Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Love and Marriage. A video compilation

27th January 2022

The Cadbury Conference 2017 - University of Birmingham

A compilation of videos used for the themes of love, dating, marriage and wedding traditions. Links to previous blogs will be listed at the end.

First, some Listening practice: How did these couples meet ?

This video was shot (filmed) in New York, so you will hear American English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6rYRyoqpeI

Some people try blind dating which is arranging a date with someone that you don’t know. Maybe a friend suggests someone for you, or you go on television:

Blind date TV show (this is from UK 1994)

Do you have game shows like this is your country ?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj_ewz53Frk

There are different UK accents here, so it is useful listening practice.

If the dates are successful, they could lead to weddings, married life and children.

Wedding vocabulary and listening exercisehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPsrWWyTRz8

The lady speaks slowly and clearly; try to understand without subtitles.

Here’s some clips of when the big day doesn’t go to plan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCkcU9h5ggc

Weddings can be a nerve-wracking time. Do you recognise anybody famous in this clip ? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKkT8_RGDYg

Every wedding needs a good party. We start with a Jewish tradition, before moving on to Mexico.

Now back to life, back to reality. Let’s look at some grammar:

Phrasal verbs and family situations: http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/grammar-vocabulary/phrasal-verb-videos/family

Top 10 Classic Songs to Sing at Wedding Ceremonies
Bye bye from the beautiful blushing bride

More in-depth blogs on the subject maybe be found here:

Lesson 1: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/11/adult-speaking-class-theme-traffic/

Lesson 2: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/12/adult-speaking-class-theme-love-marriage-part-2/

Lesson 3: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/13/adult-speaking-class-theme-love-and-marriage-part-3/

Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.

Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2

12th January 2020

How would you describe the emotions / feelings of these people ?

Image result for wedding party maori
Maori wedding in New Zealand
Image result for wedding party inuit
Image result for wedding party scotland
Scotland
Image result for shotgun wedding
A shotgun wedding

FREE SPEAKING: What is a traditional wedding in your country ?

In the UK and many western countries, the bridegroom waits in the church next to the Best Man, who has the rings. The church music starts and the Bride walks down the aisle next to her father, who will ‘give her away.’ Behind the Bride are her Bridesmaids. The Vicar will start the service. At the end, the Bride and Groom kiss.

Pictures of typical UK wedding.

Identify Bride, groom, best man, vicar, bridesmaids, father of the bride.

Image result for uk bride
Image result for uk wedding service church vicar
Image result for drunk best man
Image result for cute asian bridesmaids
Image result for father of the bride

Weddings can be a nerve-wracking time. What wedding people can you see in this clip. Do you recognise anybody famous ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKkT8_RGDYg

Image result for rowan atkinson in 4 weddings

Vocabulary booster

Match words with meaning

Honeymoon // a secret relationship

Romantic // promise to do something/ be loyal to someone.

Divorce // when people decide they will get married

Affair // after you legally separate

Engaged // a holiday after getting married 

Listening Practice

Wedding vocabulary and listening exercise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPsrWWyTRz8

The lady speaks slowly and clearly; try to understand without subtitles.

Wedding planning

New vocabulary 

to consider / to decide / to weigh up (phrasal verb) / to mull over [all mean ‘to think about’]

let me sleep on it (idiom = need time to think).

the final call / the final decision on a subject

logistics (n) // logistical (adj) organising people at the same time. 

co-ordinating // arranging things to happen at the same or at an arranged time

It’s a logistical nightmare ! (very hard to co-ordinate all the different factors).

likewise / also, in the same way

therefore / so, for that reason

value for money /deciding if something is good quality and good price.

a multitude / so many 

not to mention / additionally, adding a stronger point (expression)

potential minefield / an area of possible dangers and serious trouble (metaphor)

There are a multitude of things to consider when organising a wedding. The tasks range from choosing the dress and accessories, to booking the cars and flowers, not to mention the potential minefield of the food. What do people like to eat, what do they hate ? Are they on special diets, do they have allergies, are they restricted by religious considerations ?

What sort of things have to be planned for a successful wedding ?

Put them in order of importance – if that is possible ! (they are ALL important)

food / dress / invitations / venue / music / guests / honeymoon / flowers / transport / photographs / paperwork !

(Venue – place for the party)

Let’s start with the dress

Whose decision is this ? Who makes the final call ?

Do you go traditional ? Modern ? Discrete ? 

What are your opinions of these dresses:

Some dresses can average at over £1 400 (over 43 million VND), so people try to make their own dresses, or consider using cheaper materials. 

Listen to this clip: https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/very-special-wedding-dress-level-2/

What are the dresses made out of ? (made from ?)

For how long has this event been taking place ?

In which city is the festival held ?

What was the name of the winning design ?

Traditions

These vary (change) from country to country, but a traditional UK wedding would be something like this:

A church for a Christian service (synagogue for Jewish, mosque for Moslems)

Vicar to perform the service

Bride and Groom

Bridesmaids and Best Man 

Father of the Bride 

Guests

Order of Service

The minister will give plenty of advice on hymns to choose, but order of service is basically broken into six parts:

  1. Introductory Medley
  2. Entrance of the bride,
  3. Hymns, marriage vows and prayers
  4. Hymn or psalm blessing
  5. Signing the register
  6. Leaving for the reception (party, lunch)

As the party leaves the church, the order should be bride and groom, chief bridesmaid and best man, bride’s mother and bridegroom’s father, bridegroom’s mother and bride’s father, bridesmaids and other attendants.

At the party or reception, people are usually told where to sit. Before the food, there are a number of speeches. Some are serious, but the Best Man usually makes a humorous one, saying funny things about the Groom :

This is from the British film ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, with actor Hugh Grant delivering the speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6GPicVYCvs

Decision – making

The menu – which do you prefer ? The food, the choice and the design.

The party (and after-party !)

A Jewish wedding party with traditional music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k3sH8AmeJk

A Mexican wedding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCa-tXL4miM

Today’s song: Sweet ‘Love is like oxygen’  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9XYaEsfuU0