American Wedding 美国婚礼.ppt

American weddings are not arranged matches for the benefit of either family. A couple gets engaged and married out of love for each other and because they want to spend the rest of their lives together. Their marriage is a commitment to one another. When a couple gets engaged, the guy will give his fiancée a diamond ring Usually gets down on one knee The period between the proposal（求婚） and wedding is called engagement（订婚） Bridal Shower（新娘送礼会）: Back in the days when weddings were arranged by family members, a poor Dutchman fell in love with a girl whose father refused her a dowry（嫁妆）. Their friends showered her with enough gifts to help them start a household Bachelor/Stag Parties: The male equivalent（同等意义的） of the Bridal Shower. Roman empire soldiers would feast（款待） with the Groom the night before his wedding to say goodbye to his irresponsible days of bachelorhood, and to renew their vows of allegiance（忠诚） to their friendships. Traditionally the bride’s family – goes back to the idea of dowry where the husband’s family will take care of her, so the dowry would go with the bride and help to offset（抵消补偿） some of the expenses she will bring. Who pays? Average Costs While many greatly exceed it, the average cost of a wedding is between $20,000 and $25,000. Industry sources estimate costs at:Engagement ring: $3,000 to $8,000Wedding rings: $1,100 to $5,000Announcements and invitations: $400Rehearsal dinner: $800Brides gown and accessories: $1000 to $5000Bridesmaids attire: $900Grooms attire: $200Groomsmens attire: $600Flowers: $850Photography Video: $2,500Limousines: $450Clergy/Chapel: $250Reception: $8,000Music: $750 - 2,500 Most brides wear a long white gown（礼服） and veil（面纱） Groom should not see the bride’s dress before the wedding Traditionally, the bride and groom should not see each other until the wedding ceremony Usually, friends and family of the groom sit on one side of the room, and friends and family of the bride sit on the other