The wedding dictionary
Wedding words, in plain English
70 wedding terms defined — ceremony, reception, vendor, and planning vocabulary every couple runs into.
A
- Aisle runner
- A long strip of fabric or paper unrolled down the ceremony aisle before the processional.
B
- Best man
- The person, traditionally chosen by the groom, who leads the groomsmen, holds the rings, and gives a toast at the reception.
- Boutonnière
- A small flower arrangement worn on the lapel of the groom, groomsmen, fathers, and officiant.
- Bridal party
- The full group of people standing with the couple at the ceremony — bridesmaids, groomsmen, maid of honor, best man, flower kids, ring bearer.
- Bridal suite
- A private room at the venue used for hair, makeup, dressing, and photos before the ceremony.
- Bridesmaid
- A member of the wedding party, traditionally chosen by the bride, who supports her during planning and stands with her at the ceremony.
- Bustle
- A system of hooks or ties that lifts a wedding gown's train off the floor for the reception.
C
- Cake cutting
- The reception tradition of the couple slicing the first piece of cake together and feeding each other a bite.
- Chapel-length veil
- A veil that extends past the hem of the dress, roughly 90 inches from the crown.
- Charger
- A large decorative plate placed under a dinner plate at each place setting; usually removed before the entrée.
- Civil ceremony
- A non-religious wedding ceremony performed by a judge, justice of the peace, or civil celebrant.
- Cocktail hour
- The 45–60 minutes between the ceremony and reception when guests have drinks and small bites — usually while the couple takes portraits.
- Corkage fee
- A fee charged by a venue or caterer for opening and serving wine or champagne the couple provides themselves.
- Corsage
- A small flower arrangement pinned to a dress or worn on the wrist, traditionally for mothers, grandmothers, and honored guests.
D
- Day-of coordinator
- A wedding professional hired to manage the timeline, vendors, and logistics only on the wedding day itself, not throughout planning.
- Deposit
- A non-refundable payment that reserves a vendor's date on the calendar.
E
- Elopement
- A small, intimate wedding — often just the couple and an officiant, sometimes with a handful of witnesses.
- Escort card
- A small card telling each guest which table they've been assigned to for dinner.
F
- Favor
- A small parting gift given to each guest at the reception.
- First dance
- The couple's first dance together as spouses, traditionally the first dance of the reception.
- First look
- A pre-ceremony moment when the couple sees each other privately, photographed by the wedding photographer. Not traditional; introduced around 2010.
- Flower girl
- A child, traditionally a girl, who walks down the aisle scattering petals before the couple.
G
- Garter toss
- A reception tradition where the groom removes the bride's garter and tosses it to unmarried male guests. Frequently skipped.
- Grand entrance
- The formal introduction of the wedding party and couple as they enter the reception.
- Groom
- One of the two people getting married, historically referring to a man.
- Groomsman
- A member of the wedding party, traditionally chosen by the groom.
H
- Handfasting
- A Celtic ritual where the couple's hands are tied together with cord or ribbon during the ceremony — the origin of "tying the knot."
- Honeymoon
- The trip taken by the newly married couple immediately after the wedding.
- Hors d'oeuvres
- Small bites of food served during cocktail hour before dinner.
I
- Invitation suite
- The full paper invitation package — invitation, RSVP card, details card, envelopes.
K
- Ketubah
- A Jewish marriage contract, signed by the couple and witnesses, often calligraphed and displayed as art.
M
- Maid of honor
- The lead bridesmaid, traditionally an unmarried close friend or sister of the bride, who supports her during planning and gives a toast.
- Matron of honor
- The lead bridesmaid when that person is married.
- Marriage license
- The legal document that permits a couple to marry, issued by a government office. Requirements vary by state and country.
O
- Officiant
- The person who performs the wedding ceremony — clergy, judge, celebrant, or ordained friend.
- Open bar
- A reception bar service where guests don't pay for drinks.
- Order of service
- The printed program listing the sequence of the ceremony.
P
- Package
- A vendor's bundled offering of services at a fixed price.
- Plated dinner
- A reception meal where each guest is served an individually plated entrée, versus buffet or family-style.
- Plus-one
- An unnamed guest a wedding attendee is permitted to bring.
- Processional
- The formal walk into the ceremony space by the wedding party and couple.
- Pronouncement
- The officiant's declaration that the couple is officially married.
R
- Reception
- The celebration following the ceremony — dinner, drinks, speeches, dancing.
- Recessional
- The walk out of the ceremony space after the pronouncement and kiss.
- Rehearsal
- A run-through of the ceremony, usually the day before, so the wedding party knows where to stand and when to walk.
- Rehearsal dinner
- A meal on the evening of the rehearsal, traditionally hosted by the groom's family.
- Ring bearer
- A child who walks down the aisle carrying the wedding rings (often on a pillow, often as a symbolic role while the best man holds the actual rings).
- RSVP
- French for "répondez s'il vous plaît" — please respond. The reply to a wedding invitation, indicating whether the guest will attend.
S
- Save-the-date
- An announcement sent 6–12 months before the wedding letting guests know to hold the date; the formal invitation follows.
- Seating chart
- A display, often at the reception entrance, showing guests their assigned table.
- Sheath dress
- A slim, form-fitting wedding gown silhouette.
- Signature cocktail
- A specialty drink offered at the reception bar, often named after or chosen by the couple.
- Something old, new, borrowed, blue
- A Victorian-era English rhyme prescribing four items a bride carries for luck: something old (continuity), new (optimism), borrowed (happiness), blue (fidelity).
- Sweetheart table
- A small table for just the couple at the reception, versus a head table with the wedding party.
T
- Tablescape
- The full styled look of a reception table — linens, centerpiece, place settings.
- Toast
- A short speech given at the reception in honor of the couple, typically ending with everyone raising a glass.
- Trousseau
- Historically, a bride's personal belongings — clothing, linens — brought into the marriage. Rarely used today.
- Trumpet dress
- A wedding gown that fits closely to the mid-thigh, then flares out.
U
- Unity candle
- A ceremony ritual where the couple lights a single candle from two smaller candles held by their mothers, symbolizing the joining of families.
- Unplugged ceremony
- A ceremony where guests are asked to put phones and cameras away, letting the professional photographer work uninterrupted.
- Usher
- A member of the wedding party who escorts guests to their seats before the ceremony.
V
- Veil
- A length of sheer fabric worn over the head or face by a bride. Optional and freely modifiable.
- Vendor
- A wedding professional hired for a specific service — photographer, florist, caterer, DJ, band, planner.
- Venue
- The physical location where the ceremony or reception is held.
- Videographer
- The professional hired to film the wedding.
- Vow
- A promise made by each partner during the ceremony.
- Vow renewal
- A ceremony where an already-married couple restates their vows, often on a milestone anniversary.
W
- Wedding party
- See bridal party.
- Wedding website
- A private webpage that holds all wedding logistics — venue, timeline, RSVPs, registry, weekend events.
- Welcome bag
- A gift bag given to out-of-town guests at their hotel, usually with snacks, water, and a schedule.
Missing a term? Email Louis@SaratogaSprings.io and we'll add it.