The wedding procession and the arrival

Announcing the day

A wedding procession tells the community that a marriage is being made, and invites the neighbours to share the noise and the joy. Drums, pipes, trumpets, firecrackers and singing carry through the streets. Many cultures decorate the vehicle, the horse or the road. Neighbours may line the street, throw petals, or tie ribbons to cars.

The meeting at the gate

Often the procession meets a barrier. In Indian weddings, the groom's baraat is greeted at the bride's door with a milni, the meeting of the two families' elders, and with playful demands from the bride's sisters. In Indonesian Betawi weddings, the groom's party performs a mock fight and an exchange of rhymed verses at the palang pintu. In China, the bridesmaids block the door and ask for red packets and answers to riddles. These games are signs that the bride is valued, and a way to relax two families who have not yet met.

Who walks, who rides

The groom may ride a horse (India, Pakistan), a decorated car, a boat or on foot. The bride may be carried (the amariya of Morocco), walk with her father (the Western aisle), arrive with her mother, or wait inside. Zaffe, the Arab wedding procession of drums and dancers, leads the couple into the hall in Egypt, Lebanon and across the region. Brides in some regions are accompanied by a female relative who carries the dowry, or by children carrying flowers.

How it is changing

Traffic, noise rules and cost have shortened or changed many processions: a baraat may be allowed only for an hour, or a horse replaced by a car. Mega-venues sometimes recreate the street procession inside the hall, with a stage. Concern for animal welfare has led some cities to restrict the use of horses or elephants. Couples increasingly plan their own entrance, to a chosen song, whatever the older customs say.

The wedding procession and the arrival around the world

Compare all 16 places

Traditions to start with

BaraatThe groom's wedding procession.Hausa traditional marriageThe Moroccan bridal chair.Palang pintuThe Betawi gate game.

Also part of it, and being written: Zaffe (The Arab wedding entrance.), Powhiri (The Maori welcome.), Wedding march (Music for the procession.), Sedan chair (A carried seat.), Callejoneada (The Mexican street procession.).

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