Glossary
249 words of the wedding explained in plain language: mehndi, nikah, mahr, ketubah, chuppah, baraat, lobola and more.
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A
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wedding ceremony
- A wedding in Australia that includes First Nations elements such as a smoking ceremony or a welcome to Country, as chosen by the couple and their Elders.
- Achu michu
- The Parsi welcome at the door, in which a mother waves a tray of coconut, rice and rose water over the couple.
- Adat
- Customary law and ceremony of Indonesia and Malaysia, which governs how a wedding is made.
- Aghd
- The Persian marriage ceremony, when the couple's consent is asked and the contract is signed.
- Agni
- The sacred fire that serves as witness to a Hindu wedding.
- Aiburo bhaat
- The Bengali last meal of the unmarried bride or groom, served by the family.
- Aina Mushaf
- The Afghan wedding rite in which the couple look into a mirror under a shawl, with a Quran.
- Ala kachuu
- The Kyrgyz practice of seizing a woman to marry her, often without consent, which is a crime.
- An chuang
- The Chinese rite of preparing the marriage bed, with children rolling on it for luck.
- Anand Karaj
- The Sikh wedding ceremony, held before the Guru Granth Sahib.
- Andean wedding
- Weddings of the Quechua and Aymara of the Andes, with offerings to Pachamama, and in some communities an engagement time called watanakuy.
- Ao dai
- The long, slim tunic worn over trousers by Vietnamese brides, often red or embroidered.
- Argentine wedding
- An Argentine wedding with a civil ceremony, a late dinner and a long dance party, with a box of costumes called the carioca.
- Arras
- Thirteen coins given by the groom to the bride in the Catholic wedding of Spain and Latin America.
- Ashtaka
- The eight verses of blessing recited at a Sinhalese wedding.
- Aso ebi
- Matching cloth chosen by a host family for guests to wear at a Nigerian wedding.
- Aufruf
- The calling up of the groom to the Torah on the Sabbath before the wedding.
B
- Badeken
- The Jewish custom in which the groom lowers the veil over the bride's face just before the ceremony.
- Baleh boran
- The Persian engagement in which the families say yes, with sweets and flowers.
- Banns
- A public announcement in church on three Sundays of an intended marriage, so that anyone who knows an objection can speak.
- Baraat
- The groom's wedding procession, with drums, dancing and often a white horse.
- Bersanding
- The Malay moment of sitting in state, when the couple are enthroned as king and queen for a day.
- Best man
- The groom's chief supporter, who looks after the rings, gives a speech and often organises the stag party.
- Betashar
- The Kazakh and Kyrgyz song in which the bride's face is unveiled before the groom's family.
- Betrothal
- A formal promise to marry, with its own ceremony and gifts in many cultures.
- Bindalli
- The heavy red velvet gown, embroidered in gold, that a Turkish bride wears for the henna night.
- Bogadi
- The Tswana and Sotho bridewealth, once paid in cattle, which links the two families.
- Bouquet toss
- The bride throws her bouquet to the unmarried women, and the one who catches it is said to marry next.
- Brautentfuhrung
- A German prank in which friends spirit away the bride after the wedding and the groom must find her and pay the bill.
- Brazilian wedding
- A Brazilian wedding with madrinhas and padrinhos, a late ceremony, and bem-casados sweets given to guests.
- Bridal shower
- A party where friends and family give gifts to the bride-to-be, held in the weeks before the wedding.
- Bride price
- Gifts or payments from the groom or his family to the bride's family, a practice in many cultures with a contested meaning.
- Bridesmaid
- A woman or girl who attends the bride at the wedding, often in matching dress.
- Brudekrone
- The Scandinavian bridal crown, often silver, once lent by a church or a village and worn with folk dress.
- Bunad
- The Norwegian regional costume, often worn by brides, grooms and guests at weddings.
- Busta
- The envelope of money that Italian wedding guests give the couple instead of a gift list.
C
- Caribbean wedding
- The Caribbean wedding, a long celebration with rum cake, a church service and a family feast, shaped by African, European and Indian roots.
- Ceilidh
- A Scottish or Irish social evening of country dancing, a common way to end a wedding.
- Charivari
- A noisy mock serenade with pots, pans and bells aimed at newlyweds, once used to shame unpopular marriages.
- Chinese pre-wedding customs
- The Chinese betrothal gifts sent by the groom's family before the wedding.
- Chleb i sol
- The Polish greeting in which parents welcome the newlyweds with bread and salt at the door of the reception.
- Chooda
- The red and ivory (now often white) bangles a Punjabi bride wears for the first months of marriage.
- Chuang men
- The games the bridesmaids make the groom play at the door before he can see the bride.
- Chuppah
- The canopy under which a Jewish couple are married, a symbol of the home they will build.
- Cinta pull
- A cake custom in Peru and elsewhere in Latin America in which unmarried women pull ribbons from the cake.
- Civil ceremony
- A wedding conducted by a state official, with no religious rite, which in many countries is the only legal marriage.
- Claddagh ring
- An Irish ring of two hands holding a crowned heart, used as a token of love, friendship or marriage.
- Confetti
- Small paper or petal pieces thrown at the couple as they leave the ceremony.
- Confetti (sugared almonds)
- Sugar-coated almonds that Italians give as a favour at weddings, in tulle bags called bomboniere.
- Croquembouche
- A tall cone of cream puffs bound with caramel, the traditional French wedding cake.
- Cuban wedding
- A Cuban wedding, often a civil ceremony at a wedding palace, followed by a party with music and dancing.
- Cununia
- The Romanian church wedding, in which the couple are crowned, and the word for the civil wedding too.
D
- Dabka
- The line dance of the Levant, with stamping feet, danced at weddings in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan.
- Dam ngo
- The Vietnamese first formal visit, in which the groom's family asks the bride's family for the match.
- Danish wedding customs
- Danish weddings known for kissing games, songs, a cut-up sock or tie and a speech-heavy dinner.
- Dawet
- The Kurdish wedding, a days-long feast of dancing, drums and shared food.
- Double happiness
- The red sign made of two joined characters for happiness, put up at every Chinese wedding.
- Dowry
- Money or goods given by the bride's family to the groom or his family at marriage, illegal in many places where it causes harm.
- Dragees
- French sugar-coated almonds given to guests at weddings and baptisms.
- Dugun
- The Turkish wedding celebration, with music, the halay and a gift of gold pinned to the couple.
- Dutch wedding customs
- Dutch weddings, in which the civil ceremony at the town hall is the legal marriage and sugared almonds are shared.
E
- Elopement
- A marriage made in private, without the family or a large wedding, historically in secret and now often by choice.
- Engagement
- The agreed promise to marry, marked by a proposal, a ring and often a party.
F
- Fijian wedding
- A Fijian wedding with kava, whale tooth gifts, mats and a feast, in which two families exchange gifts.
- First dance
- The first dance of the couple at their reception, with guests joining afterwards.
- Fotiha
- The Uzbek and Tajik betrothal in which the families read a blessing and agree the match.
G
- Garter
- A band worn by the bride on her leg, removed by the groom and tossed to the unmarried men.
- Gaye holud
- The Bengali turmeric ceremony the day before the wedding, with gifts of fish and sweets.
- Gerewol
- A Wodaabe courtship festival in Niger and Chad where men dance and are chosen by young women.
- Ghunghat
- The part of the sari or shawl drawn over a bride's head and face.
- Gift registry
- A list of gifts chosen by the couple and shared with guests, or a request for money instead.
- Giving away the bride
- A moment in many Western weddings when a parent walks the bride to the groom and gives her hand.
- Groomsman
- A male friend or relative who stands beside the groom at the wedding.
H
- Halay
- The line or circle dance of Turkish and Kurdish weddings, with linked hands or shoulders.
- Haldi
- A pre-wedding rite in which turmeric paste is rubbed on the bride and groom.
- Ham
- The box of gifts a Korean groom's family sends to the bride's house on the eve of the wedding.
- Hamjinabi
- The friend who carries the wedding box to the bride's house, shouting to sell it.
- Hanbok
- The traditional Korean dress, worn by couples and the two mothers at the wedding.
- Handfasting
- A ceremony in which the couple's hands are bound with a cord or ribbon, now popular in Scotland and elsewhere.
- Hantaran
- The gift trays a Malay groom's family sends to the bride, apart from the mas kahwin.
- Hawaiian lei exchange
- A wedding custom in Hawaii in which the couple place leis of flowers over each other's heads.
- Hen party
- A pre-wedding celebration for the bride and her female friends, mainly in Britain, Ireland and Australia.
- Henna night
- The evening before an Arab, Turkish or Persian wedding when the bride's hands are painted with henna.
- Hmong wedding
- The Hmong wedding, a multi-day affair of two clans, with negotiators, bridewealth and songs.
- Honeymoon
- A holiday taken by the couple just after the wedding.
- Hongbao
- A red envelope with money inside, given at weddings and other lucky occasions.
- Hui men
- The Chinese return visit of the newlyweds to the bride's family, traditionally three days after the wedding.
- Hwarot
- The embroidered ceremonial robe of a Korean bride, with long sleeves.
I
- Ihi
- The Newar rite in which a girl is married to the bel fruit, before she is married to a man.
- Ilobolo
- The Zulu and Xhosa form of bridewealth, negotiated between the two families before the wedding.
- Iranian wedding
- The beautifully laid cloth on which the Persian marriage is made, with mirror, candles and symbolic foods.
- Irish handfast
- An old Irish form of betrothal or trial union, now often a symbolic hand-tying in a wedding.
J
- Jaimala
- The exchange of flower garlands between the bride and groom.
- Jamaican wedding cake
- A dark fruit cake soaked in rum and wine, the traditional wedding cake of Jamaica and much of the Caribbean.
- Jing cha
- The Chinese tea ceremony in which the couple serve tea to elders and receive blessings and red packets.
- Jooto chhupai
- The game in which the bride's sisters steal the groom's shoes and ask a ransom.
- Jumping the broom
- A custom of leaping over a broom, associated with African American weddings and also found in Britain and Roma communities.
- Junggesellenabschied
- The German bachelor or bachelorette party, held before the wedding with friends in costume.
K
- Kalamatiano
- A Greek circle dance in twelve steps, common at weddings, led by one dancer with a handkerchief.
- Kalym
- The bride-price paid by the groom's family in some Turkic and Central Asian communities.
- Kanyadana
- The rite in which the bride's father places her hand in the groom's.
- Kasi yatra
- The mock pilgrimage of the Tamil, Telugu and Kannada groom, stopped by the bride's father.
- Kat sak
- The Khmer rite of symbolically cutting the couple's hair for a fresh start.
- Katb al-kitab
- The Arab signing of the marriage contract, often an event of its own before the wedding party.
- Kavor
- The Armenian best man or wedding sponsor, a role of trust usually kept for life.
- Kebaya
- The fitted blouse and sarong worn by brides and guests in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
- Kelin salom
- The Uzbek ceremony in which the new bride bows to each of her husband's relatives.
- Kente
- Brightly woven strip cloth of the Asante and Ewe of Ghana, worn by couples and families at weddings.
- Ketubah
- The Jewish marriage contract, signed by two witnesses, that sets the husband's obligations to the wife.
- Khan maak
- The Thai groom's procession with trays of gifts, stopped at symbolic gates.
- Khastegari
- The Persian and Afghan formal visit in which the groom's family asks for the bride.
- Khoncha
- The decorated tray of gifts in an Azerbaijani betrothal and wedding.
- Khosk kap
- The Armenian betrothal in which the two families give their word and bind the match.
- Kiddushin
- The first part of a Jewish wedding, in which the groom gives the bride a ring and makes her his wife.
- Kina gecesi
- The Turkish henna night, with songs of farewell sung to the weeping bride.
- Kireogi
- The wooden wild goose, carried at a Korean wedding as a symbol of lifelong fidelity.
- Kitchen party
- A women's party in Southern and East Africa where the bride-to-be is advised and given household gifts.
- Kiz isteme
- The Turkish visit where the groom's family asks for the bride, and the bride serves salty coffee.
- Kolacz
- A round, braided or decorated wedding bread of Poland and Slavic lands.
- Korovai
- A large decorated ceremonial wedding bread of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.
- Koufeta
- Sugared almonds given to guests in Greece and Cyprus, wrapped in groups of odd numbers for luck.
- Koumbaro
- The Greek wedding sponsor who exchanges the crowns and often becomes godparent to the couple's children.
- Kum
- The best man or godfather of Slavic, Romanian and Balkan weddings, a lifelong sponsor of the couple.
- Kundali
- The birth chart that Hindu families compare before agreeing a match.
- Kunshi
- The Hausa custom of decorating the bride's hands and feet with dark henna, in the days before the wedding.
- Kyz uzatu
- The Kazakh and Kyrgyz send-off of the bride at her parents' home.
L
- Laavaan
- The four hymns of the Sikh wedding, read as the couple walk around the scripture.
- Lagan
- The Parsi wedding, and the written list of the guests and ceremonies of a Zoroastrian marriage.
- Laja homa
- The offering of puffed rice into the sacred fire by the bride in a Hindu wedding.
- Lalle
- The Hausa word for henna, and for the henna party held for the bride.
- Le vu quy
- The Vietnamese ceremony at the bride's home before she leaves for her husband's.
- Lenco dos namorados
- An embroidered handkerchief from the Minho region of Portugal, given by a young woman to her sweetheart.
- Lobola
- Gifts, traditionally cattle, passed from the groom's family to the bride's family in Southern Africa.
- Log sawing
- A German and Swiss custom in which the couple saw a log in two together as their first task.
- Love spoon
- A Welsh carved wooden spoon given as a token of affection, and sometimes at engagements and weddings.
M
- Maasai wedding
- The Maasai marriage rites of Kenya and Tanzania, with a blessing from the elders, cattle, beadwork and a procession to the husband's home.
- Magadi
- The Venda and Northern Sotho word for the bridewealth exchange between families.
- Mahari
- The Swahili word for the marriage gift, which in Tanzania and Kenya can mean either mahr or bridewealth.
- Mahr
- The gift that a Muslim groom gives the bride under the marriage contract, which is hers alone.
- Maid of honour
- The bride's chief attendant, who helps her and often gives a speech.
- Mameru
- The gifts of the bride's or groom's maternal uncle, a custom in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- Mandap
- The canopy and platform, often covered in flowers, under which a Hindu wedding is held.
- Mangalsutra
- The sacred necklace of black beads and gold that a Hindu groom ties around the bride's neck.
- Maori wedding
- A Maori wedding with a welcome onto the marae, the pressing of noses and speeches by the two families.
- Marriage and wedding customs in the Philippines
- The Filipino visit in which the groom's family formally asks the bride's parents for her hand.
- Mehndi
- Henna paste drawn on the bride's hands and feet, and the party held for it before the wedding.
- Melse
- The Ethiopian and Eritrean wedding at the groom's home, held after the wedding itself, when the bride is welcomed.
- Menyasszonytanc
- The Hungarian bride's dance at midnight, when guests pay to dance with the bride.
- Merisik
- The Malay first visit in which the groom's family quietly asks if the girl is free to marry.
- Mexican wedding
- A Mexican wedding with padrinos, arras and lazo in church, and a dollar dance, mariachi and a long party after.
- Mikveh
- The ritual bath in which a Jewish bride immerses herself before the wedding.
- Milka
- The Gulf engagement contract, in which the families agree the match and the mahr.
- Milni
- The meeting at the gate in which the two families greet each other and exchange garlands and gifts.
- Misaq
- The Dawoodi Bohra pledge and betrothal ceremony before the nikah.
- Muhurtham
- The auspicious moment chosen by an astrologer for a Hindu wedding rite.
N
- Navajo wedding ceremony
- A woven basket of the Navajo with an opening and a pattern of the sacred directions, used to hold the cornmeal mush in the wedding blessing.
- Negafa
- The Moroccan woman who dresses the bride and manages her appearances through the wedding night.
- Ngoma
- A Bantu word for drum, and for the songs, drum music and dance that accompany a wedding.
- Nikah
- The Islamic marriage contract and the ceremony in which it is made.
- Nikah nama
- The written Muslim marriage contract in South Asia, with the mahr and conditions.
- Nikoh toy
- The Uzbek wedding feast that follows the religious marriage, with plov for hundreds.
- Nischayathartham
- The Tamil engagement, with betel leaves, fruit and the written wedding date.
- Nyumbani
- A Swahili word for the home, and for the bride's new household after the wedding.
O
- Oczepiny
- The Polish midnight rite in which the bride is capped and becomes a married woman, with games for the guests.
- Officiant
- The person who leads a wedding ceremony, a priest, minister, imam, rabbi, civil celebrant or a friend with authority.
- Oonjal
- The wedding swing in which the couple sit while women sing and offer them milk and banana.
P
- Padrinos
- The godparents or sponsors of a Spanish or Latin American wedding, who give or pay for part of the day.
- Padrinos in Latin America
- Sponsors who pay for or give a part of a Latin American wedding, such as the rings, the cake or the band.
- Paes ageng
- The Javanese court bridal makeup, with black painted marks on the forehead.
- Panggih
- The Javanese meeting of the bride and groom, with rituals of throwing betel and breaking an egg.
- Pedida de mano
- The Latin American custom of the groom's family visiting the bride's parents to ask formally for her hand.
- Peruvian wedding
- A Peruvian wedding with a civil ceremony, a church mass, a cake with ribbons, and the hora loca.
- Phera
- The circling of the sacred fire by the couple, four or seven times.
- Pka sla
- The Cambodian wedding in which the couple are blessed with a flower of the areca palm.
- Polterabend
- A German eve-of-wedding party where guests smash porcelain at the door of the couple for luck.
- Ponnu paarkal
- The Tamil custom of the groom's family visiting the girl at her home to see her and agree a match.
- Poruwa
- The decorated wooden platform on which a Sinhalese couple marry.
- Pyebaek
- The Korean ceremony in which the new bride bows to her husband's parents and receives jujubes and chestnuts.
Q
R
- Registrar
- The official who records a marriage and, in many countries, conducts the civil ceremony.
- Rehearsal dinner
- A dinner held the evening before an American wedding, after the practice of the ceremony.
- Rice throwing
- Throwing rice or grain over a couple as a wish for fertility and plenty.
- Rod nam sang
- The Thai blessing in which guests pour water from a conch over the couple's joined hands.
- Roka
- The first formal agreement of a North Indian match, when the families promise the couple to each other.
- Roma wedding
- A wedding among the Roma of Europe, with customs that differ widely between groups and countries.
- Rukhsati
- The farewell at which a Muslim bride leaves her parents' home with her husband.
- Ruracio
- The Kikuyu bridewealth ceremony in Kenya, in which the groom's family presents gifts, goats and money to the bride's family.
- Rushnyk
- A long embroidered ritual towel of Ukraine and Belarus, on which the couple stand at the wedding.
S
- Sagai
- The North Indian engagement, in which the couple exchange rings and gifts.
- Samoan fine mats
- Finely woven pandanus mats exchanged between the two families at a Samoan wedding, as the chief form of wealth.
- San-san-kudo
- The Japanese Shinto exchange of three cups of sake, three sips each, between the couple.
- Sangeet
- An evening of songs and dance held before an Indian wedding, once for women and now for everyone.
- Saptapadi
- The seven steps taken together around the sacred fire, which complete a Hindu marriage.
- Saukele
- The tall conical headdress of a Kazakh bride, ornamented with silver, coral and feathers.
- Shabka
- The gold jewellery that an Egyptian groom gives his bride at the engagement.
- Shadchan
- The Jewish matchmaker who suggests and arranges a match.
- Sheva brachot
- The seven blessings said over wine at a Jewish wedding, and at the festive meals of the week after.
- Shirini khori
- The Afghan and Persian eating of sweets that seals a betrothal.
- Shiromuku
- The pure white kimono worn by a Japanese bride at a Shinto wedding.
- Shivaree
- A North American version of the charivari, a noisy serenade for newlyweds.
- Shūgi-bukuro
- The cash gift Japanese guests bring to a wedding, in a special envelope.
- Sindoor
- Red powder put in the parting of a married Hindu woman's hair, first applied by the groom at the wedding.
- Sindur khela
- Bengali women's game of smearing sindoor on each other on the last day of Durga Puja.
- Sinsod
- The Thai gift of money and gold from the groom's family, shown to the bride's elders before the wedding.
- Siraman
- The Javanese bridal bath with flower water, the day before the wedding.
- Something old, something new
- An English rhyme listing four things a bride carries for luck, plus a sixpence in her shoe.
- Spraying money
- Guests pasting or throwing banknotes on dancing couples at a Nigerian wedding.
- Stag party
- A pre-wedding celebration for the groom and his male friends.
- Stefana
- The two crowns joined by a ribbon placed on the heads of the couple in a Greek Orthodox wedding.
- Subho drishti
- The Bengali moment when the bride and groom first look at each other, hidden behind betel leaves.
- Supra
- The Georgian feast table, at which a wedding is held under the direction of a toastmaster.
- Swayamvar
- An old Hindu custom in which a woman chose her own husband from a gathering of suitors.
- Swedish wedding customs
- Swedish weddings, known for a toastmaster, many songs, kissing games and a coin in the bride's shoe.
T
- Tabua
- A polished sperm whale tooth, the most valued gift in Fijian ceremonies, including weddings.
- Tamada
- The toastmaster who leads a Georgian feast, deciding the order of toasts.
- Tarantella
- A fast southern Italian folk dance, played at weddings with tambourines and accordions.
- Tenaim
- The Jewish betrothal agreement, in which the families state the conditions and a plate is broken.
- Thali kettu
- The moment a South Indian groom ties the thali on the bride, which makes the marriage.
- Tilak
- A mark of blessing on the forehead, and in some communities the groom's welcome by the bride's family.
- Tilosh
- The Ethiopian wedding gathering at the bride's family home, held the day before or with the wedding.
- Tisch
- The Ashkenazi groom's table, where friends sing and heckle him before the ceremony.
- Toast
- Raising a glass to wish the couple well, usually after speeches from the families and the best man.
- Toi
- The large feast of a Central Asian wedding, with hundreds of guests.
- Tongan wedding
- A Tongan wedding in which families exchange koloa, barkcloth and woven mats, with a church service and a large feast.
- Traditional marriage in Hausa culture
- The decorated bridal chair or platform on which the Moroccan bride is carried for the guests to see.
- Traditional marriage in Igbo culture
- The Igbo traditional wedding in which the bride finds her groom in the crowd and gives him palm wine to drink.
- Trousseau
- The clothes, linen and household goods prepared by a bride before her marriage.
- Tsunokakushi
- The white hood or hat of a Japanese bride that, by one account, hides her horns.
U
- Uchikake
- The heavily embroidered outer robe, red or white, that a Japanese bride wears over her kimono.
- Ukuthwala
- A contested custom of seizing a young woman to force a marriage, which is a crime in South Africa.
- Ulos
- The handwoven cloth that Batak families give to the couple and their kin at a wedding.
- Ululation
- The high, trilling cry of women across Africa and beyond that marks joy at a wedding.
- Umabo
- The Zulu wedding stage in which the bride's family brings gifts to the groom's family and the bride is welcomed.
- Umembeso
- The Zulu gift-giving visit in which the groom's family brings blankets and gifts to the bride's family.
V
- Veil
- A light cloth worn over a bride's head or face, with meanings of modesty, protection and the beginning of a new life.
- Vidaai
- The farewell as the bride leaves her parents' home to go with her husband.
- Vykup nevesty
- The Russian game in which the groom must pay or perform tasks to win the bride from her family and friends.
W
- Walima
- The wedding feast given by the groom's family after the marriage is consummated.
- Wedding breakfast
- The British name for the meal after the wedding ceremony, whatever the time of day.
- Wedding cake
- A cake cut by the couple at the reception, from the Roman bread of barley to the tiered cake of today.
- Wedding cord
- A loop of rosary beads or cord laid around the couple's shoulders in a Mexican and Latin American Catholic wedding.
- Wedding ring
- A ring exchanged at the wedding as a sign of the marriage, worn on the finger of the left or right hand.
Y
- Yichud
- The few minutes of privacy the Jewish couple spend alone together right after the ceremony.
- Yoruba engagement
- The Yoruba traditional wedding, in which the families are introduced, the bride price is settled and the couple kneel to the elders.
- Yuinou
- The Japanese exchange of betrothal gifts between two families.