Everybody loves a great wedding!
What happens at a traditional American wedding? Have you ever been invited to one?
In today's lesson, you can listen to an English conversation with two native speakers discussing the common traditions in an American wedding.
Find out what happens at the bachelorette party, the wedding rehearsal, and the rehearsal dinner.
Take a few minutes to practice your English listening skills and prepare for the next time you attend a wedding in the United States!
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Did you understand? Take the quiz!
1. How was the weather on the day of the wedding?
a) Breezy and chilly
b) Sunny and humid
c) Beautiful and calm
2. What is Georgia's relationship to the groom?
a) She is his mother
b) She is his aunt
c) She is his stepmother
3. According to Georgia, how much have traditions changed in American weddings over the years?
a) They have changed dramatically
b) They have changed a bit, but they are mostly the same
c) They have stayed the same
4. Why couldn't Georgia go to the bridal shower?
a) She had a tennis match the following day so she needed to rest
b) She was recovering from a New England tennis tournament and was feeling exhausted
c) She was playing in a New England championship tournament at the time of bridal shower
5) What happens at the wedding rehearsal?
a) There is a toast and you practice for the ceremony
b) The host of the wedding site tells you how and where to walk during the ceremony
c) The families get together and have a huge dinner
6) What is a wedding party?
a) The people who are in the wedding including the bridesmaids and groomsmen and usually the parents of the bride and groom
b) The reception that follows the ceremony
c) Another name for the bachelorette party
7) Where was the ceremony held?
a) In a church
b) On a golf course
c) On a patio at a country club
Answers: 1) c 2) a 3) b 4) c 5) b 6) a 7) c
New vocabulary from this lesson
1. Gals (noun): Another word for "girl" or "young woman." This term is often used by people over the age of 50.
All of the gals in the wedding wore beautiful dresses.
2. Bachelorette party/ Bachelor party (noun): The bride-to-be or groom-to-be spends the evening with close friends. They celebrate his or her last few weeks as a single person.
At the bachelorette party, the girls had dinner, drinks, and went dancing.
3. Bridegroom (noun): The groom, the man on the day of his wedding, a few days before or a few days after.
The bridegroom put on his tuxedo and was surprised to find out that it was too small.
4. To clear up (phrasal verb): To answer any questions, to clarify something if there is confusion.
The manager clears up any confusion during the wedding rehearsal.
5. To make it (verb): To be able to go or arrive somewhere (a casual expression)
Georgia didn't make it to the bridal shower because she had a tennis match.
6. To toast (verb): To mark an occasion or special event by making a short speech and clinging wine or champagne classes together. We usually say "cheers!"
The best man made a toast at the wedding reception.
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Photo credits:jmayer1129, Micky.!
