Weddings in the United States vary as much as the people do. There are church weddings with a great deal of fanfare; there are weddings on mountain-tops with guests barefooted; and there have been weddings on the ocean floor with oxygen tanks for the guests. But many weddings, no matter where or how they are performed, include certain traditional customs.

　　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 march1 is played. The bride carrying a bouquet enters last with her father who will “give her away2”. 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 part3”. 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 rice4 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.

　　注释：

　　1. wedding march：婚礼进行曲。在教堂举行的婚礼，通常是新娘的母亲和新郎的父母先就座后，奏乐开始，牧师向大家致意。接着奏婚礼进行曲，婚礼一行人进入教堂，新娘挽着她的父亲要最后进来。

　　2. give her away：把新娘交给新郎。give away常用的意思是“分发;泄露;出卖”。但它也有一个专门的意思就是指“在举行婚礼时把新娘交给新郎”。如：Mary was given away by her father.

　　3. till death do us part：至死不分离。这是英语婚礼誓言中沿袭下来的一个固定用法(不用does)。就像人们常说的“God bless you.”一样，而不能说成“God blesses you.”

　　4. shower of rice：婚礼时撒向新人的生米。结婚仪式中很有趣的一项就是大家要向新婚夫妇头上撒生米(uncooked rice)。“生米”意味着生儿育女、多子多福，有“祝福”的意思。

　　(文/左蕊； 英语辅导报新课标高一版 04~05学年度第22期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)