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Weddings

Date: Jul 21 2009

Themes: Family, Romance

Grammar: Modal Verbs

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Intro

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Weddings are a $40 billion industry in the US. And most of that money gets spent in the summer. June and August are the most popular months for weddings.

At a traditional American wedding, the father of the bride walks his daughter down the aisle and gives her away. Then the bride and groom exchange rings and vows. Finally, after the ceremony, everyone goes to a reception, where they eat, drink, dance, and let their hair down.

Once you reach a certain age, around 26 or 27 in the US, suddenly everyone you know starts getting married. Devan and Marni both find their summer calendars filled with weddings. Find out why they aren’t too happy about that.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Devan

Marni: So Devan, is your summer calendar just filled with weddings?

Devan: Unfortunately, yes.

Marni: Ugh, wow.

Devan: It’s pretty much like getting slapped in the face over and over. One, you have to spend all this money to buy them presents. Two, it just reminds you that you’re still not married. Or, if you’re me, you’re not even in a relationship and you don’t see any future of getting married.

Marni: It’s so depressing, I know. Well, I mean, are you in any of them? Are you in the wedding party? Maid of honor, anything like that?

Devan: No, I’m just…I just have to go and eat free food and give them a present and watch my friend’s dad give away the bride.

Marni: I think some of it…Some of the tradition’s really nice, and it is fun, but boy, you start going to wedding after wedding and you’re like, “Wow, this person’s getting hitched, that person’s getting hitched.” It just goes on and on.

Devan: Yeah. I never enjoy the actual ceremony, but I’m always down with going to the reception.

Marni: The reception is the fun part. It’s the party, that’s what everybody wants to go to.

Devan: I’m never gonna get married!

Marni: Don’t say that. It’s gonna happen for us. I just know it.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Both Marni and Devan have a lot of weddings to go to this summer. Neither of them is looking forward to it. Devan points out that going to weddings is expensive, because you have to buy a gift. But the worst part is being reminded that you’re still single.

Marni asks Devan if she is going to be a maid of honor or a part of the wedding party at any of the weddings she’s attending this summer. Devan says no. The wedding party is all the people who take part in the ceremony. It includes the bridesmaids and maid of honor, who help the bride; the groomsmen, who help the groom; and the father of the bride, who walks the bride down the aisle and gives her away.

Devan is worried that she’s never going to get married. But Marni tells her not to worry. It may be depressing going to all those weddings, but at least you get lots of free food and drinks at the receptions.

Do you enjoy going to weddings? What is your dream wedding?

Comments

1 through 20 of 62
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Nadya_Hope

Russian Federation

Unrortunately I have been only one wedding in my life. it was my elder sister’s wedding and I was a child. I fancy my dream wedding so…only my groom and I and nobody. and after ceremony we is going to travel around the world

katy76

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

wedding is everybody’s dream in life but be careful of your choice…

no volvere

United Arab Emirates

the groom :

i take you to be my wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.

Random Girl staring at the bride:

eeeew her dress is waaay too young for her age !

another random girl staring at the previous random girl:

shes SHOCKED ! cuz both are wearing same dress

Me :

food is not bad .. am glad i came

jojo123456

China

Wedding, a warm and romantic occasions. The couple’s wedding is another point, is the love from both new beginning, smile together, working together, the difficult row together to create the new life. I’m also looking forward to the wedding!

jiekawang

China

As there are great difference between western and eastern culture,the wedding ceremony is quite different.Here you can meet someone they can give you a vivid account about eastern wedding. www.jakarl.com

★beauty girl◑♥◀

South Korea

no wedding :D

sofiane77

Algeria

I find that remantique and fentastique, I’am verey happy for them in the same timps, I’am jaluse because I d’not find the girl for married.

sofiane77

Algeria

I find that remantique and fentastique, I’am verey happy for them in the same timps, I’am jaluse because I d’not find the girl for married.

manouk225

Cote D'Ivoire

I enjoy going to wedding. it's so nice to see the bride with her white dess and all the people who are happy for that day, all the organization…

I'm sure that mine will be very nice!!! You're invited

fennyyang

China

maybe i will get married in the next year,but i do not feel so happy,because i do not like to be a housewoman after get married.

hieunguyen

Viet Nam

Thanks your reply , i have a mistake, I'm wrong the word "divorce", my mean is ' you won't have the chance to dicover around you'.

Sympathize with me about this mistake, May be it's made you not understand.

Wish you have a nice weedkend.

Welinshon

China

i wonder what makes you think "if you get married when you are young, you won't have the opportunity to divorce around you." you have to know the marriage ia based on love. if there is no love between the wife and husband, divorce is incredible.

truly,

Welinshon

hieunguyen

Viet Nam

Do you think the young people don't like to get married early?I think, if you get married when you was young, you won't have opportunity to discover around you. Because you have to spend much time for your family and…..

Yours truly

Hieu

Welinshon

China

the weddings in China:
the most majority of Chinese think wedding is the most important day. Everyone only has one chance to enjoy this special time.Even if you would have two or more time to celebrate it, the atmosphere has faded away as time goes by.Just like you get more and more matured, you will feel every thing is just nothing, it’s normal.
In China, most wedding isn’t held in church, in their eyes, home is the best place to do this happy time.

adamsoney

Kuwait

marriage is the bond of life inorder to safe the humankind from extinction or their existance in the world.

but having relation as girlfriend & boy friend it will not success because it will be no more responsibilities and promises toward each other only its enjoying company of each other with out legal way….

you may leave her or she may leave you any time,i mean no divorce at all same as marriage…..

kaseem

Syrian Arab Republic

well,I think I have to go to the weddings,and it is a good idea to do that because your groom friend
will be happy to see you and all his friends.
I found out it is intersting to go weddings specially when they bring the food yam yam ..

sad babe

United Arab Emirates

Congratulations =)
I am happy for U
Good luck in NeW life ….

sweet soul

Saudi Arabia

Guyz ..

my wedding on 2en August 09 !

everybody are invited OK

i am serious

Location : Saudi Arabia – Jeddah

sad babe

United Arab Emirates

with me actually I dont like to get married in future … but I like ging to wedding party because I see all people , friend and family ..

and when I see how the bride and groom so happy and they complete each to gather , close to gather and forever ti is sooooo Nice ,, that is couple… I feel happy when I see coulp happy ..

finaly that is married not game it is hard but they should use rule to happy without any problem..