noun
private wedding ceremony
Historical term for a small, family-only wedding, often contrasted with a public or large-scale ceremony. Rare in modern usage; now mostly encountered in historical or period contexts.
江戸時代には、内祝言は親族だけで行われることが多かった。
In the Edo period, private wedding ceremonies were often held with only family members.
Compound of 内 (private, inside) and 祝言 (celebration, wedding). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term reflects a traditional distinction between private family ceremonies and public celebrations.