Buddhist wedding traditions: rites and customs

Buddhism does not treat marriage as a sacrament, and the Buddha did not prescribe a wedding rite. Monks do not usually conduct the legal marriage. Even so, Buddhist families across Asia bring monks and blessings into the day, and each country has its own form shaped by local custom.

Blessings, not a sacrament

In Thailand and Cambodia, monks chant paritta verses and accept alms, and the couple pour water on the ground or on a monk's hand to share merit. The sai monkhon, a sacred thread, is draped over the couple's heads or tied around their wrists. In Sri Lanka the poruwa ceremony has the couple stand on a decorated platform and the groom's little finger is tied to the bride's with thread. In Myanmar, couples may be blessed by monks and a family elder.

Tibetan, Japanese and other forms

In Tibetan weddings guests give white scarves called khatas, and the chang barley beer is offered. In Bhutan the marriage may be agreed with little ceremony, with a blessing from a lama. In Japan most weddings are Shinto or Christian in style, though a Buddhist form exists with prayers before the altar and the rubbing of prayer beads. In Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan Buddhist blessings may be added to local custom.

Local and modern

Because Buddhism adapts to local culture, a Buddhist wedding is often as much Thai, Sri Lankan or Tibetan as it is Buddhist. In many places couples marry by law first and then visit a temple for a blessing. Monks may avoid being present at the vows and attend only the blessing, and some orders have their own rules, so practices should be learned from the community concerned.

About this page

Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Buddhist (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Ihi: Dirghaman Chitrakar, Public domain, source

Poruwa ceremony: A Derivative Work by MediaJet ,, CC BY 2.0, source

Baci: Dalbera, CC BY 2.0, source

Sherpa marriage: Dirk Pons, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Marriage in Myanmar: Thant Zin Myint, CC BY-SA 2.0, source

Mandapa: Rajendran Ganesan, CC BY 2.0, source

Traditional Vietnamese wedding: Gabrielle M. Vassal, Public domain, source

Collective wedding: Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Pará, Public domain, source

Khata: Wiki-uk, CC BY 3.0, source