Wedding traditions of Bethlehem
A city with a Christian community that married in elaborate embroidered dresses and a tall headdress.
Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus in Christian tradition and a city with Christian and Muslim families. The couched embroidery of its bridal dress, with gold thread on velvet, and the tall shatweh headdress are among its crafts. Church weddings take place in Latin, Greek Orthodox and Armenian rites.
A wedding here
In older tradition the bride wore a gold-couched jacket and a coin-adorned cap. Today many brides wear a white dress with embroidery for the henna night. The church ceremony is followed by a procession, a reception and the meal.
Where weddings happen
Couples marry in churches near Manger Square and celebrate in halls in Beit Jala and Beit Sahour. Visitors sometimes see couples being photographed near the Church of the Nativity.
Wedding customs of Bethlehem
Also part of it, and being written: Bethlehem (The city and its customs.), Tatreez (Palestinian embroidery.), Zaffe (The procession.).
A wedding trail idea for Bethlehem
- Church of the Nativity The ancient church.
- Manger Square The square before the church.
- Star Street The old way into the city.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, venues and wedding-season dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Dabke: Sarah Canbel, CC BY-SA 4.0, source