Poetry celebrating weddings and marriages, traditionally called epithalamion or epithalamium. Classical form dating to ancient Greek and Roman poetry when such odes accompanied wedding processions and ceremonies with elaborate celebration. Edmund Spenser's "Epithalamion" represents most famous and elaborate English example with its complex stanza structure and astronomical symbolism. Modern wedding odes tend toward less formal celebration but maintain functions of honoring union, blessing couple, and marking marriage's social and personal significance through poetic commemoration.

The epithalamion tradition dates to ancient Greece and Rome where elaborate odes accompanied wedding processions with mythological references and cosmic symbolism. Edmund Spenser's "Epithalamion" remains the most elaborate English example, using complex stanza forms and astronomical imagery. Modern wedding odes tend toward simpler celebration but maintain commemorative function. When writing wedding odes, consider audience (couple, guests, or posterity), tone (solemn blessing versus joyful celebration), and whether to follow classical conventions or innovate. Historical examples often included wishes for fertility; contemporary versions adapt to current values while maintaining celebratory spirit.