A wedding is simply a rite of passage in which the married state is formally recognized. For many people the wedding is a religious ceremony, a rite of holy matrimony. For others, it is a secular ceremony.
It should be pointed out that not all cultures have wedding ceremonies, and, similarly, not all religions have ceremonies regarding marriage. Many people simply live together without the ceremony.
The Sherman County Historical Museum in Moro, Oregon, has a display on weddings which includes both the religious ceremonies conducted in a church and the civil ceremonies conducted in a judge’s office.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of museum exhibits. More from this series:
Museums 101: Nevada City Living History Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Chinese in British Columbia (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Eye Dazzlers (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The School and the General Store (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Weekly Newspaper (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Hagerman Valley Historical Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Fort Dalles Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Burrows House Museum (Photo Diary)