Origin: Latin suffix -al
Bridal has 5 different meanings across 2 categories:
A wedding feast or festival; a wedding.
"The guests arrived early to join the bridal and celebrate the newlyweds."
"There was much excitement among the bridal party for the upcoming wedding."
Usage: Use the noun form of bridal only in archaic contexts referring to a wedding feast, as modern English almost exclusively uses it as an adjective describing things related to a bride. In contemporary speech and writing, avoid using "bridal" as a standalone noun for the event itself; instead, use synonyms like "wedding," "nuptials," or "ceremony."
Of or pertaining to a bride, or to wedding; nuptial.
"The bridal party gathered outside as the bride walked down the aisle."
In plain English: Bridal means something related to getting married, especially things worn by the bride on her wedding day.
"The bridal party gathered outside for photos before the ceremony began."
Bridal comes from the Middle English word bridale, which originally described a wedding feast or celebration in Old English. While it is formed from "bride" and the suffix "-al," its early use specifically referred to the festive event surrounding a marriage rather than just anything related to a bride.