Immigrate to the USA and learn about American life customs: Traditionally, American weddings are funded and organized by the bride's family. They believe this day is the bride's special occasion. Therefore, many details, such as the wedding style, color scheme, etc., are decided by the bride. Even the colors of the main guests' wedding attire are subject to the bride's input. The afternoon before the wedding is generally scheduled for the wedding rehearsal. The rehearsal takes place at the venue where the formal wedding will be held. The bride, groom, officiant, all bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, ring bearers, pianists, ushers, and their families attend the rehearsal. After the rehearsal, the groom's family hosts a dinner for all guests who attended the rehearsal, along with their spouses and family members. This is usually held at a relatively upscale restaurant, with the costs covered by the groom's family. During the dinner, speeches by the fathers of both the bride and groom are typically scheduled.
In the United States, the wedding preparation process is quite long. Generally, the wedding date is decided a year in advance, and preparations begin six to eight months ahead of time. Wedding preparations usually include several key components: selecting the wedding ceremony venue and the reception venue, hiring a florist, musician, photographer, makeup artist, and renting wedding cars. The bride and groom choose the wedding's main color scheme; the bride selects her wedding dress and chooses her bridesmaids, while the groom selects his groomsmen. The number of bridesmaids is typically five, four, three, or even just one. Once the style and color of the bridesmaids' dresses are determined, the bride's family may purchase them collectively, or the bridesmaids may pay for their own, though this should be agreed upon in advance. Some brides only specify the color, leaving the style of the dress to the bridesmaids. Groomsmen's attire is generally rented, which ensures that the suits, shoes, vests, ties, and socks are uniform, making it relatively economical.
Most wedding ceremony venues also provide space for the reception, which is more convenient and cost-effective. Once the venue is selected, a contract must be signed, a deposit paid, and the menu, tablecloths, and napkin colors chosen. The chosen colors should complement the wedding's main color scheme. When selecting floral arrangements, the wedding's main color scheme must also be considered. The types and colors of flowers should be chosen with the bride's input. The musician usually acts as the master of ceremonies during the meal. After hiring the musician and signing the contract, the bride and groom must select the songs and dance music to provide to them. Invitations need to be designed and ordered, typically four to six months before the wedding. They are sent out three to four months in advance so that guests can clear their schedules to attend. The bride and groom also need to design and create a website. This website serves as a source of information for guests. On it, the couple shares their love story, engagement photos, and a gift registry. Guests can learn about how the couple met, RSVP, select their preferred meal options, and leave well-wishes for the couple.
On the wedding day, there are many segments and various tasks to manage. Some people prefer to hire a coordinator to manage all aspects. However, Americans generally have a strong work ethic; as long as you schedule the time and assign tasks well, the florist, photographer, musician, and makeup artist will all arrive on time. Our daughter did not hire a coordinator for her wedding. She spent time creating three lists: one for the groom, detailing his makeup time, meal time, arrival time at the ceremony venue, the groomsmen's makeup and arrival times, the groom's family arrival time, and photography times and locations. The second list was for the bride's family, containing the same information. The third list included the arrival times and contact information for the photographer, florist, musician, driver, etc. Our daughter's wedding ceremony and reception were held at two different locations—the ceremony at a museum and the reception at a hotel. The one-and-a-half-mile distance between them increased the coordination difficulty. However, on the wedding day, thanks to these three lists, everyone arrived on time, and everything went very smoothly. Additionally, there are some small items to prepare: first, a wedding card box, which can be ordered online or handmade; second, a guest book, also available online; third, a flower girl's basket; fourth, a ring bearer's pillow; fifth, gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen; and sixth, party favors for the guests. There is a peculiar American custom where the groom cannot see the bride in her wedding dress until the very moment of the ceremony. Therefore, pre-wedding photography is done separately for the groom's party and the bride's party. If the groom and groomsmen are taking photos outside, the bride must be inside.
The wedding ceremony usually lasts 30 minutes, followed by a cocktail hour and then the reception. During the reception, speeches are scheduled from the bride's father, a representative for the bride, and a representative for the groom. There is also a cake-cutting ceremony, followed by a dance party, which typically lasts until midnight. Every wedding has its highlights. In my personal opinion, the following five highlights from the weddings I have attended are worth noting: Guest registration is a part of the wedding. In most cases, a book is purchased for guests to sign and leave messages. One wedding used a painting of tree branches instead of a guest book. Guests placed their red thumbprints on the trunk or branches and signed their names over the prints. The finished piece looked like a work of art and could be framed as a keepsake. Another wedding used miniature photos instead of a guest book. The photos were about one inch in size, printed in strips of four on the spot. These were then organized into an album, and guests left messages and signatures next to their photos. A wedding is the legal union of two people in love. To signify the sanctity of this union, various methods are used during the ceremony to express this meaning. In one wedding, both the bride and groom were Christians. During the ceremony, they used a candle-lighting ritual to represent their union. At the start of the ceremony, the mothers of the bride and groom each lit a candle. After the officiant declared the couple husband and wife, the bride and groom together lit a third candle, signifying that from that moment on, they would become one, a single entity. In another wedding, a one-foot-square canvas and two bottles of paint—white and yellow—were prepared before the ceremony. After the officiant declared them husband and wife, each poured a bottle of paint from the top of the canvas, and the yellow and white mixed to leave an uneven blue pattern on the canvas, symbolizing their union.
Additionally, before the ceremony, the bride and groom each write a letter to the other, expressing all their love. During the ceremony, these two letters are sealed in a box to be opened on their first wedding anniversary, serving as a reminder of how deep and strong their love was at the beginning. Serving tea to grandparents during the wedding ceremony is originally a Chinese cultural custom to express filial piety, and this tradition has also been introduced into American weddings.
Furthermore, there is the custom of "blocking the groom," which is also replaced by various games, such as picking up beans with chopsticks, etc. Preparing guest place cards is another important step, and these come in various styles. The dance party after the dinner lasts for several hours, and there are games during the dance. There was a very interesting game at our daughter's wedding reception. The MC prepared thirty or forty questions, and the bride and groom sat back-to-back on chairs, each holding one of their own shoes and one of their partner's shoes. The MC would ask, "Who loves sweets more?" and the bride and groom would each raise the men's or women's shoe to indicate their answer.