A bride is a woman who is about to be married or who is a newlywed.
When marrying, if the bride's future spouse is a man, he is usually referred to as the bridegroom or just groom. In Western culture, a bride may be attended by a maid, bridesman and one or more bridesmaids.
The word "bride" has its roots in the Old English word "bryd," which is shared with other Germanic languages. In Western countries, brides typically wear white wedding dresses, a tradition started by Queen Victoria. The white dress was once considered a symbol of luxury due to the difficulties in laundering delicate white clothing. Today, Western brides may wear white, cream, or ivory dresses, regardless of their number of marriages.
In non-Western countries, brides often wear national dress, with white wedding dresses being uncommon in Asian cultures as it symbolizes mourning and death. Red, on the other hand, represents vibrancy and health and is commonly worn by brides in many Asian cultures. Brides may also wear multiple outfits, as seen in some traditions in Japan, India, and parts of the Arab world.
Bridal jewelry holds cultural significance, such as wedding rings in Western cultures, chura (red and white bangles) in Punjabi Sikh culture, and mangalsutra in Hindu culture. Brides often wear veils and carry bouquets, prayer books, or other tokens. Wedding traditions have evolved over time, including the cake-eating and the bride-cup, both of which had symbolic meanings.
In Christianity, the term "Bride of Christ" typically refers to the Church, spiritually betrothed to Jesus Christ. The interpretation of this term varies among different denominations.
