wedding breakfast: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, traditional, chiefly British and Commonwealth English.
Quick answer
What does “wedding breakfast” mean?
The first meal shared by a newly married couple and their guests after the wedding ceremony, typically held around midday or early afternoon, regardless of the time of day.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The first meal shared by a newly married couple and their guests after the wedding ceremony, typically held around midday or early afternoon, regardless of the time of day.
A celebratory meal or reception following a wedding ceremony, often featuring formal speeches and toasts. The term persists even when the event is a lunch, afternoon tea, or early dinner, reflecting its historical origin.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Common and standard in British English. In American English, the term is rare and often considered a Britishism; 'wedding reception' or 'wedding lunch' is used instead.
Connotations
In the UK, it connotes tradition and formality. In the US, if used, it may sound quaint or deliberately British.
Frequency
High frequency in UK wedding planning contexts; very low frequency in general US English.
Grammar
How to Use “wedding breakfast” in a Sentence
The [ADJ] wedding breakfast took place at [LOCATION].They hosted a wedding breakfast for [NUMBER] guests.The speeches followed the wedding breakfast.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “wedding breakfast” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They will wedding-breakfast at the manor house. (extremely rare, non-standard)
American English
- Not used.
adjective
British English
- The wedding-breakfast menu featured salmon. (hyphenated attributive use)
American English
- The wedding breakfast menu was elegant. (open compound attributive use, if term is used at all)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in hospitality, catering, and event planning industries.
Academic
Rare; might appear in historical, sociological, or cultural studies of marriage traditions.
Everyday
Common in discussions about wedding plans and in formal invitations in the UK.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “wedding breakfast”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “wedding breakfast”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “wedding breakfast”
- Using it to refer to an actual breakfast before the ceremony. Assuming it must be in the morning. Using it as a general term for 'wedding reception' in American English.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the food served is typically a formal lunch or dinner. The name is historical, not descriptive of the menu.
No, it is very uncommon. Americans almost exclusively use 'wedding reception' or specify 'wedding lunch' or 'wedding dinner'.
Traditionally, after a morning ceremony, but now it can be any time from late morning to early evening. The timing depends on the ceremony schedule.
In traditional UK weddings, the wedding breakfast is the main seated meal for all day guests. The evening reception is a later, often more informal party with additional guests.
The first meal shared by a newly married couple and their guests after the wedding ceremony, typically held around midday or early afternoon, regardless of the time of day.
Wedding breakfast is usually formal, traditional, chiefly british and commonwealth english. in register.
Wedding breakfast: in British English it is pronounced /ˈwɛdɪŋ ˈbrɛkfəst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈwɛdɪŋ ˈbrɛkfəst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated. It is itself a fixed, idiomatic phrase.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: The couple 'breaks their fast' (ends their pre-ceremony fasting) with their first meal as a married unit, hence 'wedding breakfast'.
Conceptual Metaphor
A NEW DAY BEGINS IS A MARRIAGE (the first meal of the new marital 'day').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary reason the term 'wedding breakfast' is used for a meal that may not be in the morning?