雅思口语考官带读带练(事件)第14期WesternWedding西式婚礼.docxVIP

Thesedaysthere are no real rules for a westernwedding;evenreligious ceremonies can be held at a couples venue of choice, or outdoors. Many people like to stick to traditional ways though, so here are some aspects of a Western wedding. The ceremony This is often held in a religious building such as a church, chapel, synagogue or mosque. If the wedding is a civil ceremony, the Registry Office of the local government offices becomes the venue. In church, the friends and family of the bride sit on one side of the aisle, and those of the groom on the other . The bride arrives last, and the Groom and the best man wait for her at the end of the aisle, near the altar . The bride is given away by her father, a custom with roots in the idea of women being mens property! During the ceremony, the couple exchange marriage vows and gold rings, guarded until this moment by the best man, and the broom is given permission by the person marrying them to kiss the bride. As they leave the church, their guests throw rice or paper confetti and may tie old shoes and lucky horseshoes to the back of their car, which is also decorated. They drive to the wedding reception in a hotel, pub or garden, or at home. The white dress and trimmings Bridal gowns of ancient times were brightly colored tosignify joy, but many brides wear white,supposedly to representpurityor virginity. In fact, Queen Victoria is commonly credited withbeing the first bride to wear white as a sign of wealth. Long ago the bridegroom would cover hisbrides head, toconceal her identityif he had captureher, or as protectionfrom evil spirits,resultin g in the bridal veil , usually made of net orlace . Brides may also wear a garte r,originally intendedto keep her stockings up, and carry abouquetof flower s. These last aregiven away after theceremony; the garter is torn off and gi ven to a lucky bachelor, or evenauctioned, while thebouquetis thrown by th e bride to her single female friends: the personwho catches