Before a couple is married，they become engaged. And then invitations are sent to those who live nearby，their close friends and their relatives who live far away. When everything is ready，then comes the most exciting moment.
The wedding itself usually lasts between 20 and 40 minutes. The wedding party enters the church while the wedding march[1] is played. The bride carrying a bouquet enters last with her father who will“give her away[2]”。The groom enters the church from a side door. When the wedding party is gathered by the altar，the bride and groom exchange vows. It is traditional to use the words“To have and to hold from this day forward，for better，for worse，for richer，for poorer，in sickness and in health，to love and to cherish，till death do us part[3]”。Following the vows，the couple exchange rings. Wearing the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is an old custom.
After the ceremony there is often a party，called a“reception”which gives the wedding guests an opportunity to congratulate the newlyweds.
The car in which the couple leaves the church is decorated with balloons，streamers and shaving cream. The words“Just Married”are painted on the trunk or back window. The bride and groom run to the car under a shower of rice[4] thrown by the wedding guests. When the couple drives away from the church，friends often chase them in cars，honking and drawing attention to them. And then the couple go on their honeymoon.
美國人的婚禮
美國的國土上居住著各種各樣的人，他們的婚禮也千差萬別。有熱鬧莊重的教堂婚禮;有在山頂上舉行的婚禮，客人們光著腳陪伴登高;也有在海底舉行的婚禮，客人們戴著氧氣罐跟著入水。但婚禮無論在哪兒舉行或怎樣舉行，總有某些傳統(tǒng)的風(fēng)俗。
在舉行婚禮前先要先訂婚，然后發(fā)放請貼給住在附近的人和好朋友以及遠(yuǎn)方的親戚。當(dāng)一切準(zhǔn)備就緒，就該到最激動人心的時刻了。
婚禮本身通常進(jìn)行20至40分鐘。婚禮一行人伴著結(jié)婚進(jìn)行曲進(jìn)入教堂。新娘手持一束鮮花和她的父親最后進(jìn)來，父親要把她交給新郎。而新郎則要從側(cè)門進(jìn)入教堂。當(dāng)婚禮一行人聚集到教堂的祭壇前時，新娘和新郎互相表達(dá)誓言。常用的結(jié)婚誓言是：“而今而后，不論境遇好壞，家境貧富，生病與否，誓言相親相愛，至死不分離。”宣誓過后，二人交換戒指。通常把戒指戴在左手無名指上，這是一個古老的風(fēng)俗。
禮儀過后，通常會有宴會，叫“喜宴”。宴會給參加婚禮的人一個向新婚夫婦祝賀的機(jī)會。
新郎新娘乘坐汽車離開教堂，汽車上裝飾有氣球，彩色紙帶、刮須膏之類的東西。“新婚燕爾”幾個字常寫在汽車后的行李箱上或后玻璃窗上。新娘新郎從婚禮客人撒下的雨點般的生大米中跑向汽車。小兩口兒開車離開教堂時，朋友們常常開車追趕他們，不停地按喇叭，引他們注意。然后小兩口兒就接著去度蜜月了。
