weddingwed‧ding /ˈwedɪŋ/ ●●● S2 W3 noun [countable] 
a marriage ceremony, especially one with a religious service: 
She’s busy planning her daughter’s wedding. When is the wedding?2(hear the sound of) wedding bells spoken used to say that you think it is likely that two people will get marriedCOLLOCATIONSverbsgo to a wedding (also attend a wedding formal)· I’m going to a wedding on Saturday.· About 100 people attended the wedding.come to the wedding· She wrote to say she couldn’t come to the wedding.conduct a wedding formal (=say the official words and perform the actions at a wedding)· Their wedding was conducted by the local priest.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + weddinga church wedding· I wanted a church wedding.a big wedding (=with a lot of guests)· They couldn’t afford a big wedding.a quiet/small wedding (=with not many guests)· We had a quiet wedding, with just a few close friends and relatives.a white wedding (=a traditional wedding where the bride wears a white dress)· She had always wanted a white wedding.a traditional wedding (=at a church, with the bride wearing a white dress)· I wanted a more traditional wedding.a registry office wedding British English (=at a local government office, not in a church)· They decided to have a registry office wedding.a civil wedding American English (=a wedding that is not performed by a religious leader)· Only church or civil weddings have full legal status.wedding + NOUNsomebody’s wedding day· She looked beautiful on her wedding day.somebody’s wedding night· They spent their wedding night in a hotel.somebody’s wedding anniversary· They celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in May.the wedding ceremony· Her uncle, a priest, conducted the wedding ceremony.the wedding service (=the ceremony in a church)· It was a beautiful wedding service.the wedding reception (=the large formal meal or party after a wedding)· Her uncle got drunk at the wedding reception.the wedding breakfast British English (=the meal after a wedding, usually in the afternoon)the wedding cake· The bride and groom cut the wedding cake.a wedding present/gift· He gave them a painting as a wedding present.a wedding guest· All the wedding guests laughed.a wedding invitation· They had already sent out all the wedding invitations.a wedding photograph/picture· my mother’s old wedding photographsTHESAURUSwedding a ceremony in which two people get married, especially one with a religious service: · We had our wedding in the local church.· a registry office weddingmarriage a wedding. Marriage is less common and more formal than wedding: · Their marriage will take place in Westminster Abbey.reception a large formal meal or party after a wedding: · Where will you be having your reception?honeymoon a holiday taken by two people who have just got married: · We’re going to Barbados for our honeymoon.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- After the wedding the bride and groom went straight to the airport for their flight to Fiji.
- Are you going to have a traditional white wedding?
- Have you sent out the wedding invitations yet?
- Mom always cries at weddings.
- But Jacques Lipchitz, who had recently married, decided to commission Modigliani to paint a wedding portrait.
- He had wanted her himself so badly, and when he'd heard of her wedding he had been insanely jealous.
- He plans to go ahead with his wedding, which was postponed last Wednesday, on his return to Sarajevo.
- Roy had been working for him since three weeks after his wedding, and he hated it.
- The couple also got £2,000 cash that helped to make their wedding reception a feast to remember.
- The couple plan to celebrate the victory and their seventh wedding anniversary by taking their children to Disneyworld in Florida.
THESAURUS
a ceremony in which two people get married, especially one with a religious service: · We had our wedding in the local church.· a registry office wedding
a wedding. Marriage is less common and more formal than wedding: · Their marriage will take place in Westminster Abbey.
a large formal meal or party after a wedding: · Where will you be having your reception?
a holiday taken by two people who have just got married: · We’re going to Barbados for our honeymoon.
Longman Language Activatorceremonies, celebrations etc when people get married an official ceremony at which two people get married, especially a religious ceremony: · Mom always cries at weddings.· After the wedding the bride and groom went straight to the airport for their flight to Fiji.white wedding British (=a marriage ceremony in a church in which the woman wears a white dress): · Are you going to have a traditional white wedding?wedding ring/ceremony/invitation etc: · Have you sent out the wedding invitations yet?
the ceremony at which two people are legally married, whether it involves religion or not: · City Hall keeps a record of all the births, deaths and marriages in the county.· The marriage took place without the bride's parents' consent.marriage certificate/licence: · We had to bring our marriage certificate to prove that we are married.
an event that follows a wedding ceremony in which there is a meal, speeches, and sometimes dancing: · We had our wedding reception in a local hotel.· I went to the church service, but not to the reception.
a holiday that two people go on when they have just got married: · We're thinking of going to Barbados for our honeymoon.on (your) honeymoon: · We came to Paris on our honeymoon, and fell in love with the place.honeymoon couple: · The Maldives is a popular destination for honeymoon couples.
British /bachelor party, also stag party American a party for a man and his male friends just before he gets married: · It's the best man's job to arrange the groom's stag night.· This is the club where John F. Kennedy had his bachelor party.
American a party for a woman and her female friends just before she gets married, when her friends give her gifts: · Melissa ended up getting three blenders at her bridal shower.
British a party for a woman and her female friends just before she gets married: · It's traditional to wear a silly hat on your hen night.
WORD SETSbaby, nounbarrier method, nounbetrothal, nounboy, nounBr., branch, nouncontraception, nouncousin, noundescendant, noundescent, noundistant, adjectivedivorce, noundivorce, verbdivorced, adjectivedivorcée, noundomestic, adjectivedowry, noundynasty, nounex, nounextended family, nounfamilial, adjectivefamily man, nounfamily planning, nounfamily tree, nounfather, nounfather-in-law, nounfiancé, nounfiancée, nounfilial, adjectivefirst cousin, noungodchild, noungoddaughter, noungrandad, noungrandaddy, noungrandchild, noungranddad, noungranddaddy, noungranddaughter, noungrandfather, noungrandma, noungrandmother, noungrandpa, noungrandparent, noungrandson, noungranny, nounhalf-brother, nounhalf-sister, nounhereditary, adjectivehouse husband, nounin-laws, nounintermarry, verbmaiden aunt, nounmaid of honour, nounmam, nounmama, nounmamma, nounmammy, nounman, nounmarital, adjectivematrimony, nounmiscegenation, nounmixed marriage, nounmonogamy, nounnuclear family, nounoedipal, adjectiveOedipus complex, nounone-parent family, nounparent, nounparentage, nounparental, adjectiveparenthood, nounparenting, nounpaternity, nounpaternity suit, nounpatriarch, nounpatriarchy, nounpedigree, nounpolygamy, nounpropinquity, nounproposal, nounrelative, nounscion, nounseparate, verbseparated, adjectiveseparation, nounsibling, nounsingle parent, nounsister, nounsister-in-law, nounstepbrother, nounstepchild, nounstepdaughter, nounstepfather, nounstepmother, nounstepsister, nounstepson, noununcle, noununion, noununmarried, adjectiveupbringing, nounwedding, nounwedlock, nounwhite wedding, nounwidow, nounwidower, nounwidowhood, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs Jack and Kim celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary in January. a white silk wedding gown
1 (also attend a wedding formal)· I’m going to a wedding on Saturday.· About 100 people attended the wedding.
· She wrote to say she couldn’t come to the wedding.
formal (=say the official words and perform the actions at a wedding)· Their wedding was conducted by the local priest.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + wedding· I wanted a church wedding.
(=with a lot of guests)· They couldn’t afford a big wedding.
(=with not many guests)· We had a quiet wedding, with just a few close friends and relatives.
(=a traditional wedding where the bride wears a white dress)· She had always wanted a white wedding.
(=at a church, with the bride wearing a white dress)· I wanted a more traditional wedding.
British English (=at a local government office, not in a church)· They decided to have a registry office wedding.
American English (=a wedding that is not performed by a religious leader)· Only church or civil weddings have full legal status.
wedding + NOUN· She looked beautiful on her wedding day.
· They spent their wedding night in a hotel.
· They celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in May.
· Her uncle, a priest, conducted the wedding ceremony.
(=the ceremony in a church)· It was a beautiful wedding service.
(=the large formal meal or party after a wedding)· Her uncle got drunk at the wedding reception.
British English (=the meal after a wedding, usually in the afternoon)
· The bride and groom cut the wedding cake.
· He gave them a painting as a wedding present.
· All the wedding guests laughed.
· They had already sent out all the wedding invitations.
· my mother’s old wedding photographs
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Jack and Kim celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary in January. (=rung when people marry in a church)· Mark and Bridget seem very happy and we expect to hear wedding bells soon.
(=a special cake for a birthday etc)· Lucy had twelve candles on her birthday cake.
· The wedding celebrations can last for a week or more.
· It was a beautiful wedding ceremony.
(=in a church)· She wants to have a church wedding.
(=the day when someone gets married)· She wanted everything to be perfect for her wedding day.
· Have you chosen your wedding dress yet?
· This dish is traditionally served at wedding feasts.
· Some people prefer to give cash as a wedding gift.
a white silk wedding gown· We need to send out invitations to all the wedding guests.
· He had a wedding invitation from Rob and Jen.
· Shall I show you our wedding photos?
· Your wedding photographs will keep the memories of the big day alive for you.
· His wedding present to her had been a diamond necklace.
· There were over 200 guests at our wedding reception.
· He gave her a diamond wedding ring on their wedding day.
· She wrote her own marriage vows.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Her golden wedding band gleamed on the shelf.· Another successful choice would be a golden wedding anniversary.· The pair, both 73, decided to quit on the same day they celebrated their golden wedding.· The golden weddings and stories of handbell ringers and emergent skiffle groups were getting a bit tame, by comparison.
· The royal wedding is creating little media frenzy around the world.· It's the odd details that get to you, the picture of the royal wedding on the mantelpiece.
· And we did not want to miss the opportunity of having such a wonderful day, complete with the white wedding car.· Who will dream my face as white as wedding sheets, my lips vague as laundered bloodstains?· Yesterday he donned white suit and cowboy boots for the service while Lynn sported a white silk wedding gown.· Sally Watkin talked to three adventurous couples who defied the tradition of the white wedding and opted for something completely different.· In theory you can use the usual wedding speeches, simply omitting any references to white weddings.· I've got this smart suit on and Marie's wearing this white wedding dress with all these frilly bits.
NOUN· The couple plan to celebrate the victory and their seventh wedding anniversary by taking their children to Disneyworld in Florida.· At the moment, I do quite a few barn dances, mainly for wedding anniversaries.· What would the photos of my twenty-fifth wedding anniversary have revealed?· No concessions are made to their infant's chicken pox or wedding anniversaries.· Back home it was 6.30 am and ironically the morning of his wedding anniversary.· The idea of making a special flower picture to commemorate a particular wedding anniversary works very well.· Another successful choice would be a golden wedding anniversary.· Finally the couple may be celebrating a birthday, a wedding anniversary or some other red-letter day.
· Talking about wedding bells, she was.· By then I was hearing wedding bells, and not only for Old Red and Margaret.· Myra has wedding bells ringing in her ears all day.
· Before me were the remains of an impromptu wedding breakfast.· It was almost certainly the first wedding breakfast that particular Lyons' teashop had provided.· Gradually the wedding breakfast was breaking up.
· The final chapter - on whither the wedding cake - had this reviewer in helpless stitches.· Encrusted with statues, pillars, and reliefs, it looks like a huge wedding cake in stone.· Everybody saved all their food coupons for the wedding cake.· We all eat wedding cakes from Gisella Tect.· The white pony comes complete with veil, wedding cake, wedding ring, comb and ribbon, for perfect grooming!· But this is no ordinary wedding cake - it's a knitted one!· Three sides of the Piazza were bordered by arched colonnades, tiers upon tiers of them, like a massive wedding cake.· And to round it off their was a tiered wedding cake - all provided by Mrs White.
· At the wedding ceremony Sir George's cousin Edward received the suit as a memento.· Saturday's 35-minute wedding ceremony was as simple as Anne and Tim had wanted.· The priest was shot dead as he drove back to his parish after conducting a wedding ceremony, but nothing was stolen.· The wedding ceremony publicly marks the beginning of commitment to another through marriage.· They forbade lavish wedding ceremonies, bringing to an end the glitzy Punjabi wedding.· We managed to persuade him not to perform the whole work during the wedding ceremony.
· Last night, Horsewell's distraught girlfriend cancelled their church wedding.· Like the ceremonies at City Hall, church weddings for lesbians and gays give no legal standing.· You see, I wanted a church wedding.· I said I wanted to be best man, I said I wanted a church wedding.· If we'd had a church wedding, she'd have done the white-lace-and-trimmings bit, the full veil-and-trail number.
· This day, long before you were born, was my wedding day.· Award winning Gary Hooker of Saks specialises in beautiful wedding day transformations.· Margarita Georgiou brought her wedding day forward after cancer victim Nick was told by doctors he didn't have long to live.· The sick smile that Odilo sported throughout his wedding day seems, in retrospect, all too appropriate.· Thus ended Mary's wedding day.· I was dancing much of the time on the wedding day.· However, she took Tom's advice and busied herself preparing for Anna's wedding day.· We intend tomorrow for our wedding day, and Mr. Williams shall officiate.
· Brides-to-be can also catch a glimpse of a specially commissioned wedding dress.· He saw the wedding dress, across the chair.· She had always loved to sew, and when she had started to design in earnest wedding dresses had proved irresistible.· Eventually, much later, a wedding dress was found inside.· That night I was again subjected to the ordeal by wedding dress.· They ran after me but I could run much faster without the wedding dress.
· My words have been grubby confetti, faded, tacky, blown far from the wedding feast.· Village wedding feasts may soon forsake smoked salmon canapés in favour of such things as Lincolnshire chine and Wiltshire porkies once again.· Here was the connubial complement to Miss Havisham's wedding feast but without the cobwebs.· So they lived happily in his fortress for a month and a day, celebrating their wedding feast.· The priest made a short speech praising the families and the outstanding simplicity of the wedding feast.· Witness their behaviour at the Lapithae wedding feast when the centaur Eurythion tried to rape the bride.
· The small heated swimming pool hidden from view near the rose walk was a wedding gift from the Army.· Yes, he would give Ebert the lookalike as an early wedding gift.· This was Nahum's wedding gift to his bride.
· Yesterday he donned white suit and cowboy boots for the service while Lynn sported a white silk wedding gown.
· A great drive of deer had been organised for the wedding guests.
· A sign warning trespassers printed in the copper-plate script normally reserved for wedding invitations would inhibit nobody.· However the first indication your guests will receive as to your plans, is when their wedding invitation arrives.
· This was her wedding night and she was going to be sleeping alone.· The monster had promised to be with me on my wedding night, but he had not planned to kill me.· She entered a cocoon from which a butterfly would emerge on the wedding night.· He would not see his bride before the wedding night so all sorts of pictures could float in the mind.· He went back to his parents' council house on the wedding night.· He made a sour kind of joke out of it, that they must wait until their wedding night.· But I knew that the monster would not visit us until our wedding night.· He taunted me, asking me if I knew what was going to happen to me on my wedding night.
· You don't want all the wedding party to have heard the speech in advance of the wedding.· If you want a beastly dull wedding party, don't bring Lulu.· On 16 August 1987 he was called to an incident following a wedding party in West London.· The wedding party was in full swing when she arrived back at the château.· It had been a marvellous wedding party and it was followed by a wedding night that she knew she would never forget.· Cathy is the daughter of local Magistrate Harry Hall and the wedding party all saw the funny side of it.· Walter sees a friend among them and asks if this is a private wedding party.
· Her wedding photograph showed her with a prettily plump figure.· The tragedy comes a month after these wedding photographs were taken.· He removed the vase and put it on the occasional table next to the wedding photograph.· Not exactly a wedding photograph, but close.· The woman in the wedding photograph.· I recognized him from the wedding photograph old Ma Scamp had flashed in front of me.
· Sarella concentrated on choosing a wedding present they would both like and an outfit she could wear again later.· Hatton said something about buying him a record player for a wedding present.· She took a painting some one gave us as a wedding present.· His main task was tastefully to accommodate as many wedding presents into their new homes as was practicable.· At the end of the bed was a small card-table which Changez bought for her as a wedding present.· I was hoping to surprise you - a sort of unexpected wedding present, but it was no good.· Gunnell gave herself the perfect wedding present when she unwrapped an Olympic gold medal in the 400metres hurdles.· Drink on Sunday at - where wedding present?
· At 2.50, the first of the royals will travel the half mile from the castle gates in the wedding procession.· Now the wedding procession started homeward.· All the wedding procession goes to church.
· Meetings, rallies, dances and wedding receptions all brought the small communities together.· The couple also got £2,000 cash that helped to make their wedding reception a feast to remember.· The castle's impressive great hall is a popular venue with local couples for wedding receptions.· This is the ideal hotel if you are planning a small wedding reception.· Food for more than 100 guests at two wedding receptions was alleged to have been prepared at the kitchen.· It is an ideal location for wedding receptions, having large attractive grounds.· In addition to meeting rooms and lounges, a large function room is used for conferences and is hired for celebrations such as wedding receptions.
· If you buy your engagement ring from them you will get a 10 percent discount on your wedding ring or rings.· Beaverbrooks recommend you choose your wedding ring about three months before the big day so that you have no last minute worries.· She recognized her wedding ring but nothing else.· Yet a far stronger and more symbolic object remains - the wedding ring.· Custodians keep an alert lookout for any female without a wedding ring, as lipstick is not good for marble.· She had, after all, a wedding ring on her finger, so there must have been a Mr Salt.· And don't forget the 10 percent discount you will receive on further purchases when you choose your wedding ring at Beaverbrooks.· Aunt Margaret had one single piece of jewellery, besides her fat gold wedding ring.
VERB· The answer was that he had flown out quite coincidentally to attend a wedding.· The Orthodox, in particular, barred marriage with Hicksites or even attending their weddings.· On Sunday all of them had attended a cousin's wedding.· Most of his colleagues in the Computer Department attended the wedding.· He was allowed to postpone serving the sentence in order to attend his daughter's wedding.· If attending a wedding or party of close friends, you should have the time of your life.· Minnie did not attend the wedding but everyone else thought that Helen was a beautiful bride.· Today Leeson had a free hour before attending a wedding.
· Top wedding: Two pensioners celebrate their wedding on Saturday at a top nightclub.· They were married at Chiseldon, Wiltshire, and recently celebrated their diamond wedding.· So they lived happily in his fortress for a month and a day, celebrating their wedding feast.· The pair, both 73, decided to quit on the same day they celebrated their golden wedding.· He leaves a wife, Kerry, with whom he would have celebrated his second wedding anniversary this month.
· Wellesley and Dartmouth functions, mostly, but we also held four weddings there, including our daughters'.
· A politician invited to make the wedding speech can be relied upon to dish up some predictions along with the eternal verities.· Sarah was invited to Diana's wedding and entertained her royal friend in her apartment near Clapham Junction in south London.· Auntie Nellie only came to visit on special occasions so I expect Dad must have written to invite her to the wedding.· Could Mr Moon, then, be invited to the wedding without his wife, Amabel had wondered?
· This is the ideal hotel if you are planning a small wedding reception.· But a family planning a wedding reception would be able to claim exemption from import duty.
· When and I got married I had to wear a size 16 wedding dress.· She would not wear a wedding ring.· But you dressed differently, I remember that and you also wore a wedding ring.· She was wearing a wedding dress made of rich material.· She wore a wedding ring, but she could surely never have had any children of her own.
a marriage ceremony, especially one with a religious service: She’s busy planning her daughter’s wedding. When is the wedding?2(hear the sound of) wedding bells spoken used to say that you think it is likely that two people will get marriedCOLLOCATIONSverbsgo to a wedding (also attend a wedding formal)· I’m going to a wedding on Saturday.· About 100 people attended the wedding.come to the wedding· She wrote to say she couldn’t come to the wedding.conduct a wedding formal (=say the official words and perform the actions at a wedding)· Their wedding was conducted by the local priest.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + weddinga church wedding· I wanted a church wedding.a big wedding (=with a lot of guests)· They couldn’t afford a big wedding.a quiet/small wedding (=with not many guests)· We had a quiet wedding, with just a few close friends and relatives.a white wedding (=a traditional wedding where the bride wears a white dress)· She had always wanted a white wedding.a traditional wedding (=at a church, with the bride wearing a white dress)· I wanted a more traditional wedding.a registry office wedding British English (=at a local government office, not in a church)· They decided to have a registry office wedding.a civil wedding American English (=a wedding that is not performed by a religious leader)· Only church or civil weddings have full legal status.wedding + NOUNsomebody’s wedding day· She looked beautiful on her wedding day.somebody’s wedding night· They spent their wedding night in a hotel.somebody’s wedding anniversary· They celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in May.the wedding ceremony· Her uncle, a priest, conducted the wedding ceremony.the wedding service (=the ceremony in a church)· It was a beautiful wedding service.the wedding reception (=the large formal meal or party after a wedding)· Her uncle got drunk at the wedding reception.the wedding breakfast British English (=the meal after a wedding, usually in the afternoon)the wedding cake· The bride and groom cut the wedding cake.a wedding present/gift· He gave them a painting as a wedding present.a wedding guest· All the wedding guests laughed.a wedding invitation· They had already sent out all the wedding invitations.a wedding photograph/picture· my mother’s old wedding photographsTHESAURUSwedding a ceremony in which two people get married, especially one with a religious service: · We had our wedding in the local church.· a registry office weddingmarriage a wedding. Marriage is less common and more formal than wedding: · Their marriage will take place in Westminster Abbey.reception a large formal meal or party after a wedding: · Where will you be having your reception?honeymoon a holiday taken by two people who have just got married: · We’re going to Barbados for our honeymoon.