- This article is about brides, the female participant in a wedding. Bride is also the name of a Scottish goddess
A bride is the female participant in a wedding ceremony. The term bride comes from the Teutonic word for a cook. She is typically attended by one or more bridesmaids or maids of honour. Her male partner is the bridegroom or "groom."
Before a bride can be formally called "wife" or Mrs. (the surname of the bridegroom), she must finish the formal wedding procedure. In some cultures, successful sexual intercourse between the bride and bridegroom is a required step to complete (or consummate) the wedding ceremony.
In Europe and North America, the typical attire for a bride is a formal dress. For first marriages, a white dress is traditional. Etiquette prescribes that a white dress may not be worn for subsequent marriages (a direct symbolism of virginity), but this guideline is often ignored, brides wearing white dresses for any number of marriages. In addition to the gown, the bride normally also wears a veil and carries a bouquet of flowers. In some areas, a garter may be worn to be removed by the groom at a later time after the ceremony.
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