# Describe a wedding you have been to: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Events

Describe a wedding you have been to.

You should say:
- whose wedding it was
- when and where it took place
- what happened at the wedding
- and explain how you felt about it

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

The wedding I want to talk about is my cousin Priya's wedding, which took place last spring in my grandparents' village, about four hours' drive from the city where I live. Priya is a few years older than me and we grew up together, so it was a really big deal for our whole family.

Actually, the wedding wasn't just one day, it lasted three days. On the first day there was a ceremony at the bride's house where women put henna on Priya's hands and feet, and everyone were singing and dancing until late at night. The second day was the main ceremony. The groom arrived with his family and friends, there was a lot of music and drums, and then the couple did the religious rituals in front of a priest, which took about two hours. And then on the third day there was a huge lunch for the whole village, I think more than five hundred people came.

My job was to help welcome the guests and make sure the older relatives had a seat and something to drink, so I was running around all the time. It was tiring, but I didn't mind at all.

How did I feel about it? Well, mostly I felt really happy, because I could see Priya was very happy, and also I met relatives who I hadn't seen since years. But I also felt a bit emotional at the end, when she left with her husband's family, because I realised things would be different now. Anyway, it was one of the best family events I've ever been to, and I still look at the photos quite often.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer speaks at length and gives a clear day-by-day account, with relevant cultural detail such as the henna ceremony and the village lunch. Phrases like "a really big deal" and "running around all the time" sound natural. Linking is sometimes basic ("and then" twice, "and also"), and some errors persist: "who I hadn't seen since years" (rather than "for years") and "everyone were singing" (rather than "everyone was"). For Band 8, the speaker would use more vivid, precise vocabulary for the atmosphere and emotions, and vary sentence openings more.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-wedding-you-went-to).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.