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EveryShaadi

Music, dance and procession

The band, the drum, the first dance, the baraat and the dance that ends the night.

A wedding without music is rare. The band at the gate, the drum on the road, the first dance, the choir in the church and the dance that goes on past midnight are all part of how a community says that this is a joyful day. Music also tells guests what to do: stand, walk, clap, throw money or join the circle.

Procession and call

North Indian weddings are led by the baraat band with dhol drummers and a brass ensemble, and the groom may arrive on a mare. In Ghana and Nigeria, drummers and singers precede the groom's family. In Greece the daouli and zurna lead the groom's party, and in Turkey the davul and zurna play through the streets. In Egypt and the Levant a zaffe, a theatrical entrance of drummers, dancers and sometimes a sword bearer, brings the couple into the hall.

Dances with meaning

The Jewish hora lifts the couple on chairs. The Greek kalamatianos and the Georgian kartuli are circle dances where family join hands. In Poland the oczepiny, the capping of the bride, is followed by dancing and games. In the Philippines the money dance, and in Poland and the Polish diaspora the dollar dance, bring cash to the couple. In Scotland the ceilidh is danced by all ages, and in Ireland the reel and the jig do the same.

What is changing

Playlists have replaced many live bands, though live music is still prized. Couples choose a first-dance song, and some arrange choreographed routines that go viral. Devout communities sometimes restrict music or use only voices and drums, and these choices are respected as part of the tradition.

About this page

Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Music, dance and procession (kind of custom). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
StageFinding a matchEngagement and betrothalThe weeks beforeThe eveProcession and arrivalThe ceremonyThe wedding feastReception, dance and giftsAfter the wedding
🇮🇩 Jakarta, IndonesiaPalang pintu The martial arts and poetry test that allows the groom to enter the bride's home in Betawi weddings.Rite · The weeks before 🇰🇭 Cambodia and 4 moreRomvongរាំវង់ (Khmer) A circular folk dance across Southeast Asia where couples hold hands and step in time with drums.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts 🇵🇭 Cebu, PhilippinesCourtship in the Philippines A traditional Filipino courtship marked by serenade, service, and family involvement.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇵🇭 Cebu, PhilippinesHarana A traditional Filipino courtship serenade where a suitor sings beneath a woman's window at night.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 4 morePantunڤنتون A Malayic oral poetry form used in wedding greetings and daily communication to express ideas through rhyme.Performance · Engagement and betrothal 🇻🇳 Hội An, VietnamBài Chòi A sung card game played in huts during Vietnamese New Year festivalsPerformance · The weeks before

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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