The Spanish word 'boda' (meaning 'wedding') comes from the Latin word 'vota', which was the plural form of 'votum' meaning 'vow' or 'promise'. The evolution from Latin 'vota' to Spanish 'boda' involved the common sound change where the Latin 'v' became 'b' in Spanish, and the final '-ta' shifted to '-da'. This etymology makes intuitive sense since a wedding ceremony is fundamentally about the exchange of vows or promises between two people.

A related Spanish word is 'voto' (meaning 'vote' or 'vow'), which comes from the same Latin root 'votum'. While 'boda' specifically evolved to refer to the wedding ceremony, 'voto' retained the more general meaning of a formal expression of promise or choice.

The English word 'vote' is also related, coming from the same Latin root 'votum'. While 'vote' now primarily means to express a choice or opinion in an election, it shares the original concept of making a formal declaration or promise. The English word 'vow', which is especially common in the context of wedding vows, is another relative that preserves the original meaning of the Latin 'votum' even more directly.