Wedding traditions of Johannesburg
A meeting of Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana and Indian traditions, with lobola, traditional dress and white weddings.
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and home to many weddings that mix customs. Families hold the lobola negotiation, the traditional wedding and often a white wedding in a church or a venue. South Africa is the only African country where same-sex marriage is legal, under the Civil Union Act of 2006.
A wedding here
The two families send negotiators for lobola, a bride price that is traditionally cattle and now usually money. The bride wears traditional dress with beadwork and her family sings and dances. A civil marriage is signed before an officer, and a long reception follows.
Law and change
Customary marriages are recognised by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act of 1998 with a minimum age of 18. Ukuthwala, a practice of abduction, is illegal when used to force a girl into marriage.
Wedding customs of Johannesburg
Also part of it, and being written: Lobola (The bride price.), Umembeso (The Zulu gift ceremony.), Ukuthwala (The contested practice.).
Communities and their weddings in Johannesburg
- Zulu families The lobola and the umembeso.
- Tswana families The patlo.
- Indian South African families Hindu, Tamil and Muslim traditions.
A wedding trail idea for Johannesburg
- Soweto A township with churches and venues.
- Constitution Hill A civic venue where couples marry.
- Johannesburg Botanical Garden A garden used for weddings.
- Bruma Lake A lakeside market.
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.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Same-sex marriage in South Africa: Nerd271, CC BY-SA 4.0, source