peigmees

Peigmees is an Estonian word meaning groom; it refers to the male partner in a marriage, typically the fiancé before the wedding and the husband after the ceremony. In contemporary usage, peigmees is used to describe the groom in both civil and religious weddings; the term is common in newspapers, wedding announcements, and everyday speech about ceremonies. The corresponding term for the bride is pruut.

In wedding ceremonies, the peigmees plays a central role alongside the bride, participating in vows, the signing of marriage registers, and various processional and celebratory elements. The exact duties can vary by region, family tradition, or the formality of the event; some weddings include specific traditions for the peigmees, such as participating in introductory rites or formal greetings to guests.

Peigmees is a native Estonian term, formed to denote the groom. It contrasts with pruut (the bride) and pulmad (the wedding) in vocabulary; the concept is common across Estonian weddings, from urban civil ceremonies to traditional rural rites.