婚礼，无论在古今中外，都被认为是人生仪礼中的大礼。但对其的认识则古今大不一样。 古人认为，家族和血统的延续，是做晚辈不容推卸的重任，即所谓“不孝有三，无后为大”，因此，把交合男女阴阳、产生子嗣的婚姻之礼放在一个很重要的地位。 婚礼和婚姻制度有密切联系，从一个侧面反映了人们的文明教化程度。以汉族为主体的中华民族祖先和世界各民族一样，在原始时期经历过乱婚、群婚的阶段，进入文明社会之后则基本采取一夫一妻的婚姻形式。

The wedding around the world

Early African American: Jumping the Broom. In the times of slavery in this country, African American couples were not allowed to formally marry and live together. To make a public declaration of their love and commitment, a man and woman jumped over a broom into matrimony, to the beat of drums. (The broom has long held significant meaning for the various Africans, symbolizing, the start of home-making for the newlywed couple. In Southern Africa, the day after the wedding, the bride assisted the other women in the family in sweeping the courtyard, indicating her dutiful willingness to help her in-laws with housework till the newlyweds could move to their new home.) Some African-American couples today are choosing to include this symbolic rite in their wedding ceremony.

Armenia: Two white doves may be released to signify love and happiness. The bride may dress in red silk and may wear cardboard wings with feathers on her head. Small coins may be thrown at her.

Belgium: The bride may still embroider her name on her handkerchief, carry it on the wedding day, then frame it and keep it until the next family bride marries.

Bermuda: Islanders top their tiered wedding cakes with a tiny sapling. The newlyweds plant the tree at their home, where they can watch it grow, as their marriage grows.

England: Traditionally, the village bride and her wedding party always walk together to the church. Leading the procession: a small girl strewing blossoms along the road, so the bride's path through life will always be happy and laden with flowers.

世界各地的婚礼

早期非洲裔美国人：跳扫帚。在美国的黑奴时代，黑人男女是不允许正式结婚生活在一起的。为了向世人宣布他们的爱情和婚约，一对黑人男女和着鼓声的节奏，一起跳过一把扫帚。(扫帚对各种非洲人长期来都具有很重要的意义，因为它意味着新婚夫妇组成家庭的开始。在南部非洲，新娘在婚后的第一天要帮助夫家的其它女性清扫院子，以此表明在住进自己的新家前，她愿意尽职地帮助丈夫的家人承担家务劳动。)直至今日，一些美国黑人还在他们的婚礼上举行这种象征性的仪式。

亚美尼亚：人们放飞两只白鸽，以示爱情和幸福。新娘穿著红色丝绸的服装，头戴饰有羽毛的纸翼。人们还可向新娘投掷硬币。

比利时：新娘可以将其姓名绣在手帕上，在婚礼举行日随身带上它。婚礼后将手帕装入镜框保存，直到家里的另外一个姑娘结婚。

百慕大：百慕大岛民在他们的多层婚礼蛋的顶层插上一株小树苗，新婚夫妇要将这株树苗种在家中，这样他们可以目睹树苗伴随着他们的婚姻一起长大。

英格兰：按照传统，乡村的新娘和参加婚礼的人们总是一起步行走向教堂。一个小姑娘走在队列最前面，她一路抛撒鲜花，预示着新娘一生的道路上也将开满鲜花。