Letter of the law
US law is strict in relation to those wishing to tie the knot. Future newlyweds must pay a fee in the state where they will register their marriage. But this is not the most unpleasant thing. To stop being a bachelor, you need to go through certain procedures - medical and legal. For example, get tested, get vaccinated, provide a tax certificate to the court.
The list of procedures depends on how old the bride and groom are, as well as where they live. Each state has its own nuances. Sometimes citizens even have to prove that they are sterile. But the legend that everything is possible in America is not true. Perhaps no one will condemn a union between people of the same sex, but homosexual marriages cannot be registered in any state.
American wedding outfits
How do Americans dress for a wedding? You will be surprised, but these are the usual outfits of the bride and groom. The girl opts for a chic dress in light shades, and the guy puts on a formal suit with a tie. Americans often order dresses from experienced professionals. This outfit will emphasize the beauty of your figure and hide visible flaws. A custom-made wedding dress is a unique outfit, when creating which a professional takes into account the individual preferences of the girl.
Bridesmaids should choose identical outfits. If this is not possible, then the dresses should be made in the same style and the same color.
Expensive pleasure
Compliance with American wedding rituals costs the heroes of the occasion a pretty penny, namely tens of thousands of dollars. We are talking about a classic wedding. The first thing you need to spend money on is rings. In the United States, you can buy a set of three rings, one for men and two for women—an engagement ring and a wedding ring. As a rule, these jewelry are made of gold and encrusted with diamonds or other stones. After the newlyweds are engaged and engaged, careful preparations for the significant event begin.
Various agencies will help you prepare your wedding. There are many such organizations in the States. Some are engaged in decorating the premises, others advise on the rules of holding an American wedding, provide wedding managers, others take responsibility for the festive table, and so on. A couple cannot do without the services of an atelier. How magnificent the wedding will be and how many guests will be present depends on the thickness of the wallet and the status of the future young family.
Traditions and decoration
To arrange a real US wedding, you will need to organize an outdoor ceremony and arrange everything necessary for the official registration and festive banquet.
An arch with a small podium is erected especially for registration. The path to it is lined with carpet, on both sides of which chairs are placed in even rows for guests invited to the celebration.
After the newlyweds say “yes” to each other, they, accompanied by witnesses, friends, relatives and friends, will head to the banquet venue. If an American wedding takes place outside the city, then a spacious tent is built for the gala dinner, in which small tables for 4 people are placed and space is left for dancing.
In order to organize an American-style wedding, you will need to conduct a so-called pre-wedding rehearsal.
After it, all invitees will know for sure:
- who stands or sits where;
- When is it whose turn to make a toast?
- what to wear to match the overall style of the holiday.
An American-style wedding is a bright spectacle and a magnificent ceremony, which is carried out in a strictly established order (stage by stage). The groom must also thoroughly prepare for the celebration. He has to buy 2 rings.
He will put one of them on the bride’s finger on the engagement day, and the second during the official registration. The bride buys a ring for her future husband.
American wedding dresses, suits and accessories
As a rule, American wedding dresses are made to order from the best designer the bride can afford. The entire ensemble must be subject to one interesting rule. There is an American wedding saying: “You need to wear something old, something new, something blue and something borrowed.” Only if these points are observed, the sign promises that the wedding will be a success and family life will be happy.
In addition to dresses for herself, the bride also orders dresses for an American wedding for her friends. There may be two girlfriends, or maybe twenty. All these girls must come to the wedding in dresses of the same color and cut. Most often, girls choose blue or pink outfits. Men wear identical suits. Despite the fact that at this holiday they fail to amaze others with originality, there is still a certain charm in it. From the outside it looks very harmonious and solemn.
How to create a bridal look
When working on creating the image of the main heroine of the holiday, they choose only light, delicate colors and shades of fabrics, fresh flowers for the bouquet, thin lace for the garter and bracelets that will be on the hand of a young woman. It is also important how the hair is styled, how it is decorated, and what flowers the bouquet is made of.
Wedding Dress
In most cases, wedding clothes are sewn from the most expensive fabrics, following the tradition, according to which the bride will definitely wear:
- the thing is white;
- the thing is black;
- item of blue color;
- old thing;
- the thing is new and the thing is from someone else’s shoulder.
Paying tribute to tradition, all of the listed features successfully complement the created dress. This includes a thin ribbon in a garter, someone else’s hairpin, new gloves or a hair clip, an old handkerchief, a white veil or cape and a black thread holding the flowers of the bouquet together.
The wedding dress is decorated with lace and ribbons, hand embroidery and beads.
The style is chosen in such a way that it accurately outlines the silhouette of the young beauty.
Hairstyle
The way the bride's hair will be styled depends not only on its length, but also on the style of her dress.
The most popular hairstyles are done with raised or completely loose curls. Traditionally, part of the hair is collected in a bun, decorating it with a tiara. But many heroines of American weddings decide to have two hairstyles:
- more magnificent and solemn for registration;
- light and free for a fun evening.
Having replaced the white dress with a more casual outfit, in which the bride will dance and take part in games and competitions, the young beauty can replace the veil with a wreath of fresh flowers.
Bouquet
When composing a bouquet for the bride at an American wedding, it is important to adhere to the general style of holiday decoration.
However, following traditions, it would be appropriate to use roses for such a composition. These can be blooming flowers and closed buds of white, pink, tea or even red.
It is important that such an important accessory is in harmony with the bride’s dress.
Accessories
Accessories, which become a necessary addition to the bride’s image, are selected taking into account the features of the created hairstyle and dress.
These are long sparkling earrings that look great over bare shoulders, a tiara that adorns the beauty’s head, and a bracelet made from fresh flowers.
Responsibilities of the bride and groom
The chef who will serve on the wedding menu is chosen by the bride. The future wife also faces creative tasks - developing the design of invitation cards, menus and scripts. The groom takes responsibility for the musical accompaniment of the wedding. American wedding songs and music of other genres at the ceremony can be performed by prim symphony orchestras, relaxed folk groups or jazz performers. It all depends on the overall style of the wedding and the tastes of those present.
A lot is spent on a wedding in America, and most often the “sponsors” are the bride’s parents. The ceremony in the church should be ordered approximately six months before this significant event. It is also necessary to decide where the wedding will be held. It is best if it is a huge house with a beautiful garden. The work of florists is to decorate awnings over tables with flower arrangements.
How are weddings done in America?
An American wedding has its own rules and traditions, which makes it recognizable and distinctive from celebrations in other countries. What are the features of celebrating a wedding in America?
Engagement
Since America is a free country, newlyweds can choose their own couple and walk down the aisle. Parents have no right to interfere with their children's choices, but their blessing is important to Americans.
Are you interested in who pays for a wedding in America? Parents often take responsibility for expenses. Therefore, the betrothal of the newlyweds takes place a year or at least six months before the wedding, so that families can prepare for the celebration.
Wedding preparations
Americans prepare very carefully for their celebration, since this is a very large-scale and serious event. The newlyweds reserve a place for the wedding in advance, deal with the decor of the hall and prepare the banquet. Every little detail must be taken into account: this is why the American wedding script can be considered one of the most detailed. Needless to say, American newlyweds even conduct a rehearsal for the celebration so that everything goes just perfectly.
Bachelorette and bachelor parties
Pre-wedding parties are an integral part of American culture. The traditional Bridal Shower is held by the bride and her bridesmaids. Girls dress up in racy outfits and may even invite a dancer home. The guys don't lag behind the girls and vigorously celebrate their bachelor party, visiting all kinds of nightlife establishments.
Marriage registration
To register a marriage, newlyweds in America need to obtain permission: to do this, they need to submit identification documents to the mayor's office, pay a fee and submit an application.
Next, according to the American and European wedding scenario, a beautiful wedding ceremony takes place, where all the guests gather, and the father takes the bride to the altar. This touching moment is accompanied by beautiful music and applause from the guests. Little girls follow the bride and scatter rose petals, which makes the ceremony especially colorful.
The priest asks the newlyweds to read out vows of fidelity and love, after which he declares them husband and wife. The ceremony is held in the cathedral or outdoors near an arch decorated with flowers.
Celebration
The newlyweds try to choose the format of the wedding and the location for the banquet in advance so that all guests feel comfortable. An American outdoor wedding is a favorite celebration option among newlyweds in the United States. Often the holiday is organized in country houses or tents, which are decorated for the holiday with flowers, balloons or fabric. During the cold season, the celebration can take place in a beautiful restaurant or even in a hotel.
If we talk about the format of the holiday, American newlyweds prefer both a classic banquet and a buffet with snacks and drinks.
Bachelor and bachelorette parties
The day before the celebration, the bride and groom say goodbye to their free and carefree life. And they do it on a truly American scale. Usually the bachelorette and bachelor parties are held separately. The groom celebrates it with his friends and relatives, and the bride, respectively, with her friends and relatives. Occasionally it happens that on this day the bride and groom have fun in one room, apparently reserved for the jealous.
A bachelorette party is called a shower. This name is a clear hint that gifts should rain on the bride. Moreover, gifts should be meaningful and remind that the girl getting married will have a pleasant time alone with her husband. Among the gifts may be useful books about intimate life such as the Kama Sutra, silk bed linen, erotic stockings, romantic jewelry, transparent negligees and other cute things that make a woman even more seductive for her man.
It is not forbidden to invite a stripper to the party, who will brighten up the leisure time of the fair sex. You don't have to have bachelorette or bachelorette parties at home. Many people go to strip bars. This tradition is a symbol of the fact that future spouses are parting with the free life and frivolous behavior that they could afford before marriage. From now on, they will behave more seriously and responsibly towards their partner.
Who can perform the wedding ceremony?
According to the laws of the state of California , marriage ceremonies can be performed by any officials, that is, judges, senators, congressmen, mayors, and clergy, regardless of denomination . This is important because the free interpretation of the term clergy provides truly unlimited opportunities for our citizens who want to sign in the United States.
According to the First Amendment to the US Constitution, church and state are separated. Completely without any exceptions. The state does not even have the right to decide what constitutes a “church.” In fact, this means that if two dozen students gather and decide to pray for the last cracker they have left, then according to US law this will be considered a religion
As an example, a religious movement called Pastafarianism - or belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster .
And since this is a religion, then a meeting of such students who admire a cracker or a pasta monster is considered an independent religious community.
And since there is a religious community, then there are priests. And if these students vote to elect the headman as their spiritual leader, then he will be a clergyman for the state. And according to state laws, he can perform a wedding ceremony in California.
The definition of a clergyman includes anyone who has been elevated to the rank of priest by a religious community. How this happened is a matter for the community itself. For example, Indian shamans rightfully fall under this definition.
And this feature of local legislation allows the wedding ceremony by friends, parents, children and other relatives of the future spouses. To do this, it is enough for them to take holy orders. To do this, you just need to register on one of the websites of numerous non-denominational churches that are created specifically to provide the opportunity to hold weddings for anyone.
Flying Spaghetti Monster
Here is an example of one such church - www.theamm.org, American Marriage Ministries . All you need to receive rank is your first name, last name and email address. The main postulate of the church is: “The family is a sacred union, which is the inalienable right of all people. All people have the right to conduct a marriage ceremony, and all people have the right to choose those who will marry them.” And this is all that the representatives of this church believe in, and what those who register on their website believe is their own business.
Anyone can receive ordination from American Marriage Ministries, After registration, you will be sent a beautiful certificate by email, which is a document that confirms that the registered person is their official priest.
In California, even this certificate is often not required - because they simply take your word for it! The state of California does not keep records of clergy or register them, thanks to the very First Amendment to the Constitution.
In other states, they may ask for a certificate stating that you have been ordained.
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Civil and religious ceremonies
In the United States, there are two types of wedding ceremonies. The first is a civil marriage ceremony. In America it must be held a week or two before the religious one. Unlike a religious ceremony, a civil ceremony is quite simple. A couple wishing to register a marriage comes to the appropriate authority with documents, and an employee of the institution declares them spouses. After this, a few days later, the newlyweds receive a marriage certificate by mail.
For a religious wedding ceremony at an American wedding, invitations are sent out well in advance. The ceremony is performed in a church by a clergyman. The future husband stands at the altar with his best man - his best friend. The bridesmaid, the maid of honor, walks down the altar first. This should be a responsible and nimble friend, because she is responsible for supporting the bride and solving her problems during the period from the engagement to the wedding ceremony. In addition, on the wedding day, a friend helps the bride get dressed.
The maid of honor is followed to the altar by a little girl with flowers, dressed in a white dress. The girl throws flowers to the sides. Walking next to the girl is a boy carrying a pillow with rings. Following them, stepping straight onto the path covered with flowers, comes the bride. She approaches the altar accompanied by her father or another close relative. The moment the bride enters the church, everyone present rises from their seats.
The priest makes a speech, and the bride and groom pledge to be faithful and be good spouses. Afterwards they exchange rings, putting them on the fingers of their left hands. Traditionally, at an American-style wedding, the newlyweds leave the church first. They go for a walk - walk through the beautiful places of their city and take photographs as a memory of a wonderful day. This moment is very similar to a Russian modern wedding. But whether people cry bitterly at an American wedding will be known to those who have been there themselves.
How to hold an American-style wedding
The desire of the newlyweds to make their wedding original forces them to carefully study the customs and traditions of the peoples of other countries before holding the wedding ceremony.
One of the most popular ways to organize a festive celebration has become an American wedding. This is a holiday that requires careful preparation and the creation of a special atmosphere. Where exactly the ceremonial registration and banquet will take place largely depends on the time of year and weather. Most often, an American-style wedding is held outdoors. Here guests will find a cheerful company, an exciting program, unusual dishes and entertainment.
Wedding dinner
Guests go for a cocktail to the place where there will be a gala dinner afterwards. The newlyweds receive gifts from the guests. It is customary to give money and various expensive things. The role of the bride’s “purse” is played by a white handbag with a drawstring. And large gifts are taken to a special room, where the person responsible for this arranges them. Another important point: when the newlyweds arrive from a walk, the guests greet them, standing in the form of a “stream”. The bride and groom pass through it.
The best man makes the first toast. When everyone has had enough to drink, it's time to throw in the pretty lace garter. This is why the bride puts it on her leg in preparation for the celebration. She throws the garter back, turning away from her unmarried friends. They must catch her. Whoever catches it will be the first to get married. Unlike a Russian wedding, at an American wedding the groom also throws a garter to his friends. Garters are placed on the right leg, above the knee. Sometimes there may be two garters - this is a tradition for North American brides.
Towards the end of the dinner, the young people, holding one knife together, begin to cut the cake. The bride should take a piece of cake and smear it on her new husband. Afterwards, a photo session is held with the guests, and the heroes of the occasion leave for their honeymoon or go to a hotel for the night. In general, it is customary to spend the first wedding night at home. At the same time, it is necessary to leave the guests unnoticed so that the guests cannot interfere with this.
Arranging an American wedding in Russia today is easier than ever. You just need to inform the organizers of the celebration that you need to hold the event in this style. Warn your guests about such a wedding so that they have the opportunity to prepare for it. The young people themselves and their loved ones need to think through such a ceremony in advance in order to take into account all the nuances of its implementation.
Decor
Proper decoration, made in strict accordance with existing rules, customs and traditions, will help create the right atmosphere at an American wedding.
American weddings are most often held in open space, using country houses, but if this is not possible or weather conditions do not allow, then they choose halls and grounds of hotels and restaurants. The room in which the festive banquet will be held is decorated using a large number of fresh flowers and light textiles.
It is important to choose the right colors used for decoration:
You can combine rich, expressive colors with pastel shades, but it is not customary to use too bright colors to decorate an American wedding.
Venue Design Elements
To create the right atmosphere at an American wedding, you will need many different decorations designed for decorating the banquet hall.
First of all, you need to take care of the availability of:
- Indicative and welcome signs, informational and with humorous inscriptions.
- Personalized boarding cards.
It is necessary to designate an area for dancing and photo sessions.
It is important to allocate a place where guests, if desired, can take a break from the festive noise and unbridled fun.
The decoration of the hall will be small bouquets, ribbons and a huge number of fresh flowers, which can safely be called the main element of decor at an American-style wedding.
Invitations, bonbonnieres and other accessories
Handmade invitations will allow you to gather all the guests at your wedding. When organizing an American-style wedding, invitations for friends, family and friends are made in the form of postcards and cards. They are decorated with satin ribbons and lace, beads and rhinestones. Design invitations in soft pastel colors, abandoning bright colors.
Bonbonnieres are also made by hand, choosing small flowers (real or artificial), thin lace and satin ribbons, pearls, and rhinestones as decorative elements for such an accessory. The following should be designed in the same style:
- book for recommendations;
- bottles of champagne that are saved until the first wedding anniversary or the birth of the first child;
- bridal glasses;
- ring cushion (if registration takes place immediately before the banquet).
At an American wedding there is no chest for collecting donated money.
The bride carries the banknotes in a neat white handbag, never leaving it for a moment throughout the holiday.
Wedding photo shoot
Photos taken at a wedding remain as a memory not only for the hosts of the holiday.
For many years, these photographs will refresh the memories of a wonderful time spent on such a solemn and happy day. A specially prepared area for a photo shoot will help make your photos unique and highlight the unique style of your wedding.
Photos from an American wedding are pictures taken in the lap of nature, against the backdrop of a wedding arch, while the newlyweds are dancing.
You definitely need photographs that show the bride among her friends and the groom with his friends.
This video shows one of the options for a beautifully decorated American-style wedding:
It doesn’t have to be in a formal suit - you can also take a photo of the moment when the guys are dancing or walking towards the girls.
A stylized wedding celebration is a special celebration. An American wedding is an opportunity to have a lot of fun after an extremely solemn registration, to spend not one, but two days of fun. If you follow the traditions of the country whose customs are reproduced during the celebration, then the newlyweds can, after the formal registration, leave their guests to continue the fun, and they themselves have every right to immediately go on their honeymoon. The desire to have fun with friends forces young people to postpone leaving and celebrate the birth of a new family with their closest people.
Dress code for guests
Guests at an American wedding should be dressed expensively and stylishly. Soft pastel colors are chosen for dresses and suits; ladies decorate their necks, wrists and hair with bracelets, pearl beads, and sparkling tiaras.
A special feature of an American-style celebration is the choice of outfits for the groomsmen and bridesmaids. If the styles of the bridesmaids' dresses can be different, then the color and texture of the fabric must certainly be the same. This also applies to suits for groomsmen.
All of them should become a kind of copy of the hero of the occasion’s outfit.
How to dress a young man
To dress a young man for an American wedding, you will need to choose a suit that will look harmonious with the bride’s dress.
It can be a “three” or “two” in black, dark blue or gray. The tie should be long and in a contrasting color that stands out against the background of the white shirt. Special attention should be paid to creating a boutonniere threaded into the buttonhole of the groom's suit.
For it you will need a rosebud, the color of which depends on what details the bride’s dress is decorated with.
The beginning of the wedding: meeting of the newlyweds
The wedding, as a rule, begins upon the arrival of the newlyweds. The groom waits for the bride at the “altar” - the wedding arch, where the host stands ready to conduct the ceremony. Since the wedding is without a price, guests see the future spouse for the first time when she, arm in arm with her father or brother, heads towards the hero of the occasion along the carpet. Live music is playing, the children are in front of the bride, the bridesmaids are behind, then the bride and groom exchange rings.
When the ceremony ends, the newlyweds go to a photo shoot, and guests are invited to drink cocktails in a special place where they wait for the spouses.
What you need to know
Before organizing such an event, it is necessary to study the traditions of American wedding behavior.
Where to spend it? In America, usually, the location of the ceremony depends on what time of year it is outside. An American-style wedding also depends on this; the design will differ significantly depending on the date of the celebration.
If it is a warm period, then an outdoor celebration is held - chairs are placed there for guests so that they have a place to sit comfortably. They also put in a decorated arch and a desk for the registrar. First, the groom and then the bride, arm in arm with their father, will walk along a specially laid carpet. But in the cold months, weddings are held in large restaurants and even hotels.
Postcards. Invitations to an American-style wedding need to be sent out in advance, since usually the ceremony takes place outside the city and people need to understand where and how to get there. Therefore, invitations to an American-style wedding are a very important detail of the celebration and you need to pay a lot of attention to it.
To hold a ceremony in the American style, you need to decorate the cars, like ours, with flowers and ribbons, you can also hang large rings.
Attention! Do you want your celebration to look like a chic and expensive film? See how to decorate a wedding in Hollywood style or in the theme of certain films.
Cortege. The American wedding procession has one distinctive feature. Passers-by find out that these cars are carrying newlyweds for one reason, namely the rumble of cans - they are tied to the cars at the back, and they also attach a sign that says “Wedding”.
Wedding rings. Here only your fantasies and wishes, since there are no special rules for choosing such products. There is one good American sign - the bride should buy the wedding ring for the groom.
Banqueting hall. This is where serious work and thoroughness in every detail is needed. Future spouses should come up with interesting and elegant decorations that could provide a fun and festive atmosphere. The main assistant that helps create such a mood is the flowers that decorate the entire banquet hall.
Remember that for the American wedding style, no more than 3 calm shades are used, or 2 shades, one of which is contrasting, and the second is soft, pastel.
To decorate a wedding hall, Americans use only fresh flowers, and it doesn’t matter whether they are elegant roses or lush peonies, delicate violets or exquisite lilies. It is important here that the flowers decorating the banquet also make up the bride’s bouquet. Literally everything should be decorated with them, like the banquet hall itself, the arch, and the reception desk.
Wedding in the USA documents. Documents for registering marriage in the USA
Documents for marriage in the USA require a fairly large number of papers confirming the identity and family status of a citizen of the Russian Federation. Collecting them can take quite a lot of time, so you need to make sure you have them in advance. But the matter does not end with collecting documents for marriage in the USA. After the marriage procedure, a new process begins - obtaining a new visa, then a residence permit, and ultimately citizenship. All this takes a lot of effort and time, but ultimately makes it possible to become a full-fledged citizen of the United States.
Features of marriage in the USA
When the documents for registering a marriage in America have been collected and you have received a marriage license, the most pleasant process occurs. However, American traditions are somewhat different from ours. For example, when the groom proposes (engagement), he gives the bride a diamond ring; there is no other way. Moreover, the cost of such a ring should be at least three times the groom’s salary. It is also unusual that registering a marriage in local registry offices is not a wedding. For them, a wedding is the ceremony itself, and entry into the registry is not included in it. Some states only recognize church marriages, so you can officially and legally get married in a church. And there are a lot of such nuances.
What documents are required for a wedding in the United States?
For each state, the set of documents for marriage with an American may differ, but there are several documents that are required:
- International passport;
- Birth certificate;
- Divorce certificate (if available);
- Visa form K-1 or K-2;
- Certificate of criminal record.
This is just a sample list of documents for marriage in the USA. Each state individually can make its own edits and adjustments to it, set design requirements, etc. It is worth remembering that all documents must be apostilled. This is a separate procedure that can be ordered from. Its cost depends on the type of document and the timing of the apostille. How an apostille is issued and in what form the document must be provided, see the section Affixing an apostille. All documents for marriage in the USA must also be translated into English and notarized. The quality of the translation also determines whether you will be given permission or not. Therefore, it is better to immediately contact a professional translator. When all the documents are collected, getting married to a US citizen is a matter of two hours, as is commonly said about American weddings. However, it is worth knowing that not only a happy time awaits you ahead, but also further paperwork, for example, a wife’s visa - K-3, K-4. And obtaining citizenship, which is also a long and exhausting process. In the event of a divorce, you will have to provide much more documents and spend a lot of time, effort and money, because... America's divorce laws are quite strict. Therefore, it is worth carefully checking your feelings before entering into a legal marriage.
The main essence of the celebration
The main feature is the careful preparation for such an interesting event.
Typically, Americans begin to prepare for such a solemn event six months, or even a year, in advance. It all starts with an engagement, which is celebrated with a gala dinner with the family or a party to which the closest relatives and friends are invited. A rehearsal for the formal part of the wedding takes place about two weeks beforehand. This is a necessary procedure with the help of which each invitee knows exactly where he is assigned a place at the wedding itself, when and what can be said, as well as what to give. So now it’s clear why American weddings are truly the most beautiful.
If children are planned to be present at the celebration, then it would be a good idea to rehearse with them. For example, a girl (or several girls) can sprinkle white and pink rose petals on the path where the bride will pass. The boy presents a pillow on which wedding rings were thoughtfully placed.
Typically, a couple of days before the wedding, Americans hold a civil ceremony, during which they receive a certificate certifying that the marriage is officially registered. But the most important celebration is a religious ceremony, where the newlyweds swear allegiance to each other and assure that they will always be there, no matter what happens in life.
