▁husband ▁and ▁wife . ▁It ▁is ▁then ▁that ▁they ▁share ▁their ▁first ▁kiss ▁as ▁a ▁married ▁couple ▁and ▁thus ▁se al ▁their ▁union . ▁The ▁couple ▁leaves ▁the ▁building , ▁and ▁family ▁and ▁friends ▁throw ▁rice ▁or ▁whe at ▁their ▁way , ▁which ▁symbol izes ▁fert ility . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁actual ▁wed ding ▁ceremony ▁itself , ▁there ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁wed ding ▁reception . ▁During ▁this ▁reception ▁it ▁is ▁tradition ▁that ▁the ▁best ▁man ▁and ▁the ▁ma id ▁of ▁honor ▁propos es ▁a ▁to ast . ▁The ▁couple ▁may ▁receive ▁g ifts . ▁The ▁couple ▁then ▁usually ▁goes ▁on ▁a ▁h one ym oon ▁to ▁celebr ate ▁their ▁marriage , ▁which ▁last s ▁several ▁days ▁or ▁weeks . ▁ ▁Modern ▁wed d ings ▁often ▁devi ate ▁from ▁these ▁trad itions . ▁The ▁b ride ▁and ▁her ▁female ▁friends ▁may ▁enjoy ▁a ▁b ach elor ette ▁party ▁to ▁match ▁the ▁men ' s ▁b ach elor ▁party . ▁Wed d ings ▁are ▁sometimes ▁held ▁out do ors ▁or ▁in ▁other ▁buildings ▁instead ▁of ▁churches , ▁and ▁offici ants ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁religious ▁leaders ▁but ▁other ▁people ▁lic ensed ▁by ▁the ▁state . ▁The ▁religious ▁v ows ▁may ▁be ▁replaced ▁by ▁v ows ▁written ▁by ▁the ▁couple ▁themselves , ▁and ▁most ▁ven ues ▁today ▁disc ou rage ▁the ▁throwing ▁of ▁rice ▁and ▁encou rage ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁bird seed ▁or ▁grass ▁seed . ▁Other ▁traditional ▁elements ▁of ▁a ▁wed ding ▁may ▁be ▁changed ▁or ▁omitted , ▁and ▁wed d ings ▁may ▁even ▁vary ▁wild