Wedding Terms You Need To Know

Congratulations on your engagement! With your wedding planning binder in hand and coffee at the ready, you may be feeling completely prepared to begin the wedding planning process. But as you dive into venues and catering, flowers and suits, terms start to appear that you just aren’t sure what they mean and how they fit into your big day. Have no fear–we’ve compiled a list of wedding terms you need to know as you plan for your wedding day.

Planning Tools

Stationery suite/Invitation Suite: This is all of the stationery you will use and need for the wedding. This includes save-the-dates, bridal shower invitations, wedding invitations, RSVP cards, envelopes, stamps, etc.

Not sure what you want in your wedding stationery? Minted offers free samples to help you decide on your stationery theme.

Attire

Bustle: A bustle is a mechanism to which a wedding dress train is lifted from the ground after the ceremony to allow the bride to move more easily. Typically, a seamstress will add hidden buttons, hooks or ribbons to lift and tuck the dress.

Cummerbund: This sash is worn around a man’s waist, over the shirt but under the jacket. It is common in black tie formal attire to cover the waist.

Trousseau: Traditionally, a trousseau is the collection of personal items a woman has collected in preparation for the marriage. Stored in a hope chest, or a storage chest an unmarried woman would save her possession in, such items included could be bridal accessories, jewelry, clothing for the honeymoon, linens, and toiletries.

Waistcoat/Vest: To take a formal look to the next level, men may wear a sleeveless garment, vest, on the torso over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat.

Wreath: No, not the thing you place on a door. A wreath in wedding attire is a circle of flowers the bride wears as a headpiece. It is also known as a flower crown for more bohemian brides.

Ceremony and Reception

Bomboniere: Known for being a traditional wedding favor in Italian culture, these gifts are given to wedding guests as a thank you for sharing in the couple’s special day.

Elope: Back in the day, eloping meant getting married without your parent’s knowledge. Today, couples who elope may go to their Justice of the Peace, or have a private ceremony with just the bride, groom and officiant.

Escort cards: Escort cards are different than place cards–though most people couldn’t tell you the difference. An escort card is more informal and tells a guest what table they are seated at–not which seat is theirs. A place card tells the guest exactly where to sit at the table.

Grand entrance: When the couple arrives at the reception, the grand entrance is the formal announcement right before they enter the venue space. It is becoming more common at weddings that the grand entrance is the precursor to the first dance.

Page boy: Though it does not necessarily mean it has to be a boy, a page boy is a small child who follows the bride down the aisle to carry her train.

Pomander bouquet: In replacement of a traditional bouquet, a pomander is a round ball of flowers suspended from a ribbon and worn on the wrist.

Sweetheart table: Some couples opt for this type of seating at the reception instead of a large bridal table. The sweetheart table is just for the bride and groom and is decorated to stand out amongst the rest of the tables.

Wedding planning can be stressful. But with this helpful guide of wedding terms you need to know, you’ll be one step ahead in the planning process. Check out our wedding blog for more helpful tips!

If you’re getting married and are looking for the perfect venue, why not schedule a tour of The Beaumont Inn? We can take your wedding dreams and make it a reality.