(1)结婚，婚姻(生活)(legal union of a man and a woman;the state of being united or the act of marrying，as husband and wife)[C，U]：an unhappy/arranged～不美满的/包办婚姻;an offer of～求婚;His(fifth)～lasted only a month.他的(第五次)婚姻持续了仅一个月。M～is a very serious thing/a life long business.婚姻是非常严肃的大事/是终身大事。a～certificate/ceremony/feast/guidance/settlement/license/bureau结婚证书/仪式/宴席/指导/婚后财产契约/许可证/婚姻介绍所;〖反〗divorce;

(2)结婚仪式(ceremony of being married;wedding)[C]：Their～(ceremony) was held in June in a registry office.他们的结婚典礼6月在婚姻登记处举行。Church～s are rather different from civil～s.宗教婚礼仪式与公证结婚仪式有相当大的区别。Our～was a very quiet event.我们的婚礼很平淡。〖同〗wedding;

←′marry v ;

→′marriageable adj适合结婚的;

【辨异】 marriage与wedding两个词都与婚姻有关;但marriage既可指婚礼仪式，如：Many were present at their marriage.(许多人出席了他们的婚礼。)还可用来指法定婚姻状态和精神上的关系，如：Theirs were a long and happy marriage.(他们的婚姻既长久又幸福。)而wedding 仅指结婚的婚礼仪式和随之而来的庆祝活动，或复杂，或简单：give a wedding reception(举行婚宴);A thousand invitations to the wedding were sent out.(发出了上千封婚礼请柬。)