
A page boy is a young male attendant at a
wedding
A wedding is a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnicity, ethnicities, Race (human categorization), races, religions, Religious denomination, denominations, Cou ...
or a
cotillion
The cotillion (also cotillon or French country dance) is a social dance, popular in 18th-century Europe and North America. Originally for four couples in square formation, it was a courtly version of an English country dance, the forerunner ...
(a social dance). They are, in effect, the young male equivalents of bridesmaids, taking part in the bridal party and assisting with tasks during the ceremony. Traditionally, page boys carry the bride's train, especially if she is wearing a dress with a long train. Because of the difficulty of managing a train, page boys are generally no younger than seven, with older boys preferred for more complicated duties.
Page boys often include young relatives or friends' children in the wedding party. In a formal wedding, the ring bearer is a page boy who carries the wedding rings, often symbolically on a wedding ring cushion. The real rings are typically kept by the
best man
A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony. Usually, the groom selects close friends and relatives to serve as groomsmen, and it is considered an honor to be selected. From his groomsmen, the groom usuall ...
for safekeeping. If the real rings are used, they are usually tacked on with thread to prevent loss.
Pages are often seen at British royal weddings, such as the
wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England. William was second in the line of succession to the British throne at the time, later becoming heir apparent. T ...
in 2011.
References
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Wedding ceremony participants