{"id":5180,"date":"2015-10-08T09:30:44","date_gmt":"2015-10-08T13:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=5180"},"modified":"2015-10-03T04:38:05","modified_gmt":"2015-10-03T08:38:05","slug":"american-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/american-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"An American Wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As I recently got married, I figured now was as good a time as any to make a post about an American wedding. In this post, you&#8217;ll learn lots of vocabulary related to American weddings, as well as some customs and traditions. As this is a language blog, you&#8217;re encouraged to practice your English as well, even if it&#8217;s at home by yourself!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5184\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-022.jpg\" aria-label=\"Rachel Sasha 022\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5184\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5184\"  alt=\"An American wedding.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-022.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-022.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-022-350x233.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5184\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">An American wedding.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\">Pre-Reading Questions<\/h2>\n<p>Before we get started, try answering these pre-reading questions about American weddings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>What do you know about American weddings?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Have you ever been to an American wedding?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Where have you seen American weddings (i.e. TV shows, movies, etc.)?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>What English words do you know that are associated with weddings?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>How are American weddings similar to those in your country? How are they different?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\">Vocabulary<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_5185\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-029.jpg\" aria-label=\"Rachel Sasha 029\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5185\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5185\"  alt=\"Who are these people? Use three of the vocabulary words!\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-029.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-029.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-029-350x233.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5185\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Who are these people? Use three of the vocabulary words!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>These vocabulary words are important for talking about weddings. Try to read them out loud, guess the meaning if you don&#8217;t know it, and then finally check your dictionary.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>to get engaged<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>decorations<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>DIY<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>bride<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>groom<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>wedding party<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>bridesmaids<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>maid of honor<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>groomsmen<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>best man<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>bridal shower<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>bachelor\/bachelorette party<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>ceremony<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>priest<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>to exchange vows<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>reception<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\">Reading<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_5186\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-050.jpg\" aria-label=\"Rachel Sasha 050\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5186\" class=\"wp-image-5186\"  alt=\"Mmmm... cupcakes.\" width=\"300\" height=\"450\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-050.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-050.jpg 400w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-050-233x350.jpg 233w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5186\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mmmm&#8230; cupcakes.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Wedding customs in the United States vary depending on a person\u2019s religious and cultural background. In fact, most wedding customs followed in America come from other cultures. Many aspects of weddings have changed in the past several centuries in America. Whereas weddings used to be small family gatherings at home, many weddings today are very elaborate. Some people even fly to a tropical island, which is called a \u201c<strong>destination wedding<\/strong>.\u201d Certainly people in the early 19th century couldn\u2019t imagine flying to the Bahamas just to have a wedding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">While things are sure to change again in the future, there are certain aspects of American weddings that are quite common these days. Once a couple <strong>gets engaged<\/strong>, they begin the long process of wedding planning. You can even hire a wedding planner to do everything for you. There\u2019s a lot to think about when planning a wedding, such as location, guest list, food and drink, entertainment, <strong>decorations<\/strong>, and much more. With more than two million weddings in the USA every year, the wedding industry is very big and quite profitable. Although many people are happy to hire a wedding planner, some choose to take a do-it-yourself, or <strong>DIY<\/strong> approach to save money.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5182\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-0081.jpg\" aria-label=\"Rachel Sasha 0081\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5182\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5182\"  alt=\"Our wedding party.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-0081.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-0081.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-0081-350x233.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5182\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Our wedding party.<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">One modern wedding tradition is for the <strong>bride<\/strong> to wear a white dress, which symbolizes purity. It\u2019s common for the <strong>groom<\/strong> to wear a tuxedo, although some choose more informal attire. It is customary to have a <strong>wedding party<\/strong> in weddings to accompany the bride and groom. The bride will choose her <strong>bridesmaids<\/strong> and will designate one the <strong>maid of honor<\/strong>, while the groom chooses his <strong>groomsmen<\/strong> and appoints one the <strong>best man<\/strong>. Typically, the bridesmaids will throw a <strong>bridal shower<\/strong> and <strong>bachelorette party<\/strong> for the bride prior to the wedding. The groomsmen will also have a <strong>bachelor party<\/strong> for the groom. Bachelor parties in America can be a bit crazy, and Hollywood movies have even been made about them.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5183\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-019.jpg\" aria-label=\"Rachel Sasha 019\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5183\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5183\"  alt=\"The bride being walked down the aisle.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-019.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-019.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-019-350x233.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5183\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The bride being walked down the aisle.<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">On the day of the wedding, the bride and groom may choose not to see each other until the ceremony. These days, some couples forego this tradition in order to take \u201cfirst look\u201d photos, where the photographer captures the moment they see each other for the first time after getting ready. Another interesting tradition is for the bride to have &#8220;something old, something new, somethng borowed, and something blue&#8221; with her. In the <strong>ceremony<\/strong>, the bride\u2019s father will often walk her down the aisle. This is a symbol of his acceptance for the groom and the marriage. Usually a wedding ceremony is conducted by a religious official, such as a <strong>priest<\/strong>. Other traditions include <strong>exchanging vows<\/strong>, putting on the wedding rings, and a giving each other a kiss to seal the marriage.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5187\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-058.jpg\" aria-label=\"Rachel Sasha 058\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5187\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5187\"  alt=\"Tossing the bouquet.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-058.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-058.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-058-350x233.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5187\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tossing the bouquet.<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">Next is the <strong>reception<\/strong>, which is basically a big party. There are a few traditions associated with the reception. Couples will cut the wedding cake and feed it to each other, the bride and groom will have a first dance, and the bride will throw her bouquet of flowers to the single women in attendance. Whoever gets the flowers will be the next to marry. American weddings are a lot of work, but they sure are lots of fun!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center\">Post-Reading Questions<\/h2>\n<p>Now that you&#8217;ve studied the vocabulary and done the reading, try to answer these questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>What did you learn about American weddings?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>How are they different from the ones you see in movies and TV shows? How are they similar?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Who are the people in the wedding? Use the words you learned!<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Are you married? What was your wedding like? If not, what do you want your wedding to be like?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<img width=\"350\" height=\"233\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-022-350x233.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image tmp-hide-img\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-022-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2015\/10\/rachel-sasha-022.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><p>As I recently got married, I figured now was as good a time as any to make a post about an American wedding. In this post, you&#8217;ll learn lots of vocabulary related to American weddings, as well as some customs and traditions. As this is a language blog, you&#8217;re encouraged to practice your English as&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/american-wedding\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":5184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[386465,386466,386464,386470,386472,386469,386468,386467,386473,386471],"class_list":["post-5180","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-american-wedding-customs","tag-american-wedding-traditions","tag-american-weddings","tag-an-american-wedding","tag-english-wedding-lesson","tag-english-wedding-vocabulary","tag-esl-lesson-american-wedding","tag-esl-lesson-weddings","tag-esl-wedding","tag-wedding-vocabulary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5180"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5180\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5189,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5180\/revisions\/5189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}