The same wedding idea in 15 places, grouped by region. Each entry is a short portrait; follow the link for the full tradition.
In many North Indian communities the bride's face is covered by the ghunghat or an odhni, and the groom wears a sehra of flowers or pearls over his face that is removed before the ceremony. The sehra is a blessing and a defence against the evil eye.
Read: SehraThe bride's face is covered by a dupatta, and the couple are shown a mirror under a shawl in the rite of arsi mushaf. The Quran is placed before them as a blessing.
Arsi Mushaf, being writtenIn the Thai Buddhist rite, the couple's heads are joined by the mongkhon, a pair of linked cords, and water is poured over their hands from a conch shell. It is blessed by monks and elders.
Sai Monkhon, being writtenThe Han bride wore a red cloth, the hong gaitou, over her head to the groom's house, where the groom lifts it with a rod or a fan. The phoenix crown and a red veil are now used mostly as costume.
Chinese marriage, being writtenThe shiromuku bride wears the wataboshi, a large white hood, or the tsunokakushi, which hides the "horns". The reason given is to hide jealousy and to show humility before her new family.
Read: TsunokakushiIn an Orthodox wedding the priest places crowns on the heads of the bride and groom and exchanges them three times. In the Svan highlands, brides wear a heavy decorated headdress.
Stefana, being writtenAt the bedeken the groom lowers the veil over the bride's face, and after the ceremony the couple are alone in the yichud room. Ashkenazi and Sephardi families keep different customs.
Bedeken, being writtenThe bride and groom sit at the sofreh aghd, a spread with mirror, candlesticks and bread. A scarf or cloth of silk is held over their heads while two sugar loaves are ground together to sweeten their life.
Read: Iranian weddingThe bride's head and face may be decorated with a jewelled headpiece and a silk scarf, with the Jewish community of Djerba and the Muslim community both keeping local styles. Henna and gold jewellery are central.
Henna night, being writtenOrthodox Christian brides wear a white netela shawl with woven borders, and the couple may be crowned with a cloth cross. Rural communities hold feasts that last several days.
Habesha kemis, being writtenThe priest crowns the couple with stefana, linked by a ribbon, and the koumbaros exchanges the crowns three times. The crowns are kept at home after the wedding.
Stefana, being writtenTraditional brides wore a wreath, and at the oczepiny the veil or wreath is exchanged for a married woman's cap at midnight. The ritual is now a game with the unmarried guests.
Oczepiny, being writtenThe white veil is lifted by the groom at the kiss, and many brides wear a mantilla, a Spanish lace veil. In Amish and Mennonite communities a prayer cap is worn.
Bridal veil, being writtenMany brides wear a mantilla or a long veil, and the Catholic ceremony includes the arras coins and a ritual cord. Regional folk weddings add straw hats and decorated horses.
Read: MantillaThe iTaukei bride may be wrapped in a masi bark cloth, and flower garlands, salusalu, are placed on the couple. Indo-Fijian brides wear a veil and a dupatta.
Masi, 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.