthearted tradition is where the bride tosses her bouquet💐 over the shoulder of her head to a row of unmarried women. The one that catches it is the next bride.
Bridal Shower:
The pre-wedding celebration is typically for the bride, where friends shower her with gifts🎁. It is a revelry of the bride-to-be in an informal setting.
C:
Canapé:
Meager or little appetizer bites 🍢are taken during the cocktail hour. They give the bride a snack before dinner which frames the whole reception.
Ceremony:
It is considered the main event. The ritual during which the couple says their vows. It can be religious✝️, civil, or personal. This constitutes the very core of the wedding day.
Chuppah:
A Jewish canopy 🕍under which a marriage occurs. Represents the new home that the couple will construct.
Cocktail Hour:
That time in between the ceremony and reception is when guests celebrate over drinks 🍹and appetizers. That keeps the guests entertained with the couple long enough for pictures, especially if the wedding ceremony is indoors.
Cost Per Person:
The number of money 💵spent per head, which computes into determining how much the couple can afford for the wedding. It applies to such expenditures as food 🥗 beverage services and sometimes decor.
Corkage Fee:
A charge at a venue applies to open and pour alcohol🍾 that has been sourced by a supplier other than the one with whom the venue is contracted. This fee will have to be added to any budgeting considerations.
Champagne Wall:
A stunning display of champagne glasses 🥂 mounted on a wall – guests serve themselves from this. Very practical yet beautiful décor feature.
Champagne Tower:
A champagne glass piled up that can be poured in a cascading manner, symbolizes luxury💎 and celebration at the reception.
Coordinator:
A professional 🕴️who takes charge of the details and schedule of the wedding day. They make sure everything goes smoothly so the couple is left stress-free during that day.
Catering:
The catering service is responsible for food and drinks at the wedding reception. Good catering is what keeps guests happy😊 and the celebration bubbly.
Clinking Glasses:
The guests use their utensils🍴 to bang their glasses and ask the newlyweds to kiss. It’s a lowkey joke that makes the newlywed couple feel involved at the reception.
Cake Cutting:
This is one of the very symbolic acts, wherein the newlywed couple cuts their wedding cake 🎂together to symbolize being the first joint work of a newlywed couple.
D:
Destination Wedding:
A wedding elsewhere than in the couple’s hometown. It is often in some beautiful or exotic place🏝️, and the wedding often has the flavor of a vacation experience.
Dance:
Moments of celebration where the newlyweds and their guests dance💃. The first dance is often symbolically very important for the newlywed couple.
Dress Code:
This is a dress code guideline about how the guests should dress, ranging from casual👕 to formal. It sets the tone and style of the wedding.
DJ:
The person playing and mixing the music🎧 at the wedding. They are tasked with seeing to it that the energy is high all night long, and a dancing floor is full throughout the night.
E:
Elopement:
A small, private wedding; often just the couple and a few wedder’s witnesses. Couples elope to experience marriage❤️ on a more personal level, avoiding the stress and cost of a large wedding.
Engagement Photos:
A photo session📸 of the couple was taken before the wedding. These photos are often used for save-the-dates, wedding websites, or as a keepsake.
Escort Card:
A card that helps direct the guest to her table 🍽️in the reception. It’s part of the seating arrangement to have an easy, informal flow of people.
Escort Card Display:
Escort cards are displayed decoratively🎨 so that guests will know where they need to be seated. Such cards can be practical and aesthetic and are usually a play of the wedding theme.
Event Designer:
An individual who is primarily concerned about the overall look and feel of the wedding, in which decor, lighting💡, and styling are of the top-most concern. They bring that dreamy look to the couple holistically.
Engagement:
The time after which the proposal💍 was accepted, preceding the wedding. It is a time for planning, excitement, and a celebrative and festive mood for the preparation of marriage.
F:
First Dance:
The sweetest first dance💃 for the newlywed couple is usually at the reception. It’s one of the most romantic and symbolic acts of union.
Florist:
A professional in charge of designing the wedding floral arrangements💐, such as the bouquets, centerpieces, and décor of the ceremony.
First Look:
This is a private moment whereby the couple gets to see each 👀 other before the wedding ceremony. It is an emotional and intimate alternative to the traditional aisle reveal.
Favors:
These are small giveaways 🎁that are offered to the guests as a token of appreciation for coming to the wedding. These gifts are mostly small but speak volumes about the character or the wedding theme of the bride and groom.
Finances:
This pertains to the management of the wedding budget💰, including prices for venues, attire, vendors, and so forth. Budgeting is crucial to ensure all aspects of the wedding are covered.
Flower Girl:
A young lady 👧who walks down the aisle usually scatters flower petals. She symbolizes purity and innocence in the ceremony.
Flower Wall:
It is a wall of flowers🌹 that one can use as a backdrop for photos. It gives the wedding a lush, romantic look.
G:
Garland:
It is a string of flowers🌼, greenery, or fabric to decorate tables, altars, or arches. This is one of the great elements to decorate with your occasion. Beautiful and elegant decor for any room.
Gobo Lighting:
These are custom lighting💡 designed in such a way that they can project designs or patterns on the walls or floors. They add a personal touch with ambiance to the venue.
Golden Hour:
That hour of the day is just before sunset 🌅when the warmth and softness of the natural light make it an absolute favorite for fantastic wedding photographs.
Garter:
A piece of bridal lingerie worn on the leg. This is usually removed and chucked by the groom to the male guests🕺, much like a bouquet toss.
Gift Registry:
A list of gifts🎁 the couple would be interested in receiving, usually through a store or online website. It helps guests know what the couple may need or want.
Guest List:
A list 📝of people invited for the marriage celebration. Making the guest list is probably one of the very first and crucial jobs of wedding planning.
Garter Toss:
A good-spirited game in which the groom removes and tosses the garter to a team of bachelor boys👫. The fellow who catches it is said to be next to get married.
Groomsmen:
Male members of the wedding party 🕴️who assist the groom on his wedding day. Typically, they help coordinate, such as the bachelor party.
H:
Head Table:
The reception table is where the bride, groom, and immediate wedding party sit. Normally is the focal point of attention🎯 with the best view of the celebration.
Handfasting:
A ceremonial tradition in which the couple’s hands are bound by a ribbon or cord as a symbol of unity and commitment 🤝to one another.
Hair/Makeup Artist:
A professional💄 who will help see the bride and the bridal party as beautifully as possible during the marriage ritual. They also play a vital role in the photos.
Hashtag:
A specific wedding hashtag#️⃣ that will be used by the couple can be shared with the guests so they may use it when posting their photos on social media during the wedding. It gathers and shares the memories of your wedding online.
Honeymoon:
The newlywed’s honeymoon is the break they take after the wedding to celebrate their honeymoon🌴 and relax after all the merry-making.
I:
Invitation Suite:
This refers to the printed matter📄 that you send out to your guests, which may include the wedding invitation, RSVP card, perhaps maps🗺️, or room accommodations. This establishes a feel in the minds of the guests regarding the level and nature of formality and style of your wedding.
Invitations:
The formal request📨 for guests to attend the wedding. Wedding invitations tend to be a reflection of the theme and tone of the event.
Itinerary:
This is a detailed timeline 📅of the wedding day, detailing such key events as a ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. It helps keep the day organized and on track.
J:
Junior Bridesmaids:
These are girls 👧who are too old to be flower girls but too young to be full bridesmaids. They attend the ceremony but are usually not expected to carry out responsibilities like the adult bridesmaids.
Jumpin’ the Broom:
This is a tradition among some African Americans, as well as in other cultures. In it, the couple leaps over the broom🧹 after the ceremony. This appears to represent the sweeping away of yesteryears for a life together.
K:
Ketubah:
A Jewish Marriage Contract📜 is another traditional document, issued at the wedding where the groom accepts his obligations before the bride. Ketubah is traditionally created in artwork.
L :
Louboutin:
This is a popular brand of designer shoes👠, especially red-soled heels that have become a favorite wedding day luxury shoe for many brides.
Linens:
A lighting designer 💡 would give a scheme of lights for the wedding that highlights specific areas of interest at the venue and creates a certain ambiance.
Last Dance:
The last dance 🎶 of the reception; it is often slow and romantic 💕, with the couple leaving by the end of it.
M:
Marriage License:
A legal paper📜 one has to obtain before the actual wedding date. It is usually used to prove that the state sanctions the couple’s marriage. This is the most important step in the wedding process.
Maid of Honor:
The chief attendant to the bride👰. Usually one of her closest friends or relatives. She usually helps in planning and assisting the bride during the wedding day.
Money Dance:
The money dance💃 is a playful tradition whereby guests pay to dance with the bride and groom to contribute to some honeymoon or future expenses.
Memory Table:
The reception area is dedicated to a lost loved one🕊️. It contains typically photos and mementos to pay tribute to that person’s memory.
Menu:
This is the list of food 🍽️or beverages included in the reception. A well-curated menu dresses up the experience for the guest; it reflects the tastes of the couple.
Micro Wedding:
Extremely small and intimate wedding🥂,. Typically will have fewer than 20 guests. Allows for an extremely personal experience and can dramatically reduce costs.
Mood Board:
The visual production aid 🎨is created during the planning process to communicate the look and feel of a wedding. A mood board helps inform all of your design decisions and keeps everything on the same page.
O:
Open Bar:
A reception style in which the guests are permitted to drink 🍾as much as they desire, free of charge. This creates a festive feeling but could be sharply bleeding the budget.
P:
Palette:
The colors selected 🎨for the wedding dictate decor, clothing, and flowers. A strong color scheme holds everything together.
Place Setting:
The number of settings, including the placement of flatware and glassware, and any decorative elements, per guest🍷 at a reception. A good place setting can be very classy and set the ambiance for the meal.
Procession:
The ceremonial entrance 🚶♀️of the wedding party and the bride during the ceremony. It signals the start of the wedding and typically is accompanied by music.
Processional:
The music🎶 accompaniment to the arrival of the wedding party. This sets the emotional feel for the ceremony.
Photographers:
Professionals who encapsulate the moments of the wedding day in photos📸. Their work stands as a testament to that day for years.
Portraits:
Pictures📷 of the couple, family, and the wedding party, are formally done before or during the reception. They capture the joy of that day.
Photo Backdrops:
A particular area of decoration 🎭where guests take photographs. This adds fun to the event and keeps the precious memories of the photos.
Parent Dance:
A special dance between the couple and their parents during the reception. It is a touching moment that stresses family ties❤️.
R:
Registry:
A list of gifts🎁 the couple has selected for guests to buy. It helps guide gift-givers so the couple gets gifts they want and will use.
Rehearsal Dinner:
This is a dinner 🍽️organized for the day before the wedding. The guest list tends to be the wedding party and close family. It is a time when the couple, along with their people, can relax and enjoy themselves before the ceremony.
Reception:
This is a period during which the guests are freely allowed to attend after the ceremony and join in some form of feasting and celebration🎉. Often it is where the main events occur that involve the couple and their guests in some kind of merry-making.
Recessional:
The music 🎶that accompanies the couple out of the ceremony, denotes the end of vows, and the beginning of the party.
Real Wedding:
A wedding 💍which was held, often included in blogs or magazine pages for ideas and inspiration. Inspires thinking and imagination over different possibilities of wedding styles.
RSVP:
Also for “Répondez s’il vous plaît,” which means “Please respond.” It’s the invitation📩 of the couple to guests to confirm attendance.
S:
Signature Cocktail:
The personal drink 🍹is created for a wedding, and often it could reflect the taste of the couple or even the theme of the wedding. It is unique in the beverage service that could complete and enhance the guest experience at the wedding.
Save-the-Date:
An invitation is usually sent to guests before formal invitations, they would already be notified of the date 🗓️of the wedding. It’s helpful if you are getting married at a destination or in peak seasons.
Sunday Brunch:
This is mostly a post-wedding meal🥞, which you hold the day after the wedding. It’s also a time for the couple, and their guests to meet one last time. The relaxed casual atmosphere makes it perfect to end with.
Speeches:
Official presentations made by the couple, parents, and best man or maid of honor to the reception. The speeches 🎤generally consist of open-hearted messages and even jokes and anecdotes.
Seating plan:
A chart 🗂️or list that organizes guests where they would be seated at the reception. Proper seating arrangements can make great differences in guest interaction.
Signage:
The pretty signage 🪧that can direct your guests within the wedding location. You may use directions or menus. It makes for personal decor.
Shoe Game:
This is where fun reception activities happen as the couple tries to answer all the questions asked about their relationship and starts showing their shoes👠. Entertainment and laughter are therefore guaranteed at a wedding reception.
T:
Toasts:
Speeches said to wish good to the couple to be shown honor are usually raised glasses🥂. They add a warm, sentimental flavor to the reception, which is a tradition at the reception.
Table Numbers:
These cards 🃏tell the number of every table so that guests know where they can sit. This adds to the organization of the reception.
Tablescape:
The entire design🌸 and arrangement of decor on reception tables: centerpieces, linens, and place setting. That beautiful tablescape makes the dining experience so fabulous.
Timeline:
A detailed schedule ⏰of events will ensure everything runs smoothly and on time. It’s a very important part of the wedding day; many things have to work together.
Tuxedo:
A formal suit🤵 is mainly for the groom and groomsmen. A tuxedo represents how formal the event is and adds a touch to the theme of the wedding.
Thank You Cards:
These are the cards📝 written individually to the guests after the wedding, thanking them for attending the wedding and for the gifts received. They are an expression of thankfulness.
Tulle:
The material is lightweight, sheer, and used for wedding gowns, veils, decorations, and other accessories🪡. The light look provides air to the silhouette that shakes up the notion of suitability only for the wedding day.
Trial:
A pre-wedding session for hair and makeup 💄with the hair stylist and makeup artist selected by the bride to perfect the overall look of the bride. She feels confident on the wedding day itself.
Trunk Show:
A bridal boutique will showcase a designer’s new collection🏬, usually at a discount. It is a time when brides can discover individual gowns.
U:
Usher:
Member of the wedding party that helps seat guests in the ceremony👰♂️. They assist in keeping order and seating guests in their proper place.
V:
Vows:
In the ritual, this is a promise that is typically made between the two parties. They are usually made in love 💖style as depicted in the partners’ love life. Vows can either be traditional or personalized.
Veil:
A veil is a piece of fabric, and it is used as a headgear by the bride👰 during the ritual. This is a modest expression, and it is usually removed at the reception.
Venetian Hour:
A post-ceremony cocktail hour with a variety of wines🍷, cheeses, and appetizers. The guests mingle and relax before the reception.
Venue:
This is where the wedding ceremony and reception take place🏛️. The venue contributes to the ambiance and style of the wedding.
Videographer:
A video recorder 🎥at a wedding. He captures views that cameras cannot hold; hence, the memory of an event that occurs on that day.
W:
Wedding Party:
The general term is used to describe every person who will be part of the wedding. This includes the bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents. They all have a huge role in the celebration🎉.
Wedding Fragrance:
A particular scent is chosen by the couple for the day of the wedding, often a scent that might be used in candles, flowers🌹, or personal fragrances. It brings rather a unique sensory element to the event.
Wishing Well:
One of those ornamented objects from where guests can toss cards 💌or other monetary gifts for the newly married couple. In symbolic terms, it is the epitome of good wishes regarding their new life together.
Wedding rings:
These are the symbolic rings 💍given during the wedding, meaning eternal love and commitment. They are most of the time personage to give very deep personal insides to the people who own them.
Wedding Coordinator:
Professional persons who help one in planning out 📋all wedding details: budget, vendor, etc. These people ensure that everything runs well on the big day.
Walk-through:
Having the couple, planner, and vendors meet at the venue to go over🚶♀️ the layout of the event and timeline. This helps clear up logistics and makes sure everyone is on the same page.
Welcome Bag:
An out-of-town guest gift bag 🎁that can be provided upon arrival, maybe with some snacks, maps, and information about the wedding weekend. Just one more thoughtful gesture towards your guests.
Welcome Party:
It is a light introductory party🥳 to the marriage day. It provides an opportunity for guests to get acquainted with each other. So, it is rather a nice way to herald the commencement of celebrations and create a warm scenario.
Y:
You:
Many times it is written on the invitation or in a billboard, which is employed to greet guests👥 in an unbiased way so that they feel near to the happening ceremony.
Yes to the Dress:
It’s a saying repeatedly said by the reality TV show, in which the instant a bride finds and chooses her wedding dress👗is destined to capture the excitement about searching for her wedding dress.
Yichud:
Jewish tradition in which the couple spends a few moments ❤️alone together right after the ceremony. They symbolize that they are now a husband and wife.
Conclusion
In summary, understanding wedding terms 📖can greatly enhance your planning experience. From the big traditions to logistics, understanding the language well helps you communicate effectively with vendors and loved ❤️ones. It can ease your journey to the big day, so seize this knowledge and make informed decisions. Good planning!
