What is a bride price or wedding gift between families?

This entry describes a bride price, and a gift from the bride's family, as transfers of money or goods between the two families around a marriage, often before the wedding day. It lists what a couple usually needs to name: who receives the transfer, whether it stays with the new household, and what each side thinks it means.

What this entry does not do

It does not say a couple must pay or refuse a bride price, and it does not replace the entry on who pays for the wedding.