🇮🇳 India
The sangeet is a night of music and dance by both families, and the baraat is led by a dhol drummer and dancing relatives. In Punjab, the bhangra and giddha are danced at weddings by men and women.
Sangeet, being writtenWedding music and the dance floor: compared across 16 places
The same wedding idea in 16 places, grouped by region. Each entry is a short portrait; follow the link for the full tradition.
South Asia 2Southeast Asia 2East Asia 1Central Asia and the Caucasus 2Middle East 2North Africa 1Sub-Saharan Africa 1Europe 2North America 1Latin America and the Caribbean 1Oceania 1
South Asia
🇵🇰 Pakistan
The dholki is a night of singing and drumming with women of the family, held for several evenings before the wedding. Wedding songs, such as the folk songs for the bride's farewell, are sung with a hand drum.
Dholki, being writtenSoutheast Asia
🇮🇩 Indonesia
In Javanese weddings the gamelan orchestra plays and the couple may be accompanied by classical dancers. Other regions have their own, such as the Minang dances and the Batak gondang.
Gamelan, being written🇹🇭 Thailand
A Thai wedding procession, the khan maak, includes the groom's party dancing and drumming through the street to the bride's house, where gates are held by friends of the bride. A band or a traditional music group plays.
Culture of Thailand, being writtenEast Asia
🇨🇳 China
Lion dances and firecrackers bless many weddings in southern China and in Chinese communities abroad, and the suona horn and drums lead processions in northern villages. Modern ceremonies add a stage and music.
Suona, being writtenCentral Asia and the Caucasus
🇬🇪 Georgia
The Georgian wedding includes polyphonic singing, such as the Mravalzhamier, a song of long life, and men dance the Khorumi and Kartuli. The tamada leads the music with toasts.
Read: Kartuli🇦🇲 Armenia
Guests dance the kochari, a line dance with linked hands, and the shalakho, a men's dance from the Caucasus. The dances run through the night to the sound of the duduk and the dhol.
Kochari, being writtenMiddle East
🇮🇱 Israel and Jewish communities
The hora, a circle dance, is danced around the couple, who are lifted on chairs while holding a handkerchief between them. In many communities men and women dance separately.
Hora, being written🇱🇧 Lebanon
The dabke, a line dance with stamping steps, is danced at weddings, with a leader who twirls a string of beads. The zaffe leads the couple with drums and singers.
Read: DabkeNorth Africa
🇲🇦 Morocco
Berber communities dance the ahidous in the Middle Atlas, a line of men and women moving to drums and a poet's verse. In cities, bands and troupes play chaabi music.
Read: AhidusSub-Saharan Africa
🇸🇳 Senegal
The sabar, a drum event with griot singers, is danced by women at weddings in a lively style, and the drumming is loud. Griots may sing the praises of the families.
Read: SabarEurope
🇬🇷 Greece
Guests dance the kalamatianos and the syrtos in circles, holding hands, and the couple lead the first dance. Money is pinned on the dancers, and plates may be thrown in some places, though many venues ban the practice.
Read: Kalamatianos🇵🇱 Poland
The polonaise opens the ball, and the oczepiny later in the night includes games and the wedding bread. Guests sing "Sto lat", a wish of a hundred years.
Read: Sto latNorth America
🇺🇸 United States
The first dance is followed by the dance of the bride with her father and the groom with his mother, then the dollar dance, in some communities, in which guests pay to dance with the bride. Line dances such as the Electric Slide are favourites.
First dance, being writtenLatin America and the Caribbean
🇨🇴 Colombia
Weddings in the Caribbean coast region bring out cumbia and vallenato, with accordion, drums and gaita flutes. Guests dance until dawn, and the party may continue the next day.
Cumbia, being writtenOceania
🇼🇸 Samoa
Samoan weddings include the siva, a graceful dance, performed by the couple and the families in turn, with fine mats and money presented. Songs and dance are central to family gatherings.
Culture of Samoa, being writtenAbout this page
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.