Getting Married and Wedding vocabulary

Weddings – The Big Day!

to get married TO someone / to marry someone / to get divorced FROM someone
a priest marries you
to be engaged, an engagement party/ring (fiancée – the woman / financé – the man), to pop the question, to get down on one knee (to propose), to make wedding vows (vow = strong promise – votos matrimoniales)
church / registry office (registro civil)

People:

priest/minister/justice of the peace: person who legally marries the couple
bride: woman getting married (novia)
groom: man getting married (novio)
best man: groom’s best friend or closest family member (witness to the marriage and person responsible for the ring and stag night (UK) bachelor party (US) (despedida de soltero) – despedida de soltera = hen night
maid of honour: bride’s best friend or closest family member (witness to the marriage)
bridesmaids: other female friends or family members who accompany the bride
guests /gests/
caterers / bar staff
Newlywed(s) – People who have just married are referred to as “newlyweds.”

Other vocabulary:

reception
to make a speech (not very common at Spanish weddings)
tuxedo – esmoquin
a wedding dress with a veil
honeymoon
carry/throw a bouquet (of flowers)
to walk down the aisle
to get cold feet

How to make small talk at a wedding:

Where should I sit?
How do you know the bride and groom?
Have you tried the caviar? It’s delicious!
Which one is the best man?
Would you like some more wine?
Can I get you another glass of champagne?
Pay a compliment: I like your dress, shirt, jacket, necklace. Where did you get it?
Would you mind taking a photo?
What do you think of the music?
I thought the soup was very interesting/different/unusual.
Do you like DANCING? / Would you like TO DANCE?

What to say to the bride and/or groom after the wedding:

Congratulations!
You look stunning. (very beautiful)
You look handsome. (very good looking; say to males)
Your dress is gorgeous/amazing/breathtaking (it takes my breath away).
The food was delicious.
Thank you for inviting us.
We really enjoyed ourselves. / We had a wonderful time.
The wedding was beautiful.
When’s the honeymoon? / Where are you going? (Not XWhere will you goX)
…and now it’s your turn to practise your English. We want you to tell us about the last wedding you went to. Who got married? What was it like? Did you enjoy it?
If you are already married, what was your wedding like? What do you remember? If you’re planning a wedding, what would be your dream wedding? What’s your opinion of weddings? Are they a waste of money, or the best day of your life?

*Dispones de más PODCAST en inglés publicados en los cuadernos anteriores
a los que puedes acceder directamente así como al índice de su contenido.