Nancy: Have you heard about Dana?
Scott: No, I haven't talked to her for a couple of months. How are things with her?
Nancy: Well, she is just so-so right now. She had a little accident last week in her new car.
Scott: Oh, you are kidding. Was anybody hurt? Was there much damage?
Nancy: No, it was really a small accident and everybody was fine. It was the other driver's fault.
Scott: Well, that's good. Other than that, how's she doing? Is she still going out with David?
Nancy: Haven't you heard yet? They're getting married!
Scott: You are kidding!
Nancy: She said he gave her a ring on her birthday.
Scott: That's great!
Nancy: Yeah. Everybody's really happy about it. He is a great guy.
Scott: Lucky, too.
1. 在西方,恋爱中的男女要结婚,首先要由男方向女方求婚(propose),在求婚时男方应向女方赠送订婚戒指(an engagement ring)。因此,当人们提到 "He gave her a ring" 时,其意义通常是He proposed to her, she accepted, and they are now engaged.(男方向女方求婚,女方接受了求婚,两人现在已经定婚了)。
2. 订婚的男女应立即将他们的结婚计划告之各自的父母,通常由新娘的父母宣布定婚和婚礼。按照传统,由新娘的家庭承担大部分婚礼费用,而新郎家一方则负责彩排宴和其他事宜。婚礼正式开始前一两天应有一个彩排,这样做的目的是使参加婚礼的每个人都熟悉他们在婚礼上要例行的程序。
3. 婚礼在西方国家是一个非常重要的场合,在举行婚礼前好几个星期,亲朋好友就会收到邀请信。婚礼是在教堂而且是在白天举行,如果你获邀请,那么在参加婚礼时着装应非常正式。女宾客穿鸡尾酒会礼服或长衬衫加节日外套或毛衣;男宾客则要穿礼服。值得注意的是,女士穿裤子是不合适的,无论裤子是什么颜色。
4. 送礼是许多民族的共有的习惯,那么亲朋好友结婚时送什么好呢?我们提供一些原则供大家参考:首先是可能为受礼人所喜欢的物品,其次是不要太昂贵,再有就是要具有实用性。送结婚礼物有一个一年的“宽限期”。只要你在新婚夫妇结婚一周年纪念日送出礼物都是可以的。传统的礼物包括银器、瓷器、水晶制品以及经久耐用的东西。不过,如今的结婚礼物也包括电器设备和实用物品。