The same wedding idea in 16 places, grouped by region. Each entry is a short portrait; follow the link for the full tradition.
Samuhik vivah, community mass weddings, are organised by temples, trusts and state governments, often around Akshaya Tritiya, with dozens or hundreds of couples marrying in one ceremony. Some state schemes give gifts of household goods or financial help to poor families.
Mass wedding, being writtenCharities and religious organisations hold mass weddings for orphans and poor families, with a shared nikah, a meal and household goods as gifts. They are widely praised as a way to avoid debt and dowry demands.
Mass wedding, being writtenLocal governments hold kasalang bayan, mass civil weddings, often around Valentine's Day, with dozens of couples and free licences and a shared feast. They give a legal wedding to couples who have lived together for years.
Mass wedding, being writtenThe Unification Church holds blessing ceremonies, in some years for thousands of couples at once, which are controversial. Most Korean couples choose a short hall wedding of about an hour, with a photo session.
Unification Church mass wedding, being writtenMany couples marry in Hawaii or Guam in a small resort chapel, a trend from the 1990s, or in a hotel chapel at home. The legal act is the registration of the form at the city office.
Marriage in Japan, being writtenIn Soviet times the registry-office wedding in a palace of weddings was the standard civil rite, followed by a feast and often a church blessing later. Today civil registration is required before a church ceremony in many former Soviet states.
Civil registration, being writtenCharities and governments have held group weddings for men who could not afford a big party, with several couples marrying in a single hall and sharing a meal. They are encouraged as an answer to the rising cost of weddings.
Mass wedding, being writtenCyprus, with its civil weddings in Larnaca, Paphos and Ayia Napa, has become a major wedding destination, especially for couples from Israel and Lebanon, where civil marriage is not available or is limited. The paperwork is quick and the weather is good.
Read: Marriage in CyprusCharities and mosques organise group weddings, fully equipped with furniture and appliances, for young couples from poor homes. Many couples then hold a small celebration in the street.
Mass wedding, being writtenMany Nigerian couples marry at the registry, in a court wedding, before a larger traditional and church wedding, and sometimes the court ceremony is the only legal one. Friends and family join for a short event and a meal.
Marriage in Nigeria, being writtenAt Gretna Green, the anvil weddings began in 1754, when Scottish law let couples marry without parents or banns, and the blacksmith became the priest. It is still a popular wedding place today, with thousands of weddings a year.
Gretna Green, being writtenCopenhagen's city hall offers a simple, quick civil wedding for foreign couples, with paperwork rules that suit those who cannot marry at home, and it has a wedding tourism business. Couples must book and bring the correct documents.
Culture of Denmark, being writtenLas Vegas, which sells licences around the clock, is famous for drive-through chapels and Elvis impersonators, and holds tens of thousands of weddings a year. Courthouse weddings and elopement packages in national parks are also popular.
Las Vegas wedding, being writtenBeach and resort weddings in Cancun, Tulum and Los Cabos are a large industry, and many couples marry civilly at home first to be sure of legal recognition. Packages include a ceremony, flowers and a mariachi band.
Destination wedding, being writtenResorts in Jamaica, the Bahamas and Saint Lucia offer beach weddings with simple residency rules for visitors, and honeymoons are bundled with the wedding. Local officiants and choirs often join in.
Destination wedding, being writtenFiji and the Cook Islands are popular for small wedding trips, with chapels, beaches and a Pacific blessing from a local choir. Visitors usually need paperwork in advance, so check current rules.
Destination wedding, being writtenWritten 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.
Every week: one wedding tradition from somewhere new, the wedding days coming up around the world, and one idea explained.