🇺🇸 Wedding traditions of the United States
96 traditions from the United States, best known first, across 29 cities and towns.
Marriage in the United States is a legal contract regulated by individual states rather than federal law. Couples typically choose between civil ceremonies and religious rites, with customs varying widely across different cultural communities. The institution has evolved significantly through legal changes regarding age, interracial unions, and same-sex partnerships.
In the United States, marriage is primarily a legal status defined by state statutes rather than a single national code. Couples may marry in civil settings or through religious institutions, depending on personal preference and community tradition. The practice reflects a diverse population where customs from many backgrounds coexist within a framework of individual rights and local regulations.
A typical wedding
Most couples begin by selecting an officiant who can legally solemnize their union. This person might be a judge, a clergy member, or an ordained minister. Many people also hold engagement parties before the main event. The ceremony itself often includes vows, ring exchanges, and readings chosen by the couple. Reception traditions vary greatly. Some gatherings feature formal dinners and dancing, while others are more casual. Food choices range from buffet styles to plated meals. Entertainment often includes live bands or DJs. Guests usually attend in semi-formal attire unless specified otherwise. The celebration serves as a public declaration of the partnership.
Law and registration
Each state sets its own rules for who may marry and at what age. Generally, individuals must be eighteen years old to marry without parental consent. Nebraska requires partners to be nineteen, while Mississippi sets the age at twenty-one. Puerto Rico also mandates that partners be twenty-one. Some states allow minors to marry with judicial or parental approval. The Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional. Alabama removed such language from its constitution in 2000. Same-sex marriage became legal nationwide in 2015 following a Supreme Court decision. Divorce laws vary by state and handle property division and child custody.
Wedding season
There is no single official wedding season across the country due to its geographic size. However, late spring through early autumn sees the highest number of ceremonies. This period offers favorable weather in most regions. September and October are particularly popular months. Winter weddings occur but are less common outside of resort areas. Some families avoid certain times of year for religious reasons or holiday conflicts. Urban centers see events throughout the year regardless of season. Couples often book venues one to two years in advance during peak times.
Gifts and money
Guests typically provide gifts from a registry created by the couple. These registries list items the couple needs for their new home. Cash gifts are also common and often given in envelopes at the reception. Some guests contribute to honeymoon funds or charitable donations instead. The couple usually pays for the majority of the wedding costs themselves. In some traditional families, the bride's family might cover specific expenses like the reception venue. Modern trends show couples paying for more elements of their own celebrations. Gifts are opened privately or not at all in favor of direct contributions.
Communities
American weddings reflect the nation's diverse cultural heritage. Jewish ceremonies often include breaking a glass underfoot. Christian services frequently take place in churches with hymns and sermons. Muslim weddings involve a contract signing and separate gatherings for men and women. Hindu ceremonies may last several days and include rituals around a sacred fire. Indigenous communities incorporate traditional songs, dances, and clothing. Latino weddings often feature large family involvement and lively music. Each group maintains distinct customs while participating in the broader legal framework of the country.
The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Marriage in the United States", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. EveryShaadi rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
A wedding in the United States, stage by stage
The customs written up so far, in the order a wedding unfolds.
Cities, towns and villages of the United States
🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreNikahnikāḥ (Arabic: نِكَاح)
The Islamic marriage contract that establishes a binding union between two people.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreBlessing ceremony of the Unification ChurchHoly Marriage Blessing Ceremony (축복결혼식)
A large-scale marriage rededication or new union ceremony that engrafts couples into a sinless lineage.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesSlave marriages in the United States
The unions formed by enslaved African Americans before and after the abolition of slavery in the US.Rite · The ceremony
🇰🇷 Seoul, South Korea and 3 moreBlessing ceremony
The large-scale marriage rite of the Unification Church where couples are matched and blessed by their leaders.Rite · The ceremony
🇸🇬 Singapore and 3 moreMatchmaking
The practice of pairing two people for marriage through an intermediary or system.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreGroomsman
A male attendant who supports the groom and assists guests at a wedding.Family role · Finding a match
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreQuaker wedding
A silent ceremony where Friends witness each other's vows without clergy or rigid rituals.Rite · The weeks before
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 5 moreInterfaith marriage in Judaismשִׁדּוּג חַלּוּץ (Shidug Chalutz) / אינטרפייט מריאז' (Interafeyt Mariyaz')
The union of a Jew and a non-Jew, viewed as void by traditional law but increasingly common in modern communities.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 4 moreAgunahעֲגוּנָה (Agunah)
A Jewish woman trapped in a marriage because her husband has not granted a religious divorce document known as a get.Vow · After the wedding
🇺🇸 Pittsburgh, United States and 1 moreCookie table
A display of assorted homemade cookies served alongside the wedding cake at a reception.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBridal shower
A pre-wedding gift-giving party hosted for the bride by her friends and family.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 Hawaii, United StatesCommon-law marriage in the United States
A legal union formed by mutual consent and public presentation without a license or ceremony.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 Las Vegas, United States and 5 moreBachelor party
A final celebration for the groom before his wedding, with names and customs varying by region.Feast custom · The weeks before
🇺🇸 United StatesRehearsal dinner
A pre-wedding meal held after the final practice to thank the wedding partyFeast custom · The weeks before
🇺🇸 New York, United States and 5 moreInterracial marriage
A union between spouses of different races or racialized ethnicities, now legal in most nations.Modern
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreBadchenבּדחן (badkhn)
The Ashkenazi Jewish wedding entertainer and master of ceremonies who guides the couple through ritual stages with song Performance · Engagement and betrothal
🇫🇮 Finland and 5 moreBanns of marriagekuulutukset avioliittoon (Finnish)
The public announcement of an impending marriage in church or town hall to allow for legal objections.Vow · The weeks before
🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreMoney dance
A reception ritual where guests give cash to the couple while dancing or showering them with notes.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreProxy marriage
A union where one or both partners are absent and represented by another person.Vow · The ceremony
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 2 moreJewish prenuptial agreement
A contract signed before the wedding to ensure a Jewish divorce can happen if one spouse refuses.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreJumping the broom
A wedding ritual where a couple leaps over a broom to mark their unionRite · The ceremony
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreMarriage bond
A financial guarantee posted to prove a couple was legally free to marry before the ceremony took place.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBridesmaid
A female attendant who supports the bride during a Western wedding ceremony.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇨🇳 China and 5 morePosthumous marriageminghun
A union performed when one or both partners have died, kept in parts of Asia and permitted by law in a few nations.Betrothal · After the wedding
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreSealing (Mormonism)
A temple ritual that binds couples and families together for eternity.Rite · The ceremony
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreInterfaith marriage
A union between spouses of different faiths, navigating legal and religious boundaries across the world.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreLavender marriage
A heterosexual union formed to hide the queer identity of one or both partners and protect a public career.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇧🇹 Bhutan and 5 moreSororate marriage
A practice where a man marries his late or infertile wife's sister to keep family ties strong.Family role · After the wedding
🇳🇱 Amsterdam, Netherlands and 5 moreSame-sex marriage
The legal union of two people of the same sex or gender, recognized in dozens of countries.Modern · Engagement and betrothal
🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreMystery of Crowning
The crowning ritual in Eastern Christian weddings that marks the couple as king and queen.Rite · The ceremony
🇺🇸 United StatesCovenant marriage
A stricter legal marriage contract in three US states that limits divorce grounds and requires counseling.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreCommon-law marriage
A union recognized by law because a couple lives together as spouses, without a formal ceremony or license.Vow · After the wedding
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 morePicture brideNakōdo (仲人) matchmaking; Jungmae gyeolhon (결혼) process
Early twentieth century marriages arranged through photographs between Asian immigrant men and women in Hawaii and the UBetrothal · Finding a match
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreLieberman clause
A ketubah provision for rabbinic arbitration to prevent a woman from being unable to remarry.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreHope chest
A wooden chest where a bride collects linens and gifts before her wedding.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 1 morePostnuptial agreement
A contract signed after marriage to plan for divorce or death.Vow · After the wedding
🇦🇺 Australia and 4 moreMeat raffle
A pub tradition where tickets are sold for a chance to win meat prizes for local teams or charity.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 morePrenuptial agreement
A written contract signed before marriage to define property rights and financial outcomes.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreDashiki suit
The tailored tunic and trousers worn by grooms in West African and diaspora weddingsAttire · The ceremony
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesSame-sex marriage in tribal nations
Legal recognition of same-sex unions within the sovereign jurisdictions of Native American tribes in the United States.Modern · Engagement and betrothal
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Slave marriages in the United States: An 1899 illustration of a broomstick wedding. Schomburg Center for Res, Public domain, source
- Sealing (Mormonism): NewNameNoah, CC BY 4.0, source
- Dashiki suit: Emilio Labrador, CC BY 2.0, source
- Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
- Groomsman: Jenny Mealing, CC BY 2.0, source
- Interfaith marriage in Judaism: Rembrandt, Public domain, source
- Cookie table: Chris Winters, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Lavender marriage: Katharine Cornell and the Playwrights' Company; Vandamm Studio, photog, Public domain, source
- Bachelor party: Derek Springer, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Same-sex marriage: Stefano Bolognini, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Interracial marriage: Xavier Lejeune, CC BY 4.0, source
- Badchen: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Banns of marriage: After William Hemsley, CC0, source
- Prenuptial agreement: Jan Josef Horemans the Younger, Public domain, source
- Jumping the broom: credited only as "Hipstamatic shots, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Marriage bond: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Nikah: عامر شاہین, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bridal shower: The McClouds, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bridesmaid: Photographer not credited; relative or work for hire of relative., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Matchmaking: Pavel Fedotov, Public domain, source
- Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Mystery of Crowning: Shakko, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Blessing ceremony: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Meat raffle: ef80, CC0, source
- Proxy marriage: Alejandro Cicarelli, Public domain, source
- Hope chest: Poul Friis Nybo, Public domain, source