the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed
"After months of planning, we finally arrived at the wedding to watch the couple exchange their vows."
the act of marrying; the nuptial ceremony
"their marriage was conducted in the chapel"
a party of people at a wedding
"The wedding was so crowded that we could barely move through the dance floor."
Marriage ceremony; ritual officially celebrating the beginning of a marriage.
"The guests gathered outside to wait for the wedding, where the couple would exchange vows in front of their families."
In plain English: A wedding is a formal ceremony where two people get married in front of friends and family.
"We went to the wedding and danced all night long."
present participle of wed
"My cousin will be participating in the wedding as the best man."
To participate in a wedding.
In plain English: To get married to someone.
"We decided to wait until they were older before we wed."
Usage: The verb form of "wed," meaning to marry someone, should be used when describing the act of getting married rather than simply attending or participating in a ceremony as an observer. People often confuse this active sense with being present at a wedding event; use it only if you are actually becoming spouses.
A surname.
"My neighbor, who is a wedding, invited us to their family reunion last weekend."
The word comes from the Old English term weddung, meaning "betrothal" or "espousal." It entered modern usage by combining the root for marriage with a suffix indicating an event, eventually evolving to describe the ceremony itself.