Paper Example: The Conduct of a Typical American Wedding

Introduction

A wedding is an essential event in any well-ordered culture as it marks a significant stage in the union of a man and a lady. Despite the fact that wedding is part of a log social process including friendship, dating, marital proposal, giving dowry and then becoming a recognized wife and husband, it brings some sense of sanctity as it involves religious invocations and pronouncements that set the union as a blessed matrimony. One may decide to define a wedding based on different aspects, but one thing that stands out is that it has three main stages which must be well planned so that the final step of exchanging vows become a success.

The conduct of a typical American wedding

The process of organizing a wedding is lengthy hence it stands out as a process rather than just an event. Though the climax comes with the exchange of vows between bride and groom, the success depends on how seamless the organization occurs. The wedding has three critical faces when well-coordinated makes the chief occasion successful. These steps are pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding. Each of these phases is significant and has various activities that accompany them. In the pre-wedding, the couple directly or through the wedding committee notifies people who are supposed to attend the wedding. The notification is done way before the scheduled date of the marriage to allow them to plan well to participate since the attendance of invited people makes the wedding more authentic as well as inspire the couple to remain faithful to their vows as many people will have witnessed it. Invitation cards are produced with the choice colours conspicuously embedded. The color should be agreeable to both the groom and bride. People invited for weddings are not expressly requested to carry with them gifts for the couple. However, best practice has it that it psychologically attunes the attendees to at least present particular gifts to the duo as a manifestation of their love for the new marriage and their commitment to ensuring that it succeeds for the benefit of both the man and woman.

On the wedding day, the parents of the bride walk a short distance along the aisle holding her hands when colourfully dressed in a wedding dress. The to-be husband meets the brides parents along the way and respectfully receives her after uttering few words of appreciation. He then interlocks his hands with that of the bride and directs her to the side of the podium where the religious people administer the marriage oath. At the podium, the pastor asks for any objections to the marriage, if none exists, he or she goes on to ask the couple to repeat a section of the oath after he or she reads. After taking their promises, the couple cuts a cake and together serves it to their parents and part of the congregation. After the cutting of cake and oath taking, the couple is then considered officially married. Dancing, singing, ululations, praises and all manner of expressing joy then ensue. Everyone joins in the frenzy as the couple unfalteringly feels that their union has finally been made official. The elders cherish the union as a sign of familial progression since from it, children are born to continue a particular pedigree.

When the exchange of vows, cutting of cake and frenzy is complete, the attendees are directed to a designated place where they dine on a sumptuous culinary explicitly made for the occasion. The young and old have the chance of serving their desired food as soothing and romantic music played in the background. It is at this time that the people who have gifts present them to the newlywed couple. The couple then retreats to their desired place where they bond before coming back to the mans residence where the development of their family begins appropriately.

Conclusion

Each wedding ceremony is unique to itself and can be defined by glamor color, enjoyment, frenzy and happiness that come with it. Whereas some people decide to exchange their vows within enclosed and regulated areas such as a church, others do it in public places. These steps are pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding. Each of these stages is important in determining the stability of the ensuing marriage.