Almost every culture in the world has a concept of marriage. Marriage is the union of two or more people into a family unit for one or more different purposes: procreation and child-rearing, emotional fulfillment, religious doctrine, social obligation, or the creation of a legal contract. Almost all marriages have a ceremony or ritual attached to them to finalize and seal the marriage. This is the wedding. Wedding ceremonies and rituals differ from culture to culture and there are even differences among sub-cultures and regions. Some of these differences are because of religion, ethnicity, social class, and nationality.

Although wedding ceremonies can be vastly different, some rituals are common through many different types of wedding. Many weddings involve an exchange of promises of commitment and responsibilities to be accepted. Another common ritual is the exchange of symbolic gifts. This exchange can be personal or family oriented and the gifts can have either monetary importance, symbolic importance, or both. Weddings are usually presided over or performed by an authority figure who people look to as being worthy of proclaiming the marriage acceptable. A party or gathering usually follows the ceremony that includes food, dancing, songs, or prayers.