There are many types of wedding, including:
- White wedding - A white wedding is a term for a traditional formal or semi-formal wedding. This term refers to the colour of the wedding dress, which became popular in the Victorian era. Although it is often said that the colour white symbolises virginity, it was actually originally used as a display of wealth, as it showed you had enough money to spend on a dress you could only wear once, as white would become easily soiled and so couldn't be worn again. Although for most modern brides, ivory is now the colour to wear for a traditional "white wedding"!
- Civil wedding - A civil wedding is a ceremony presided over by a local civil authority. Civil wedding ceremonies may use references to God or a deity (in UK law), but generally no references to a particular religion or denomination are made. They can be either elaborate or simple. Many civil wedding ceremonies take place in register offices, local town halls, stately homes, hotels, restaurants or at any venue that has been approved to hold a civil marriage.
- Destination wedding - A destination wedding is any wedding in which the engaged couple and/or a majority of their guests travel to attend the ceremony. This could be a beach ceremony in the Caribbean, a lavish event in Las Vegas, or a simple ceremony at the home of a geographically distant friend or relative.
- Double wedding - A double wedding is a single ceremony where two couples rendezvous for two simultaneous or consecutive weddings. Typically, a fiancé with a sibling might plan a double wedding with that sibling.
- Weekend wedding - A weekend wedding is one in which the couple and their guests celebrate over the course of a weekend. Special activities, such as spa treatments and golf tournaments, may be scheduled into the wedding itinerary throughout the weekend. Accomodation is usually at the same facility as the wedding and couples often host a Sunday brunch for the weekend's finale.
- Military wedding - A military wedding is a ceremony conducted in a military chapel and may involve a Saber Arch. In most military weddings the groom will wear a military dress uniform in lieu of civilian formal wear. Some retired military personnel who marry after their service has ended may opt for a military wedding.
- Sneak wedding - Eloping, the act of getting married without the consent or approval of parents or others.
- Same-sex wedding - A same-sex or same-gender wedding is a ceremony in which two people of the same sex are married or civilly united. This may be an official and legally recognized event, or, in places that do not allow same-sex marriage, it may simply be a symbolic ceremony designed to provide the opportunity to make the same public declarations and celebration with friends and family that any other type of wedding allows.