# EveryShaadi

> Every wedding tradition in the world, from every country, community and city. A free guide to 500 wedding traditions of the world, filed by region, country, community and city, by kind (rite, vow, betrothal, price, attire, adornment, music, feast, blessing, play, family, place, modern), by stage of the wedding (matchmaking, betrothal, before, eve, procession, ceremony, feast, reception, after), by concept (bride-price, arranged, wedding-dress, rings, veil, henna, procession, vows, feast, dance, luck, dates, before-party, family, money, many-marriages, small-weddings, after, guest), by faith and by symbol, with a wedding calendar, which day to marry, one-concept-across-countries comparisons, city trails and a glossary. Published by ClearTrust.

Each tradition page gives: name and native name, countries, communities and cities, what it is, where and when it is kept, how it is kept, who takes part, what it means, advice for guests, how it is changing, the foods and symbols, a short FAQ, further reading and source links. Contested practices carry a note on their legal status. Pages are derived from Wikipedia and Wikidata with AI assistance and may contain mistakes; cite the page URL.

## Browse
- [All wedding traditions](https://everyshaadi.com/traditions)
- [Regions](https://everyshaadi.com/regions)
- [Countries](https://everyshaadi.com/countries)
- [Cities](https://everyshaadi.com/cities)
- [Map](https://everyshaadi.com/map)
- [Ceremony and sacred rites](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/rite)
- [Vows, contracts and registration](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/vow)
- [Matchmaking, courtship and engagement](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/betrothal)
- [Bride price, dowry and gifts](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/price)
- [Wedding dress and clothing](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/attire)
- [Henna, jewellery and body art](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/adornment)
- [Music, dance and procession](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/music)
- [Feasts, food and drink](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/feast)
- [Blessings, luck and omens](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/blessing)
- [Games, humour and mock resistance](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/play)
- [Family roles and who does what](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/family)
- [Venue, setting and decoration](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/place)
- [Modern and changing weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/categories/modern)
- [Finding a match](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/matchmaking)
- [Engagement and betrothal](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/betrothal)
- [The weeks before](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/before)
- [The eve](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/eve)
- [Procession and arrival](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/procession)
- [The ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/ceremony)
- [The wedding feast](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/feast)
- [Reception, dance and gifts](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/reception)
- [After the wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/stages/after)
- [Bride price, dowry and gifts between families](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/bride-price)
- [Arranged marriage, matchmaking and choosing a partner](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/arranged)
- [The wedding dress and what the couple wear](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/wedding-dress)
- [Rings, knots and tokens of promise](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/rings)
- [Veils, crowns and the covered head](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/veil)
- [Henna, turmeric and the decorated bride](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/henna)
- [The wedding procession and the arrival](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/procession)
- [Vows, contracts and witnesses](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/vows)
- [The wedding feast, the cake and the toast](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/feast)
- [Wedding music and the dance floor](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/dance)
- [Luck, omens and protection on the day](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/luck)
- [Auspicious dates, seasons and days to avoid](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/dates)
- [Bachelor nights, hen parties and showers](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/before-party)
- [Parents, giving away and the in-laws](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/family)
- [Wedding money, envelopes and who pays](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/money)
- [Interfaith, inter-community and same-sex weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/many-marriages)
- [Elopement, civil, mass and destination weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/small-weddings)
- [After the wedding: the first night, the return visit, the honeymoon](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/after)
- [Being a guest: what to wear, bring and say](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/guest)
- [Hindu](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/hindu)
- [Buddhist](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/buddhist)
- [Jain](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/jain)
- [Muslim](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/muslim)
- [Jewish](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/jewish)
- [Catholic](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/catholic)
- [Orthodox and Eastern Christian](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/orthodox)
- [Protestant and Anglican](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/protestant)
- [Sikh](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/sikh)
- [Zoroastrian and Parsi](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/zoroastrian)
- [Shinto, Taoist and folk Chinese](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/shinto)
- [Bahá'í](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/bahai)
- [Indigenous and traditional](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/indigenous)
- [Pagan and ancient](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/pagan)
- [Secular and civil](https://everyshaadi.com/faiths/secular)
- [Symbols](https://everyshaadi.com/symbols)

## Live
- [Today around the world](https://everyshaadi.com/today): days on now, holidays on this date, the wedding clock, wedding tradition of the day
- [GET /api/live](https://everyshaadi.com/api/live): the same as JSON
- [The wedding calendar](https://everyshaadi.com/calendar)
- [Which day to marry](https://everyshaadi.com/weekdays)

## Learn
- [Glossary](https://everyshaadi.com/glossary)

## For agents
- [MCP server](https://everyshaadi.com/mcp): Streamable HTTP, no key needed
- [JSON API](https://everyshaadi.com/developers): GET https://everyshaadi.com/api/v1/<tool>
- [Sitemap](https://everyshaadi.com/sitemap.xml)
- [How complete the catalogue is](https://everyshaadi.com/coverage)

## Concepts compared
- [Bride price, dowry and gifts between families](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/bride-price): In very many societies a marriage joins two families, and goods change hands between them: livestock, cash, gold, cloth, land or a signed promise.
- [Arranged marriage, matchmaking and choosing a partner](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/arranged): Around the world, families, matchmakers and friends have long had a hand in who marries whom.
- [The wedding dress and what the couple wear](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/wedding-dress): What a couple wears to marry is one of the clearest signs of where, and with whom, they belong.
- [Rings, knots and tokens of promise](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/rings): A ring is the best-known sign of a marriage, but it is one among many ways of binding two people: a knotted cord, a pair of bracelets, a coin, a necklace, a shared cup.
- [Veils, crowns and the covered head](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/veil): Covering or crowning the head of the couple is one of the oldest wedding gestures.
- [Henna, turmeric and the decorated bride](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/henna): Before many weddings, the bride's hands and feet are painted with henna, and in many places the couple are rubbed with turmeric paste.
- [The wedding procession and the arrival](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/procession): Many weddings are a journey.
- [Vows, contracts and witnesses](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/vows): A wedding is also a legal and moral act.
- [The wedding feast, the cake and the toast](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/feast): A wedding is a meal before it is anything else, and in much of the world the feast is the main event.
- [Wedding music and the dance floor](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/dance): Music and dancing run through weddings everywhere: the drummers at the head of the procession, the song of the women at the henna night, the first dance of the couple, the line dance of the guests.
- [Luck, omens and protection on the day](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/luck): A wedding is a threshold, and nearly every culture treats thresholds as dangerous and hopeful at once.
- [Auspicious dates, seasons and days to avoid](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/dates): Few couples choose a wedding date by the calendar alone.
- [Bachelor nights, hen parties and showers](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/before-party): Before a wedding, friends often gather to send the bride or groom off with a party.
- [Parents, giving away and the in-laws](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/family): A wedding joins two families as much as two people, and its customs spell out who does what: who asks, who gives the bride away, who stands as witness, who sits where and who is welcomed into whose house.
- [Wedding money, envelopes and who pays](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/money): Weddings cost money, and every culture has rules about who pays, what guests give and how.
- [Interfaith, inter-community and same-sex weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/many-marriages): Couples have always married across the lines of faith, caste, ethnicity and, increasingly, gender, and the wedding has to find a form that honours both sides.
- [Elopement, civil, mass and destination weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/small-weddings): Not every wedding is a day-long feast.
- [After the wedding: the first night, the return visit, the honeymoon](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/after): The wedding does not end with the last dance.
- [Being a guest: what to wear, bring and say](https://everyshaadi.com/concepts/guest): Most people attend more weddings than they hold, and being a good guest depends on knowing a few local rules.

## Cities
- [Delhi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/delhi): The capital is the wedding market of north India, where Punjabi, Marwari, Bengali and Muslim weddings all find their venues, caterers and jewellers.
- [Amritsar](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/amritsar): The home of the Golden Temple, where the Sikh Anand Karaj is sung around the Guru Granth Sahib.
- [Lucknow](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/lucknow): A city of Awadhi courtesy, where Muslim and Hindu weddings share a refined tradition of food, chikan embroidery and manners.
- [Hyderabad](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/hyderabad): A city where Telugu Hindu weddings and Deccani Muslim nikahs sit side by side, famous for the bridal biryani and the pearl.
- [Jaipur](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/jaipur): The pink city is a destination for palace weddings, with Rajput and Marwari rites, elephants in some processions and a long jewellery tradition.
- [Udaipur](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/udaipur): The lake city of palaces, one of the most popular settings for large destination weddings in India.
- [Mumbai](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/mumbai): India's largest city, where Marathi, Gujarati, Parsi, Catholic and film-world weddings share the same streets.
- [Kolkata](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kolkata): A city of Bengali weddings with the shankha bangle, the sindoor, the sari-draped bride and the long fish feast.
- [Chennai](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/chennai): A Tamil wedding city of silk saris, banana-leaf feasts, nadaswaram music and the tying of the thali.
- [Madurai](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/madurai): The temple city of Meenakshi, whose own celestial wedding is re-enacted every year in spring.
- [Kochi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kochi): A Kerala port city where Hindu, Syrian Christian, Muslim and Jewish weddings have lived together for centuries.
- [Guruvayur](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/guruvayur): A Krishna temple town where dozens of weddings are held in a single morning.
- [Bengaluru](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bengaluru): A technology city where Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Konkani weddings meet, with a quiet, early-morning Kannada rite.
- [Ahmedabad](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ahmedabad): A Gujarati wedding city of garba nights, mehndi markets and the bridegroom's arrival with song and a sword.
- [Varanasi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/varanasi): The holy city on the Ganges, where many Hindu couples come to seek blessings and where Banarasi silk is woven for the bride.
- [Patna](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/patna): A Bihari wedding city with lively folk songs, a custom of kohbar paintings and the old practice of the groom's kidnapping in jest.
- [Guwahati](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/guwahati): The gateway to Assam, where the bride wears mekhela chador and the Assamese wedding is a simple rite with songs.
- [Srinagar](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/srinagar): A Kashmiri wedding is long and rich with a wazwan feast of many courses and the song of the wanwun.
- [Goa](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/goa): A small coastal state where Catholic, Hindu and Muslim weddings coexist and where beach weddings are a business.
- [Pune](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/pune): The cultural capital of Maharashtra, known for the traditional Marathi wedding, the nauvari sari and the Peshwa-era halls.
- [Jodhpur](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/jodhpur): The blue city and its palace, home to Marwari weddings with turbans, a sword at the gate and the dhol.
- [Kanchipuram](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kanchipuram): The temple town where the bridal silk sari is woven and bought for much of south India.
- [Karachi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/karachi): Pakistan's largest city, with weddings of Memon, Sindhi, Pashtun, Baloch and Muhajir families and a loud, multi-night mehndi culture.
- [Lahore](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/lahore): A city of Punjabi weddings with a dhol, a long mehndi night, the barat and a feast of many dishes.
- [Dhaka](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/dhaka): A river city where the holud, the akd and the bou bhat make a wedding of several evenings.
- [Sylhet](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/sylhet): A tea and shrine city whose wedding customs are carried by the Sylheti diaspora from London to Dhaka.
- [Colombo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/colombo): Where Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher weddings meet, and where the poruwa is the heart of a Sinhalese ceremony.
- [Kandy](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kandy): The hill capital of the Kandyan kingdom, whose bridal sari and drummers shaped the Sinhalese wedding.
- [Kathmandu](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kathmandu): A valley city where Newar, Brahmin, Chhetri and Tamang weddings use red, the tika and the shehnai.
- [Bhaktapur](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bhaktapur): A medieval Newar town whose streets still hold the Newar marriage rites in courtyard houses.
- [Thimphu](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/thimphu): The Bhutanese capital, where the bride wears a kira, a scarf is offered, and weddings are modest and religious.
- [Malé](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/male): A dense island capital where weddings are Muslim, small by South Asian standards, and often held at a resort or a family home.
- [Kabul](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kabul): A wedding city of large halls, the henna night and the walwar, a payment from the groom's family that is a point of debate.
- [Bangkok](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bangkok): Thai weddings here start in the morning with monks, a procession of gifts and the pouring of water over the couple's hands.
- [Chiang Mai](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/chiang-mai): A northern Thai city with khantoke dinners, Lanna dress and the baci-like tying of the wrist.
- [Hanoi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/hanoi): A Vietnamese wedding city of betel and areca gifts, lacquered trays and the ao dai.
- [Hue](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/hue): The old imperial capital, whose court style still shapes the formal Vietnamese wedding and the bridal ao dai.
- [Ho Chi Minh City](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ho-chi-minh-city): A southern Vietnamese wedding city with big restaurant banquets, tiered gift trays and a red ao dai.
- [Phnom Penh](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/phnom-penh): A Khmer wedding in the capital lasts a day or more, with a three-part programme of music, hair-cutting and the tying of wrists.
- [Siem Reap](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/siem-reap): A temple town where Khmer couples seek blessings and where many weddings are photographed against Angkor.
- [Vientiane](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/vientiane): A Lao wedding of the baci, white thread and the whole village at the table.
- [Luang Prabang](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/luang-prabang): The old royal capital, where the baci is held under a decorated tree of flowers and thread.
- [Yangon](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/yangon): A Burmese wedding city of the hluttaw dress, the engagement with a tray of gifts and a feast in a hall.
- [Bagan](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bagan): An ancient temple plain where village weddings mix Buddhism, spirit worship and the sunrise.
- [Kuala Lumpur](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kuala-lumpur): Malay, Chinese and Indian weddings share one city, from the bersanding throne to the tea ceremony and the Tamil thali.
- [Penang](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/penang): George Town's Peranakan weddings, with their embroidered dress and beaded slippers, are among the best known in the region.
- [Singapore](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/singapore): A city-state where weddings of every community are registered at the ROM and celebrated in hotel ballrooms and heritage shophouses.
- [Jakarta](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/jakarta): A megacity where every region's adat, from Javanese siraman to Betawi palang pintu, is held in a ballroom.
- [Yogyakarta](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/yogyakarta): The Javanese court city, where the royal wedding rites, the paes bridal make-up and the wedding gamelan are preserved.
- [Solo (Surakarta)](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/solo): The other Javanese court city, with a bridal style of its own, the solo putri, and the rite of the broken egg.
- [Ubud](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ubud): A Balinese cultural centre where couples marry in the family compound with priests, offerings and gamelan.
- [Denpasar](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/denpasar): The Balinese capital, where marriage also means changing the village and the family temple of the bride.
- [Toraja](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tana-toraja): The highland home of the Toraja, whose tongkonan houses and weddings are held under a house of horned roofs.
- [Medan](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/medan): The city of the Batak, whose wedding is the adat of ulos cloth, gifts of rice and a ritual of the gifts passing back and forth.
- [Manila](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/manila): A Catholic wedding city of padrinos, the cord and veil rite, the money dance and the long reception.
- [Cebu](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/cebu): The oldest Spanish city in the islands, where Visayan weddings come with lechon, a dance of the bride and groom and the Santo Nino.
- [Beijing](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/beijing): A northern Chinese wedding in red, with a lucky date, a bridal car convoy, the double happiness sign and a banquet.
- [Shanghai](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/shanghai): A city of pre-wedding photo studios, parents' marriage markets and big banquet hotels.
- [Guangzhou](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/guangzhou): The Cantonese wedding city, home of the Chinese wedding tea, the dragon-phoenix bangle and the cake gifts.
- [Chengdu](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/chengdu): A Sichuan wedding of spicy feasts, mahjong evenings and the beautiful old Qiang and Tibetan weddings of the mountains.
- [Hong Kong](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/hong-kong): A city of Cantonese weddings, the Wedding Card Street and the gold bangle and a very full banquet day.
- [Macau](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/macau): A former Portuguese colony where Chinese, Portuguese and Macanese weddings meet in churches and casinos.
- [Taipei](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/taipei): A city that in 2019 became the first in Asia to allow same-sex couples to marry, and where Taiwanese weddings blend old and new customs.
- [Tokyo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tokyo): A city of shrine weddings in white kimono and chapel weddings in white dress, with the san-san-kudo cup.
- [Kyoto](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kyoto): The old capital, where couples marry in a shrine in old dress and processions of a bride in a red umbrella cross the temple grounds.
- [Osaka](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/osaka): A merchant city of lively weddings, with a shrine at Ikukunitama and a banquet culture.
- [Seoul](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/seoul): A city of short, 30 minute halls, the pyebaek ceremony in hanbok and a famous system of cash gifts.
- [Jeju](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/jeju): An island of tangerine groves and a matriarchal fishing culture, long known as a honeymoon destination.
- [Busan](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/busan): A port city of seaside wedding halls and the Korean tradition of the hahm bearer.
- [Ulaanbaatar](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ulaanbaatar): The Mongolian capital, where a wedding is held in a deel, with milk, a horse and a sip from a silver bowl.
- [Almaty](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/almaty): A Kazakh wedding city of the toi feast, the bride's veil song and the old matchmaking visit.
- [Astana](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/astana): A modern capital whose wedding photographs are taken in front of its towers and monuments.
- [Bishkek](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bishkek): The capital of Kyrgyzstan, where a tradition of bride kidnapping persists in law-breaking form, and where most weddings are loud feasts.
- [Tashkent](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tashkent): A wedding city of large halls with plov, the fotiha rite and a bride in embroidered suzani.
- [Samarkand](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/samarkand): A Silk Road city where couples are photographed at the Registan and brides are dressed in embroidery.
- [Bukhara](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bukhara): An old trading city of gold-embroidered velvet, zardozi and a long tradition of the bridal dowry.
- [Dushanbe](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/dushanbe): A Tajik capital where the law sets limits on wedding spending and the bride wears a patterned atlas silk.
- [Ashgabat](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ashgabat): A white marble capital whose weddings feature the heavy silver jewellery of the Turkmen bride.
- [Tbilisi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tbilisi): A city of the supra, the Georgian feast led by a tamada, with toasts, polyphonic songs and a bride in a chokha dress.
- [Yerevan](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/yerevan): An Armenian wedding capital, with a dance at the church door, the lavash on the shoulders and a duduk.
- [Baku](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/baku): The Caspian capital, where an Azerbaijani wedding has a henna night, a groom's procession and a play of the tray.
- [Khiva](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/khiva): A walled desert oasis, where couples rent traditional dress and where Khorezm weddings keep their own tunes.
- [Istanbul](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/istanbul): A city of civil registry halls, henna nights, gold coins pinned on the bride and drum-and-zurna processions.
- [Ankara](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ankara): The Turkish capital, where civil registration came first and Anatolian customs such as the bridal henna and the flag still persist.
- [Konya](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/konya): The city of Rumi, where the anniversary of his death is called Seb-i Arus, the wedding night.
- [Gaziantep](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/gaziantep): A city of baklava and copper where a wedding is measured by the sweets and the embroidered velvet dress.
- [Diyarbakir](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/diyarbakir): The inner-walled Kurdish city of drum, halay and long weddings, with wide extended-family guest lists.
- [Trabzon](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/trabzon): A Black Sea port where weddings are danced to the horon and the kemenche fiddle.
- [Tehran](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tehran): The Iranian capital, where the aghd ceremony takes place at a floor spread set with mirror, candles and sugar cones.
- [Isfahan](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/isfahan): Half the world, as the saying goes, where couples photograph beneath the bridges and tiled domes.
- [Shiraz](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/shiraz): The city of poets and gardens, where newly married couples visit the tomb of Hafez.
- [Tabriz](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tabriz): The Azerbaijani-Turkic city of the large bazaar, where weddings are marked with ashiq music and carpets.
- [Mashhad](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/mashhad): A pilgrim city whose shrine of Imam Reza receives couples who come to pray after the wedding.
- [Baghdad](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/baghdad): The capital of Iraq, where the henna night, the hosa chant and a large family procession mark a wedding.
- [Erbil](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/erbil): The citadel city of Iraqi Kurdistan, where Kurdish dress and a long line of dancers fill the wedding.
- [Damascus](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/damascus): An old walled capital where the zaffe brings the groom through the lanes with drums, swords and singing.
- [Aleppo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/aleppo): The northern Syrian city whose sung qudud and fine sweets once filled every wedding.
- [Beirut](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/beirut): A city of eighteen recognised religious communities, where a couple's marriage depends on the faith of the couple.
- [Amman](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/amman): The Jordanian capital where Bedouin and urban Palestinian customs share the wedding stage.
- [Jerusalem](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/jerusalem): A city of three faiths, whose weddings may take place beneath the Old City walls or at the Western Wall plaza.
- [Tel Aviv](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tel-aviv): A coastal city of beach and rooftop weddings, and of couples who marry in Cyprus because Israel has no civil marriage.
- [Safed](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/safed): A mountain town of Kabbalah where weddings are held near the grave sites of the sages.
- [Gaza](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/gaza): A coastal city whose weddings gathered the whole neighbourhood in song, dance and gifts of gold.
- [Ramallah](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ramallah): A West Bank city with a long tradition of embroidered wedding dresses and a large henna party.
- [Bethlehem](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bethlehem): A city with a Christian community that married in elaborate embroidered dresses and a tall headdress.
- [Riyadh](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/riyadh): The capital of Saudi Arabia, where the wedding is a night of women's gatherings, gold gifts and a groom's separate party.
- [Jeddah](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/jeddah): The Red Sea port where Hijazi brides are painted with henna and honoured in the mizmar dance.
- [Mecca](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/mecca): The holiest city of Islam, where weddings are held in the shadow of the pilgrimage and honeymoons often include umrah.
- [Dubai](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/dubai): A creek port turned global city, where Emirati families keep the henna night and the Ayyala dance, and expatriate couples marry in a dozen traditions.
- [Abu Dhabi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/abu-dhabi): The Emirati capital, which first opened civil marriage to non-Muslims and which holds group weddings for Emirati couples.
- [Doha](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/doha): A Gulf capital where the old market and the new towers share the same wedding calendar.
- [Kuwait City](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kuwait-city): The Kuwaiti capital where the bride is dressed in a ceremony called the jalwa.
- [Manama](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/manama): The Bahraini capital, once a pearl-diving port, whose brides still wear pearl jewellery.
- [Muscat](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/muscat): The capital of Oman, where men dance the razha with swords and the khanjar dagger is worn by the groom.
- [Sanaa](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/sanaa): A high-mountain old city of tall brick houses where weddings are marked with the jambiya and henna parties.
- [Hadramawt](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/hadramawt): A valley of mud-brick towers in eastern Yemen, where weddings are marked by song, a swordsman and the migrant family's return.
- [Nicosia](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/nicosia): A divided capital where Greek and Turkish Cypriot weddings keep the bed-making, the koumbaros and the sugared almonds.
- [Cairo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/cairo): A city of zaffas, Nile-boat parties and the shabka, the gold gift that seals an engagement.
- [Alexandria](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/alexandria): The Mediterranean port where couples pose along the corniche and the Greek, Coptic and Muslim communities marry side by side.
- [Siwa](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/siwa): A desert oasis where the bride wears heavy silver and a Berber Siwi language is spoken.
- [Luxor and Nubia](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/luxor): A river of temples and a Nubian people whose week-long weddings are painted, drummed and danced.
- [Tripoli](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tripoli): The Libyan capital, where the henna night, the golden dress and the family dinner mark each wedding.
- [Tunis](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tunis): A medina and a coastal city of jasmine, henna and a modern law that banned polygamy in 1956.
- [Djerba](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/djerba): An island where Muslim, Berber and Jewish communities have lived side by side, and weddings have long been shared.
- [Algiers](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/algiers): The white city on the bay, where the bride wears the karakou, a gold-embroidered velvet jacket.
- [Ghardaia](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ghardaia): A walled valley town of the Mozabite people, with modest weddings and a close sense of mutual aid.
- [Marrakech](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/marrakech): The red city where the bride is carried aloft in the amariya and dressed by a negafa.
- [Fes](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/fes): The old imperial city whose wedding is still famed for its cuisine, its embroidery and its fine caftans.
- [Rabat](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/rabat): The capital of Morocco, where the Family Code is written and the weddings are staged in palace gardens.
- [Imilchil](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/imilchil): A High Atlas village known for the Imilchil Marriage Festival of the Ait Haddidou.
- [Khartoum](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/khartoum): The meeting of the Niles, where the bride is smoked, perfumed and wrapped in a silk toub.
- [Nouakchott](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/nouakchott): The Mauritanian capital, where a wedding is marked by griot singers, tea and the bride's melahfa wrap.
- [Lagos](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/lagos): A city of owambe parties, where guests dress in matching aso ebi cloth and money is sprayed on the dancing couple.
- [Ibadan](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ibadan): A huge Yoruba city where the engagement is a theatre of greeting, bargaining and praise.
- [Kano](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kano): An old Hausa trading city with henna, a dowry of goods and mass weddings sponsored by the state.
- [Enugu](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/enugu): An Igbo city where a bride finds her husband by carrying a cup of palm wine through the crowd.
- [Accra](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/accra): A coastal capital where the knocking ceremony and a shared drink open every Ghanaian marriage.
- [Kumasi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kumasi): The Asante capital, where kente weavers in nearby Bonwire make cloth for brides.
- [Dakar](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/dakar): The westernmost capital in Africa, where marriages are announced with gifts of kola and a feast of thieboudienne.
- [Abidjan](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/abidjan): A lagoon city where the dot, the traditional dowry ceremony, comes before the church or mosque wedding.
- [Bamako](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bamako): A river capital of griots, bogolan mud cloth and long wedding processions through Malian streets.
- [Ouagadougou](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/ouagadougou): The capital of Burkina Faso, where Mossi families exchange kola nuts and the bride wears Faso Dan Fani.
- [Niamey](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/niamey): A Niger river city of Hausa, Zarma and Tuareg marriage, and the country with the world's highest child marriage rate.
- [Yaounde](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/yaounde): A hilly capital where Beti families hold the traditional dowry and the civil wedding on separate days.
- [Douala](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/douala): The port city of the Sawa people, where the dowry is paid in cloth, drinks and sea-trade style.
- [Kinshasa](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kinshasa): A rumba capital, where the dowry ceremony, the civil wedding and the church service form three separate days.
- [Luanda](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/luanda): A Portuguese-speaking capital where the alambamento, a ritual of asking for the bride, precedes the wedding.
- [Lusaka](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/lusaka): A city of kitchen parties, where the bride is taught the ways of married life by her aunts and elders.
- [Harare](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/harare): A capital where the roora, the bride price, is negotiated through a go-between before a white wedding.
- [Johannesburg](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/johannesburg): A meeting of Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana and Indian traditions, with lobola, traditional dress and white weddings.
- [Durban](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/durban): A coastal city of Zulu weddings with leather skirts and beadwork, and one of the largest Indian communities outside India.
- [Cape Town](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/cape-town): A city of Cape Malay weddings in the Bo-Kaap and winelands venues beneath the mountain.
- [Eswatini](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/eswatini): A small kingdom where the Reed Dance gathers thousands of young women before the queen mother.
- [Maseru](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/maseru): The capital of a mountain kingdom where Basotho blankets are given to brides and grooms.
- [Windhoek](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/windhoek): A city where Herero women wear long Victorian-style dresses with a horned headdress.
- [Gaborone](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/gaborone): A planned capital where the patlo, the formal asking, and the bogadi, the bride wealth, shape a Tswana marriage.
- [Maputo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/maputo): A Portuguese-speaking port where the lobolo ceremony in the south and a civil wedding sit side by side.
- [Lilongwe](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/lilongwe): The capital of Malawi, where the chinkhoswe, the engagement ceremony, joins the two families.
- [Dar es Salaam](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/dar-es-salaam): A Swahili port city of send-off parties, kitchen parties and matched kanga cloths.
- [Zanzibar](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/zanzibar): A spice island where taarab music, henna and carved doors are part of a Swahili wedding.
- [Nairobi](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/nairobi): A city of ruracio, church weddings and committees of friends who raise money to pay for the day.
- [Kampala](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kampala): A hill city where the kwanjula, the introduction, and the gomesi dress make the Baganda wedding.
- [Kigali](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kigali): A clean hill capital where the gusaba, asking for the bride, and the gukwa, the dowry, precede the civil wedding.
- [Addis Ababa](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/addis-ababa): A highland capital of white cotton dresses, elders' negotiations and a seven-day party.
- [Lalibela](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/lalibela): A mountain town of rock-hewn churches where Orthodox couples marry in the sacramental rite.
- [Asmara](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/asmara): A modernist capital where a Tigrinya wedding is a march of coffee, incense and the zuria dress.
- [Mogadishu](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/mogadishu): A coastal capital of henna, gold and a large celebration called the aroos.
- [Antananarivo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/antananarivo): A hill capital where the groom's family presents the vodiondry, a lamb's rump, to ask for the bride.
- [Port Louis](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/port-louis): A harbour capital where Hindu, Muslim, Creole, Chinese and Christian communities hold weddings in their own ways.
- [Sydney](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/sydney): A harbour city of waterside ceremonies, big Greek, Lebanese and Chinese weddings, and marriage open to same-sex couples since 2017.
- [Melbourne](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/melbourne): A city of laneway bars, winery weddings and one of the largest Greek communities outside Greece.
- [Alice Springs](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/alice-springs): A desert town in Arrernte country, where kinship rules for marriage are older than the town.
- [Auckland](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/auckland): The largest Polynesian city in the world, where Samoan, Tongan, Maori and Chinese weddings sit beside vineyard garden parties.
- [Rotorua](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/rotorua): A geothermal town and the heart of Te Arawa, where couples marry beside steaming pools and the carved marae.
- [Port Moresby](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/port-moresby): The capital of Papua New Guinea, where bride price in pigs, shells and cash still binds two clans.
- [Suva](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/suva): A harbour city where Fijian weddings open with a whale tooth and a bowl of kava, and Indo-Fijian weddings follow the Hindu rite.
- [Apia](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/apia): A Samoan capital where the exchange of fine mats, the ie toga, joins two extended families.
- [Nuku'alofa](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/nukualofa): A Tongan capital where families exchange koloa, the barkcloth and woven-mat wealth, and the bride wears a ta'ovala.
- [Tahiti](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tahiti): An island where flower crowns, the pareo and an island-style symbolic ceremony have become part of the wedding.
- [Port Vila](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/port-vila): A harbour capital in Vanuatu where kastom marriage means pigs, mats and kava given between families.
- [London](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/london): A wedding in London can be a register office ceremony in a town hall, a church service, a Hindu mandap or a Sikh gurdwara, sometimes all in one family.
- [Gretna Green](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/gretna-green): The Scottish border village that became famous for quick marriages, and still holds thousands of weddings a year.
- [Edinburgh](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/edinburgh): Scottish weddings with kilts, a piper and a ceilidh, set against a castle skyline.
- [Cardiff](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/cardiff): Welsh weddings carry the love spoon, the Welsh language and choir singing.
- [Dublin](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/dublin): Irish weddings of Dublin mix church tradition, a long toast, and a night of music.
- [Galway](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/galway): A west of Ireland city where weddings come with Irish music, sea air and the Claddagh ring.
- [Paris](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/paris): In France the civil wedding at the town hall comes first, and the city has more than twenty mairies where it happens.
- [Provence](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/provence): Lavender, olive groves and long outdoor tables make Provence a favoured place for rural and destination weddings.
- [Brittany](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/brittany): Breton weddings keep the music of bagpipe and bombarde, the white lace coiffe and the fest-noz dance.
- [Berlin](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/berlin): In Germany the Standesamt makes the marriage, and a Polterabend with broken china brings luck the night before.
- [Munich](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/munich): Bavarian weddings mean dirndl and lederhosen, a brass band and beer in a garden.
- [Vienna](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/vienna): A city of waltzes and old palaces where a wedding often opens with a Viennese waltz.
- [Zurich](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/zurich): Swiss weddings are tidy and on time, with a civil registry marriage and a long meal.
- [Rome](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/rome): Roman weddings are held in churches of great age, and the toss of rice, a long lunch and sugared almonds follow.
- [Naples](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/naples): Neapolitan weddings are loud and long, with the tarantella, singing and a huge table.
- [Sicily](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/sicily): Sicilian weddings are grand family affairs with baroque churches, cassata cake and the cuddura.
- [Florence](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/florence): Tuscan weddings take place in hill villas, with olive groves, a long table and wine from the estate.
- [Venice](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/venice): Weddings in Venice arrive by gondola and boat, past palaces on the Grand Canal.
- [Madrid](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/madrid): A Spanish wedding in Madrid has arras coins, a late dinner and dancing into the morning.
- [Seville](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/seville): Andalusian weddings of Seville bring flamenco, sevillanas and orange blossom.
- [Barcelona](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/barcelona): In Barcelona weddings may include human towers, sardana dancing and the Catalan language.
- [Lisbon](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/lisbon): Portuguese weddings in Lisbon come with fado, a long lunch and a rich egg and almond sweet table.
- [Porto](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/porto): Weddings in Porto mean port wine, cellars and quintas above the Douro.
- [Athens](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/athens): A Greek wedding in Athens centres on the koumbaros, the Orthodox crowning and the plate smashing at the party.
- [Santorini](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/santorini): A volcanic island where small whitewashed chapels host weddings over the caldera.
- [Crete](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/crete): Cretan weddings are village feasts with lyra music, raki and roast lamb.
- [Thessaloniki](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/thessaloniki): Northern Greek weddings in Thessaloniki are noted for the great feast and the zournades band.
- [Amsterdam](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/amsterdam): Dutch weddings of Amsterdam are civil first, with a town hall ceremony and a canal boat party.
- [Brussels](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/brussels): A Belgian wedding in Brussels brings a civil ceremony, a church blessing and a great table of chocolate and beer.
- [Copenhagen](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/copenhagen): Copenhagen City Hall holds more weddings than any place in the country, and the city welcomes couples from abroad.
- [Oslo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/oslo): Norwegian weddings of Oslo bring the bunad, the national dress, and the kransekake.
- [Stockholm](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/stockholm): In Stockholm the groom may be kissed by every woman as the bride is kissed by the men, and midsummer weddings are popular.
- [Helsinki](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/helsinki): Finnish weddings include the bride's farewell and a sauna evening for the couple's friends.
- [Reykjavik](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/reykjavik): Iceland weddings come with glacier backdrops, small ceremonies and the old custom of handfasting.
- [Warsaw](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/warsaw): Polish weddings in Warsaw bring bread and salt at the door, the oczepiny at midnight and a feast that lasts until dawn.
- [Krakow](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/krakow): Krakow weddings may feature highlander music and folk costume in the Tatra foothills.
- [Prague](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/prague): Prague has the Old Town Hall, a Gothic setting where civil weddings are held in a historic hall.
- [Budapest](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/budapest): Hungarian weddings have the csardas, a bride's dance and a soup in the small hours.
- [Bucharest](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bucharest): Romanian weddings of Bucharest are lavish, with a pair of godparents and a long night of dancing.
- [Maramures](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/maramures): A northern region where wooden churches and village weddings keep folk dress and old rites.
- [Sofia](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/sofia): Bulgarian weddings keep a loaf of bread, a kumove and a horo dance.
- [Belgrade](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/belgrade): Serbian weddings include the kum, a procession with trumpets and a Slava-style feast.
- [Sarajevo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/sarajevo): Sarajevo is a city of mosques, churches and synagogues, so its weddings follow several faiths.
- [Zagreb](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/zagreb): Croatian weddings include folk costume, tamburica music and a wine toast.
- [Tirana](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tirana): Albanian weddings are large and loud, with the besa and a day of dancing.
- [Skopje](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/skopje): Macedonian weddings hold an old rite of the flag and a night of dance.
- [Kyiv](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kyiv): Ukrainian weddings feature the korovai, a decorated wedding bread, and embroidered cloth.
- [Minsk](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/minsk): Belarusian weddings keep a loaf, a rushnik and the custom of the wedding pledge.
- [Moscow](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/moscow): A Russian wedding in Moscow starts at the ZAGS, a civil registry, and ends at the Eternal Flame with flowers.
- [Tallinn](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/tallinn): Estonian weddings come with folk dress, singing and old village customs.
- [Riga](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/riga): Latvian weddings may include the Ligo oak wreath and the old song of the dainas.
- [Vilnius](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/vilnius): Lithuanian weddings include a bread, a rue wreath and a song.
- [Valletta](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/valletta): Malta combines Catholic weddings, baroque churches and a well-known destination wedding trade.
- [Las Vegas](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/las-vegas): The wedding capital of the United States, where a license, a chapel and a ceremony can be done in a day.
- [New York](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/new-york): City Hall marriages, Orthodox Jewish weddings in Brooklyn and Chinese banquets in Queens all share the same city.
- [Chicago](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/chicago): Chicago weddings mix Polish halls, Mexican quinceanera-style parties and Lake Michigan skyline views.
- [Los Angeles](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/los-angeles): Los Angeles weddings are outdoors by the beach, on a hilltop or in a Korean banquet hall.
- [Nashville](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/nashville): Music City weddings mean a live band, a guitar player at the aisle and country songs for the first dance.
- [New Orleans](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/new-orleans): A New Orleans wedding often leaves the church behind a brass band in a second line parade.
- [Charleston](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/charleston): A Southern port city with live oaks, church bells and a tradition of the bride's cake.
- [Salt Lake City](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/salt-lake-city): The home of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where weddings are held in temples as sealings.
- [Honolulu](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/honolulu): Honolulu weddings come with leis, a shell blown at the ceremony and visitors from Japan and across the world.
- [Hawaii](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/hawaii): Hawaiian weddings carry the shell, the chant and the lei, and are kept alive by Native Hawaiian families.
- [Navajo Nation](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/navajo-nation): The Navajo wedding basket, with its path of colours, holds the sacred cornmeal of the marriage ceremony.
- [Toronto](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/toronto): In Toronto, weddings are held in more than a hundred languages and at the Marriage Bureau at City Hall.
- [Vancouver](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/vancouver): Vancouver weddings sit between the mountains and the sea, and combine Pacific, Chinese and South Asian customs.
- [Montreal](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/montreal): In Montreal many couples marry before a civil celebrant and celebrate in French and English with a long party.
- [Mexico City](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/mexico-city): Mexican weddings centre on the lazo, the arras and a party with a mariachi band and a long dance.
- [Oaxaca](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/oaxaca): Oaxaca is home to the Zapotec and Mixtec wedding, with the calenda procession and the guelaguetza spirit.
- [Guadalajara](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/guadalajara): The home of mariachi and tequila, where a wedding is a long night of songs.
- [Havana](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/havana): Cuban weddings in Havana are civil first, at a Palacio de los Matrimonios, with a party of music and rum.
- [Kingston](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/kingston): Jamaican weddings come with a big church service, a hat parade and curried goat.
- [Port-au-Prince](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/port-au-prince): Haitian weddings bring a church service, a drummed celebration and a feast of griot.
- [Santo Domingo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/santo-domingo): Dominican weddings combine a church ceremony with merengue and a rum toast.
- [San Juan](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/san-juan): Puerto Rican weddings come with a plena, a pig roast and gold medals for the couple.
- [Port of Spain](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/port-of-spain): In Trinidad, Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Afro-Trinidadian weddings share the same island.
- [Bridgetown](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bridgetown): Barbadian weddings often have a beach, a steel band and a black cake soaked in rum.
- [Guatemala City](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/guatemala-city): Guatemalan weddings, among the Maya, feature the huipil and a traditional marimba.
- [San Jose](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/san-jose): Costa Rican weddings use a Catholic church and a party at a beach or forest lodge.
- [Panama City](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/panama-city): The Panamanian pollera, a white lace dress, is worn by brides and by dancers at festivals.
- [Bogota](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/bogota): Colombian weddings in Bogota mix a Catholic Mass, a long party and the Colombian arepa.
- [Cartagena](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/cartagena): A walled Caribbean city of colonial churches and courtyards, popular for destination weddings.
- [Caracas](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/caracas): Venezuelan weddings hold the cake, the money dance and the Venezuelan ham bread.
- [Quito](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/quito): Ecuadorian weddings in Quito may feature the Andean ceremony with a poncho and drink of chicha.
- [Lima](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/lima): Peruvian weddings include the cutting of the cake with ribbons and the pasacalle, a dancing procession.
- [Cusco](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/cusco): Andean weddings near Cusco include a rite to the Pachamama and a rich textile culture.
- [La Paz](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/la-paz): Bolivian weddings among the Aymara bring a ceremony to the earth and a night of folk dancing.
- [Rio de Janeiro](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/rio-de-janeiro): Weddings in Rio come with beachside ceremonies, samba, and the Brazilian brigadeiro on the dessert table.
- [Salvador](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/salvador): In Salvador, Catholic and Candomble traditions share the wedding of Afro-Brazilian families.
- [Sao Paulo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/sao-paulo): A city of many immigrants, with Italian, Japanese, Lebanese and Korean weddings.
- [Buenos Aires](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/buenos-aires): Argentine weddings include a civil ceremony at the registry and a long party of tango, asado and the carnaval de cotillon.
- [Santiago](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/santiago): Chilean weddings include the cueca, a handkerchief dance, and a feast of empanadas and pisco.
- [Montevideo](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/montevideo): Uruguayan weddings are civil above all, a country that has long separated state and church.
- [Asuncion](https://everyshaadi.com/cities/asuncion): Paraguayan weddings feature the bottle dance, Guarani songs and a chipa feast.

## Wedding calendar days
- [Dev Uthani Ekadashi](https://everyshaadi.com/days/dev-uthani-ekadashi): The day Vishnu is said to wake from his four-month sleep, and the day the Hindu wedding season opens.
- [Hindu winter shaadi season (Dev Uthani to Kharmas)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/hindu-winter-shaadi-season): The first stretch of the shaadi season: from the waking of Vishnu in November until Kharmas begins in mid-December.
- [Magh and Phalgun wedding window](https://everyshaadi.com/days/magh-phalgun-wedding-window): From Makar Sankranti in mid-January to mid-March: the second great run of Hindu wedding dates.
- [Hindu spring wedding window (April to June)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/hindu-spring-wedding-window): From mid-April, after Meena Kharmas, until the heat and the monsoon slow the calendar.
- [Akshaya Tritiya](https://everyshaadi.com/days/akshaya-tritiya-weddings): The "never-fading" third day of Vaishakh, when any beginning is said to last, so weddings and gold are fixed for it.
- [Vasant Panchami as a wedding date](https://everyshaadi.com/days/vasant-panchami-weddings): The fifth day of spring, one of the few dates families treat as clean for a wedding without checking the panchang.
- [Bhadli Navami](https://everyshaadi.com/days/bhadli-navami): The ninth day before Chaturmas, kept in Rajasthan and Gujarat as the last good wedding date of the season.
- [Shubh Vivah muhurat](https://everyshaadi.com/days/hindu-shubh-vivah-muhurat): The auspicious time a priest picks from the almanac, by the stars of the bride and groom, for the wedding or the main rite.
- [June, the Western wedding month](https://everyshaadi.com/days/june-wedding-season): The classic month for a wedding in Europe and North America, named for Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage.
- [September and October wedding peak](https://everyshaadi.com/days/autumn-wedding-peak): In the United States and Canada, the months with the most weddings: mild weather, autumn colour and venues still open.
- [Shrovetide, the old Irish wedding time](https://everyshaadi.com/days/shrove-season-ireland): The days before Lent, when matches were made and rural Irish weddings were crowded in before the fast.
- [Japan, the spring wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/japan-spring-wedding-season): From mid-March to May, when cherry blossom and mild weather make shrines and hotels the busiest.
- [Japan, the autumn wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/japan-autumn-wedding-season): From mid-September to November: cool weather and autumn colour, the other great Japanese wedding season.
- [China, the autumn wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/china-autumn-wedding-season): From mid-September to the end of November: the National Day holiday, mild weather, and a long run of lucky dates.
- [Taian, the luckiest day](https://everyshaadi.com/days/taian-japan): The "great peace" day of the six-day rokuyo cycle, chosen for weddings and sold out first.
- [Son-eomneun-nal, days without evil spirits](https://everyshaadi.com/days/son-eomneun-nal): The days when mischievous spirits are said to be away: lunar days ending in 9 or 0, favoured for weddings and moving house.
- [8/8, the double luck date](https://everyshaadi.com/days/eight-eight-wedding-date): August 8: in Chinese speech the number eight sounds like prosperity, so 8/8 is among the most sought-after wedding dates.
- [9/9, the long-lasting date](https://everyshaadi.com/days/nine-nine-wedding-date): September 9: nine sounds like "long-lasting" in Chinese, so weddings fixed for it promise a marriage that endures.
- [520, "I love you" day](https://everyshaadi.com/days/five-twenty-wedding-date): May 20: in Mandarin, 5-2-0 sounds like "I love you", so registry offices open early and fill with couples.
- [10/10, the perfect date](https://everyshaadi.com/days/double-ten-wedding-date): October 10: in Taiwan, Double Ten Day, a round number meaning "perfect", and a favourite date to marry.
- [2/22 and other repeated dates](https://everyshaadi.com/days/two-twenty-two-wedding-date): Dates like 2/22/22, 6/6, 7/7 and 8/8 are chosen for their pattern, easy to remember on every anniversary.
- [The Chinese almanac and lucky wedding days](https://everyshaadi.com/days/chinese-almanac-wedding-dates): Each lunar month the almanac rates every day, and the family or a fortune teller checks it before fixing the wedding.
- [Ngày tốt, a good day in Vietnam](https://everyshaadi.com/days/vietnam-ngay-tot): Vietnamese families pick a ngay hoang dao, a lucky day, by the lunar calendar and the ages of the couple.
- [Lag BaOmer, weddings resume](https://everyshaadi.com/days/lag-baomer-weddings): The 33rd day of the Omer, when the mourning period lifts for many Jewish communities and weddings are held again.
- [Tu B'Av as a wedding date](https://everyshaadi.com/days/tu-bav-wedding-day): The 15th of Av, in the old tradition a day of matchmaking and a favoured one for Jewish weddings in Israel.
- [Israel, the summer wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/israel-summer-wedding-season): From May to October: after the Omer ends and before the autumn holidays, the main run of Israeli weddings.
- [Shawwal, the month after Ramadan](https://everyshaadi.com/days/shawwal-after-eid): The month after Ramadan: weddings are held again, and the Prophet is remembered to have married Aisha in Shawwal.
- [After Hajj and Eid al-Adha](https://everyshaadi.com/days/post-hajj-wedding-season): The days after the pilgrimage and the Eid of the Sacrifice, when the Gulf and North Africa hold many weddings.
- [The Gulf winter wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/gulf-winter-wedding-season): From November to March: cool evenings, school holidays and long nights for the women's party and the men's majlis.
- [The winter wedding season of South Asia](https://everyshaadi.com/days/pakistan-india-muslim-winter-season): From mid-October to the end of February: the cool months when the many-day Pakistani wedding takes place.
- [Egypt, the summer wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/egypt-summer-wedding-season): From mid-June to September: schools are closed, families abroad are home, and Cairo has a wedding on every street.
- [The Maghreb summer wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/maghreb-summer-wedding-season): From July to September, when emigrants come home and weddings are held for days in houses and halls.
- [Turkey, the summer wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/turkey-summer-wedding-season): From mid-May to September: outdoor halls, garden weddings and the dugun in a village square.
- [Mehr, the Persian autumn of weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/days/iran-mehr-wedding-month): The Persian month of Mehr, from late September, is said to be the month of friendship and love and a popular time to marry.
- [The Nigerian December wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/nigeria-december-wedding-season): December: holidays, relatives home from abroad and an owambe, a lavish party, on almost every weekend.
- [Ghana, from Easter to December](https://everyshaadi.com/days/ghana-easter-december-weddings): Ghanaian weddings and engagements cluster between Easter and December, with the knocking ceremony coming first.
- [South Africa, the spring and summer season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/south-africa-summer-wedding-season): From September to March: warm weather, lobola settled earlier, and a wedding every weekend.
- [Ethiopia, the season after the rains](https://everyshaadi.com/days/ethiopia-meskerem-wedding-season): From the new year in September until the Lent fast: the dry months when Ethiopian and Eritrean weddings are held.
- [Harvest-time weddings in Central Asia](https://everyshaadi.com/days/central-asia-harvest-weddings): September to November: after the harvest, families hold the large toi, the feast for the whole neighbourhood.
- [Thailand and Cambodia, the cool-season weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/days/thailand-cambodia-cool-season-weddings): From November to the end of February: after the rains and the Buddhist Lent, the months when most couples marry.
- [The ber months in the Philippines](https://everyshaadi.com/days/philippines-ber-months): September to December: the "ber" months, the long Philippine Christmas, and the busiest time for weddings.
- [Australia and New Zealand, the summer wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/australia-nz-summer-weddings): From October to April: warm weather in the south, with the peak in March and in the spring.
- [May, the month of brides in Brazil](https://everyshaadi.com/days/brazil-mes-das-noivas): In Brazil May is "the month of brides", the month of Mary, and a traditional time for the church wedding.
- [The dry season wedding months in Latin America](https://everyshaadi.com/days/latin-america-dry-season-weddings): November to March: after the rains and the harvest, the months when Mexican and Andean villages marry.
- [Krasnaya Gorka, the first wedding Sunday](https://everyshaadi.com/days/krasnaya-gorka): The Sunday after Orthodox Easter: after the Lent and Holy Week, the day when weddings begin again in the Slavic countries.
- [Pokrov, the autumn wedding season](https://everyshaadi.com/days/pokrov-wedding-season): The feast of the Protecting Veil on 14 October: in Slavic villages the harvest is in, and weddings follow.
- [Lent](https://everyshaadi.com/days/lent-no-weddings): The forty days before Easter, when many Catholic and Anglican families put a wedding off, though the Church does not forbid it.
- [Holy Week and the Triduum](https://everyshaadi.com/days/holy-week-triduum): Holy Thursday to Holy Saturday: weddings are not celebrated in church in most Catholic parishes.
- [Advent](https://everyshaadi.com/days/advent-no-weddings): The weeks before Christmas, once a closed season for Catholic weddings and still a quiet one in many parishes.
- [Orthodox Great Lent](https://everyshaadi.com/days/orthodox-great-lent): From Clean Monday to Holy Saturday: the Orthodox Church does not marry couples during Great Lent.
- [Bright Week](https://everyshaadi.com/days/orthodox-bright-week): The week after Orthodox Easter: a week of feasting in which, by custom, the church does not marry.
- [The Nativity Fast](https://everyshaadi.com/days/orthodox-nativity-fast): Forty days from 15 November to Christmas Eve in the Orthodox Church, with no weddings.
- [The Dormition Fast](https://everyshaadi.com/days/orthodox-dormition-fast): The first two weeks of August, before the feast of the Dormition on 15 August: no Orthodox weddings.
- [The Apostles' Fast](https://everyshaadi.com/days/orthodox-apostles-fast): From the Monday after All Saints until 28 June: a movable fast in which Orthodox weddings are not held.
- [The Coptic Advent fast](https://everyshaadi.com/days/coptic-advent-fast): The forty-three days before Coptic Christmas on 7 January: Copts do not marry in the fast.
- [The Coptic and Ethiopian Great Lent](https://everyshaadi.com/days/coptic-ethiopian-lent): Fifty-five days of fasting before Easter, in which Coptic, Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox couples do not marry.
- [Leap year](https://everyshaadi.com/days/greek-leap-year): In Greece and parts of southern Europe, an old belief that a marriage in a leap year will not last.
- [May, the unlucky month](https://everyshaadi.com/days/may-no-weddings): In Greece, Italy, Spain and Britain, an old belief that a wedding in May is unlucky.
- [Friday the 13th](https://everyshaadi.com/days/friday-the-13th-weddings): A date many couples in the West avoid for a wedding, though some choose it because it is cheap.
- [Ramadan](https://everyshaadi.com/days/ramadan-no-weddings): The month of fasting: the wedding feast is put off until after Eid, since days are for the fast and nights for prayer.
- [Muharram](https://everyshaadi.com/days/muharram-no-weddings): The first month of the Islamic year and the days of mourning for Husayn: many Shia and some Sunni families do not marry.
- [Suro, the Javanese month of caution](https://everyshaadi.com/days/javanese-suro-no-weddings): The Javanese month of Suro, from the Islamic new year: a month of quiet in which many Javanese do not hold weddings.
- [Safar](https://everyshaadi.com/days/safar-no-weddings): The second Islamic month, held unlucky for weddings in parts of South Asia, though the Prophet's teaching does not say so.
- [Chaturmas](https://everyshaadi.com/days/chaturmas-no-weddings): The four months from Devshayani Ekadashi to Dev Uthani Ekadashi, when Vishnu is said to sleep and weddings are not held.
- [Pitru Paksha](https://everyshaadi.com/days/pitru-paksha-no-weddings): The fortnight of the ancestors, in Bhadrapada, when Hindus make offerings to the dead and no wedding is held.
- [Dhanu Kharmas](https://everyshaadi.com/days/kharmas-dhanu-no-weddings): From mid-December to mid-January, when the sun is in Sagittarius and North Indian families do not hold weddings.
- [Meena Kharmas](https://everyshaadi.com/days/kharmas-meena-no-weddings): From mid-March to mid-April, when the sun is in Pisces, the second Kharmas of the year.
- [Margazhi](https://everyshaadi.com/days/margazhi-no-weddings): The Tamil month from mid-December to mid-January, a month of prayer and music in which weddings are not held.
- [Aadi month](https://everyshaadi.com/days/aadi-no-weddings): The Tamil month of Aadi, mid-July to mid-August, kept for goddesses, and not for new beginnings such as a wedding.
- [Holashtak](https://everyshaadi.com/days/holashtak-no-weddings): The eight days before Holi, when many Hindu families do not hold weddings or begin new work.
- [The dark half of the month](https://everyshaadi.com/days/krishna-paksha-wedding-choice): Krishna Paksha, the waning fortnight: many priests prefer the bright half for a wedding, though not all.
- [Vivaha Panchami](https://everyshaadi.com/days/vivah-panchami-no-weddings): The day Sita and Rama are said to have married: kept with great ceremony in Janakpur, yet avoided for local weddings.
- [Rahu Kalam](https://everyshaadi.com/days/rahu-kalam-no-weddings): A daily window of about ninety minutes, different on each weekday, when Hindu priests do not begin a rite.
- [The Counting of the Omer](https://everyshaadi.com/days/omer-no-weddings): The seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot, a time of partial mourning in which many Jews do not marry.
- [The Three Weeks and the Nine Days](https://everyshaadi.com/days/three-weeks-no-weddings): From 17 Tammuz to Tisha B'Av: three weeks of mourning for the Temple in which weddings are not held.
- [Tisha B'Av](https://everyshaadi.com/days/tisha-bav-no-weddings): The ninth of Av, a day of fasting for the destruction of the Temples, and the deepest day of the season of no weddings.
- [The Ten Days of Repentance](https://everyshaadi.com/days/days-of-awe-no-weddings): From Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur: a time of judgement and prayer in which weddings are not held.
- [Ghost Month](https://everyshaadi.com/days/ghost-month-no-weddings): The seventh lunar month, when spirits roam and families put off weddings, moves and other new things.
- [Qingming](https://everyshaadi.com/days/qingming-no-weddings): The tomb-sweeping festival around 4 or 5 April, a day for remembering the dead and not for a wedding.
- [Butsumetsu, the unlucky day](https://everyshaadi.com/days/butsumetsu-japan): The "Buddha's death" day of the rokuyo cycle: the one most couples in Japan avoid for a wedding.
- [Vassa, the Buddhist rains retreat](https://everyshaadi.com/days/buddhist-vassa-no-weddings): Three months from July to October, when monks stay in their monasteries and many Buddhist families do not marry.
- [Pchum Ben](https://everyshaadi.com/days/pchum-ben-no-weddings): Fifteen days in September or October when Cambodians feed the spirits of their ancestors, and weddings are put off.
- [Muktad, the days of the departed](https://everyshaadi.com/days/muktad-parsi-no-weddings): The last ten days of the Parsi year, when families remember the dead and no wedding is held.
- [Imilchil Moussem (Betrothal Festival)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/imilchil-moussem): The September gathering of the Ait Haddidou in the High Atlas, where young people meet and families arrange betrothals.
- [Gerewol (Wodaabe Courtship Festival)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/gerewol): Wodaabe men in painted faces and plumes dance to be chosen by women, at the end of the rainy season in the Sahel.
- [Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival](https://everyshaadi.com/days/lisdoonvarna-matchmaking-festival): Ireland's month-long September matchmaking festival in County Clare, with dances, a matchmaker and a Wedding Book of past couples.
- [Tu B'Av (15 Av)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/tu-bav): The Jewish day of love, when in ancient times unmarried women danced in the vineyards and chose their husbands.
- [Qixi Festival (Double Seventh)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/qixi): The seventh night of the seventh lunar month: the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd meet, and lovers marry or register.
- [Khau Vai Love Market](https://everyshaadi.com/days/khau-vai-love-market): The 27th day of the third lunar month, when Hmong, Tay, Nung and other highlanders in Ha Giang meet old loves.
- [Lantern Festival and Chap Goh Mei](https://everyshaadi.com/days/lantern-festival-matchmaking): The 15th night of the new year, once a rare evening when young women could walk out and meet suitors under the lanterns.
- [Sisters' Meal Festival (Miao)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/miao-sisters-meal-festival): The Miao spring festival of Guizhou, when young women offer coloured rice with coded messages to the men they like.
- [Hmong New Year Ball Toss (Pov Pob)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/hmong-ball-toss): Young Hmong men and women toss a cloth ball back and forth in two lines at the harvest new year, a gentle form of courtship.
- [Kupala Night (Ivan Kupala)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/kupala-night): Midsummer night in Slavic lands, when girls float flower wreaths and couples jump bonfires to see who will marry.
- [Umhlanga (Reed Dance)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/umhlanga-reed-dance): Thousands of unmarried Swazi girls carry reeds to the royal residence; the king may choose a wife from among them.
- [Leap Day (Women Propose)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/leap-day-proposals): The old rule that on 29 February a woman may propose, and a man who refuses owes a forfeit.
- [Valentine's Day](https://everyshaadi.com/days/valentines-day): The day of cards, roses and proposals, and one of the most chosen dates for engagements and weddings.
- [White Day](https://everyshaadi.com/days/white-day): The 14 March return gift in Japan and Korea, a month after women give chocolate on Valentine's Day.
- [Singles Day (11/11)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/singles-day): The date of four ones, begun by Chinese university students for the unattached, and now a mass day of shopping and matchmaking events.
- [Black Day (Korea)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/black-day): The Korean day on which people with no valentine meet to eat black bean noodles, jajangmyeon.
- [520 (I Love You Day)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/520-day): In Mandarin 5-2-0 sounds like "I love you", so 20 May is a day for proposals, red packets and registering marriages.
- [Dia dos Namorados (Brazil)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/dia-dos-namorados): Brazil's lovers' day on 12 June, the eve of St Anthony, the saint who is asked to find a husband.
- [Sant Jordi (Catalonia)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/sant-jordi): Catalonia's day of roses and books, when men give women a rose and women give men a book.
- [Tanabata (Japan)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/tanabata): Japan's star festival, when wishes, including wishes for love, are written on paper strips and hung on bamboo.
- [Amor y Amistad (Colombia)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/amor-y-amistad-colombia): Colombia keeps its day of love and friendship on the third Saturday of September, with the secret-friend game and gifts for couples.
- [Akshaya Tritiya Mass Weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/days/akshaya-tritiya-samuhik-vivah): The "never-ending" third day of Vaishakha, so auspicious that no muhurat is needed, and the busiest day for community mass weddings.
- [Dev Uthani Ekadashi](https://everyshaadi.com/days/dev-uthani-ekadashi-weddings): The day Vishnu wakes from his four-month sleep, when the Hindu wedding season reopens after Chaturmas.
- [Gulf Group Weddings (Zawaj Jama'i)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/gulf-group-weddings): Charity committees across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf marry many young couples at once to keep the cost of marriage within reach.
- [Valentine's Day Mass Weddings (Philippines)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/philippines-valentine-mass-weddings): City halls in Manila and other cities marry hundreds of couples at once on 14 February, with the licence cost often waived.
- [Blessing Ceremonies (Unification Church)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/unification-church-blessing): Large group "Blessing" ceremonies of the Unification Church, famous for the mass weddings of the 1980s and 1990s in Seoul.
- [Mass Weddings (Pakistan and India)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/pakistan-community-mass-weddings): Welfare trusts and local committees hold group nikahs for brides who could not afford a wedding, often with a dowry set of household goods.
- [Isbat Nikah Mass Registrations (Indonesia)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/indonesia-isbat-nikah): Local governments and courts register thousands of religious marriages in batches, giving couples a legal certificate.
- [Tulsi Vivah](https://everyshaadi.com/days/tulsi-vivah): The ritual wedding of the tulsi plant to Vishnu or Shaligram, held after Dev Uthani and opening the wedding season.
- [Loving Day](https://everyshaadi.com/days/loving-day): The anniversary of Loving v. Virginia in 1967, when the US Supreme Court struck down bans on interracial marriage.
- [World Marriage Day](https://everyshaadi.com/days/world-marriage-day): Observed on the second Sunday of February by Catholic and other Christian communities, with renewal of vows.
- [June, the Wedding Month](https://everyshaadi.com/days/june-wedding-month): June is the classic month for weddings in the English-speaking world, often linked to the Roman goddess Juno.
- [Ii Fufu no Hi (Good Couple Day)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/ii-fufu-no-hi): Japan's 22 November, a pun on ii fufu, "good couple", when many pairs register their marriage.
- [Valentine's Day Registry Weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/days/valentines-registry-weddings): Registry offices and chapels schedule extra weddings on 14 February, from Las Vegas to Shenzhen.
- [Marriage Equality, Netherlands (1 April 2001)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/marriage-equality-netherlands): On 1 April 2001 Amsterdam married the first same-sex couples in the world.
- [Marriage Equality, Spain (3 July 2005)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/marriage-equality-spain): Spain's law opening marriage to same-sex couples came into force on 3 July 2005, with the right to adopt.
- [Marriage Equality, South Africa (1 December 2006)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/marriage-equality-south-africa): South Africa was the first African country, and the fifth in the world, to allow same-sex marriage, under the Civil Union Act of 2006.
- [Marriage Equality, United States (26 June 2015)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/marriage-equality-united-states): The date of Obergefell v. Hodges, when the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.
- [Marriage Equality, Taiwan (24 May 2019)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/marriage-equality-taiwan): The day Taiwan became the first place in Asia to register same-sex marriages, after a Constitutional Court ruling in 2017.
- [Marriage Equality, Ireland (22 May 2015)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/marriage-equality-ireland): Ireland became the first country to adopt same-sex marriage by popular vote, on 22 May 2015.
- [Marriage Equality, Thailand (23 January 2025)](https://everyshaadi.com/days/marriage-equality-thailand): Thailand's Marriage Equality Act took effect on 23 January 2025, the first in Southeast Asia.

## Which day to marry
- [Sunday](https://everyshaadi.com/weekdays/sunday): The wedding day of the Philippines and much of Latin America, of Sikh and Hindu families with a day off, and of Greek village weddings.
- [Monday](https://everyshaadi.com/weekdays/monday): "Monday for wealth" in the old English rhyme, a day of Shiva for Hindu brides, and today the cheapest day to hire a venue.
- [Tuesday](https://everyshaadi.com/weekdays/tuesday): "Tuesday for health" in the rhyme, but a day many Hindu and Greek families avoid, and one the Orthodox rule counts as an eve of a fast day.
- [Wednesday](https://everyshaadi.com/weekdays/wednesday): "Wednesday the best day of all" in English folklore, the Talmud's day for a first marriage, and a fast day for Orthodox Christians.
- [Thursday](https://everyshaadi.com/weekdays/thursday): Jupiter's auspicious day in Hindu practice, a common wedding day in Israel, and the eve of the Gulf and Iranian weekend.
- [Friday](https://everyshaadi.com/weekdays/friday): The Muslim day of congregation and a favoured day for the nikah, but a no-go for Jewish and Orthodox weddings and a day of ill omen in English folklore.
- [Saturday](https://everyshaadi.com/weekdays/saturday): The standard wedding day of the West, the most common day in Greece and Italy, but never for observant Jews, and "no luck at all" in the rhyme.

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

## Wedding traditions
- [Huipil](https://everyshaadi.com/t/huipil), Mexico: The traditional tunic worn by indigenous women in Mexico and Central America for weddings and daily life.
- [Ribbon Chapel](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ribbon-chapel), Japan: A glass-walled wedding venue in Onomichi with twin staircases that symbolize the bond of marriage.
- [Horon](https://everyshaadi.com/t/horon), Turkey: The fast shoulder-shimmying line dance of the Eastern Black Sea Region performed at weddings and festivals
- [Owanbe](https://everyshaadi.com/t/owanbe), Nigeria: The extravagant Yoruba celebration where music, fashion, and money spraying mark life's milestones.
- [Mazel tov](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mazel-tov), Israel: The Jewish phrase said to congratulate someone on a happy occasion or good fortune.
- [Baju Kurung](https://everyshaadi.com/t/baju-kurung), Malaysia: The traditional blouse and skirt worn by Malay women for weddings and religious ceremonies
- [Nikah halala](https://everyshaadi.com/t/nikah-halala), India: A second marriage required for a woman to remarry her first husband after triple talaq.
- [Csárdás](https://everyshaadi.com/t/csardas), Hungary: A Hungarian folk dance that begins slowly and ends with a fast spin.
- [Weddings in Mali](https://everyshaadi.com/t/weddings-in-mali), Mali: Multi-day Malian wedding traditions blending Islamic rites, civil law, and local customs with bazin attire.
- [Quaich](https://everyshaadi.com/t/quaich), United Kingdom: A shallow two-handled cup used in Scottish weddings to share a drink and symbolise union.
- [Kyz kuu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kyz-kuu), Azerbaijan: A horse race where a man chases a woman to win a kiss or faces her whip if he fails
- [Romvong](https://everyshaadi.com/t/romvong), Cambodia: A circular folk dance across Southeast Asia where couples hold hands and step in time with drums.
- [Kizomba](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kizomba), Angola: A slow, sensual partner dance from Angola that turns wedding parties into intimate social gatherings.
- [Dabke](https://everyshaadi.com/t/dabke), Palestine: A Levantine line dance performed at weddings to celebrate union and community.
- [Gele](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gele-headdress), Nigeria: The towering Yoruba head tie that crowns the bride and marks her status on the wedding day.
- [Tamborito](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tamborito), Panama: A Panamanian courtship dance performed in a circle with drums and female chorus
- [Zaffa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/zaffa), Egypt: A lively musical procession that marks the start of wedding festivities in Arab culture.
- [Tahtib](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tahtib), Egypt: A traditional Egyptian stick-fighting martial art that evolved into a folk dance performed at weddings and celebrations.
- [Shankha](https://everyshaadi.com/t/shankha-ornament), India: White conch shell bangles worn by Bengali Hindu married women as a symbol of their husband's well-being.
- [Sabar](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sabar), Senegal: The Senegalese drum that drives the music and dance at Wolof weddings
- [Wanvun](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wanvun), India: A Kashmiri choral singing style performed before weddings and religious rites
- [Guérewol](https://everyshaadi.com/t/guerewol), Niger: A week-long courtship dance where Wodaabe men display their beauty to win the attention of marriageable women.
- [Wimpel](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wimpel), Germany: A linen sash made from a baby boy's circumcision cloth that binds the Torah scroll.
- [Slave marriages in the United States](https://everyshaadi.com/t/slave-marriages-in-the-united-states), United States: The unions formed by enslaved African Americans before and after the abolition of slavery in the US.
- [Loutrophoros](https://everyshaadi.com/t/loutrophoros), Greece: An ancient Greek vessel that carried water for a bride's bath or marked an unmarried death.
- [Baci](https://everyshaadi.com/t/baci), Laos: The wrist-tying ceremony that calls the soul back to restore balance and good luck.
- [Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church](https://everyshaadi.com/t/blessing-ceremony-of-the-unification-church), South Korea: A large-scale marriage rededication or new union ceremony that engrafts couples into a sinless lineage.
- [Madisar](https://everyshaadi.com/t/madisar), India: The nine-yard sari drape worn by Tamil Brahmin women during weddings and religious rites.
- [Chicken Dance](https://everyshaadi.com/t/chicken-dance), Switzerland: A novelty polka song and accompanying hand movements performed at weddings and festivals.
- [Umhlanga](https://everyshaadi.com/t/umhlanga), Eswatini: The annual Swazi and Zulu gathering where young women cut reeds to preserve chastity and offer tribute labour.
- [Songket](https://everyshaadi.com/t/songket), Indonesia: A hand-woven brocade cloth patterned with gold or silver threads for traditional weddings in Southeast Asia.
- [Kenduri](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kenduri), Indonesia: A communal feast and prayer gathering held by Javanese and Malay communities to mark life events.
- [Cueca](https://everyshaadi.com/t/cueca), Chile: A courtship dance from Chile and the Andes where couples trace circles with handkerchiefs to reenact a rooster and hen.
- [Zuria](https://everyshaadi.com/t/zuria), Ethiopia: The ankle-length dress with woven hem bands worn by Tigrinya and Amhara women for weddings and holidays.
- [Eastern Orthodox marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-in-the-eastern-orthodox-church), Russia: The Byzantine Rite ceremony where a priest crowns the couple to seal their union in Christ.
- [Blessing ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/t/unification-church), South Korea: The large-scale marriage rite of the Unification Church where couples are matched and blessed by their leaders.
- [Tabua](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tabua), Fiji: A polished sperm whale tooth exchanged as a gift in Fijian weddings and ceremonies.
- [Sambandam](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sambandam), India: The traditional matrilineal marriage alliance of Kerala's Nairs and Nambudiris.
- [Nishekam](https://everyshaadi.com/t/nishekam), India: The Hindu rite of consummation on the first night after marriage
- [Fescennine Verses](https://everyshaadi.com/t/fescennine-verses), Italy: Bawdy wedding songs from Ancient Rome that evolved into satire and comic drama.
- [Marriage in Myanmar](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-in-myanmar), Myanmar: A blend of Buddhist rites, astrological timing, and family negotiations that defines union across Myanmar's diverse ethn
- [Waist beads](https://everyshaadi.com/t/waist-beads), Egypt: Strands of glass or seed worn around the hips to mark womanhood and track body changes in West and North Africa.
- [Tu B'Av](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tu-b-av), Israel: A minor Jewish holiday in Israel that serves as a popular day for weddings and matchmaking.
- [Kanchipuram silk sari](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kanchipuram-silk-sari), India: The heavy silk bridal garment woven in Kanchipuram with contrasting borders and gold zari.
- [Pentozali](https://everyshaadi.com/t/pentozali), Greece: The vigorous Cretan war dance of high jumps and improvisation that marks the wedding procession.
- [Ululation](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ululation), Iran: A high-pitched trilling sound made by women to celebrate weddings and share good news across many cultures.
- [Black Day](https://everyshaadi.com/t/black-day-south-korea), South Korea: A South Korean day for singles to gather and eat black bean noodles after missing Valentine's and White Day gifts.
- [Toe ring](https://everyshaadi.com/t/toe-ring), India: A silver band worn on the second toe to mark a woman as married in India.
- [Maithil Vivah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/maithil-vivah), India: The arranged Hindu marriage of Maithils in the Mithila region, guided by Vedic texts and local customs.
- [Nikah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-in-islam), Iran: The Islamic marriage contract that establishes a binding union between two people.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Italy](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-italy), Italy: The legal framework that grants same-sex couples rights and protections in Italy.
- [Kente cloth](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kente-cloth), Ghana: Hand-woven silk and cotton strips from Ghana that mark weddings and graduations
- [Seudat nissuin](https://everyshaadi.com/t/seudat-nissuin), Israel: The Jewish wedding meal blessed with wine and bread, followed by seven days of celebration.
- [Weddings in ancient Rome](https://everyshaadi.com/t/weddings-in-ancient-rome), Italy: The religious ceremonies and attire that marked a union in the city of Rome before the rise of Christianity.
- [Sevillanas](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sevillanas), Spain: A traditional Andalusian folk dance performed by couples at weddings and local festivals in Spain.
- [Mizmar](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mizmar-instrument), Egypt: A loud double reed instrument played at weddings and festivals across Egypt and the Levant.
- [Oppana](https://everyshaadi.com/t/oppana), India: A circle dance and song tradition of the Mappila Muslim community in Kerala weddings
- [Umemulo](https://everyshaadi.com/t/umemulo), South Africa: The Zulu coming of age ceremony that marks a woman as ready for marriage
- [Kasavu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kasavu), India: The white cotton and gold border attire worn by Malayalis for weddings and festivals.
- [Conga line](https://everyshaadi.com/t/conga-line), Cuba: A long processing line dance that links dancers in single file to a rhythmic drum beat.
- [Polonaise](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polonaise), Poland: A stately Polish partner dance in triple metre that opens weddings and formal celebrations.
- [Laavaan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/laavaan), India: The four sacred hymns sung during the Anand Karaj that guide a Sikh couple through spiritual stages of married life.
- [Mizuhiki](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mizuhiki), Japan: The knotted paper cord that adorns Japanese wedding gifts and envelopes
- [Gimmal ring](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gimmal-ring), United Kingdom: A betrothal ring with separate hoops that join to form the wedding band.
- [Mayoon](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mayoon), Pakistan: A pre-wedding seclusion period in Pakistan where the bride stays away from her groom for up to two weeks.
- [Kafa'ah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kafa-ah), Yemen: The Islamic legal principle of social and religious equivalence between spouses in marriage.
- [Wedding registry](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-registry), United States: A service that helps couples share their gift preferences with guests to avoid duplicates and unwanted items.
- [Bandhani](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bandhani), India: A traditional Indian tie-dye method that creates intricate dot patterns by binding small sections of cloth before dyeing
- [Gift registry](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gift-registry), United Kingdom: A public wish list managed by retailers to coordinate wedding gifts and prevent duplicates.
- [Alpana](https://everyshaadi.com/t/alpana), India: Rice flour floor paintings that bless homes and mark wedding celebrations in Bengal.
- [Achkan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/achkan), India: A long, side-fastening jacket worn by grooms and men at formal Indian weddings.
- [La víbora de la mar](https://everyshaadi.com/t/la-vibora-de-la-mar), Mexico: A wedding game where the couple stands on chairs while guests form a snake to test their unity.
- [Viennese waltz](https://everyshaadi.com/t/viennese-waltz), Austria: The fast rotary ballroom dance that originated in Austria and defines the traditional waltz.
- [Mandapa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mandapa), India: The pillared pavilion that serves as the stage for Hindu wedding rituals and temple gatherings.
- [Aso oke](https://everyshaadi.com/t/aso-oke), Nigeria: Hand-woven cloth worn by the Yoruba for weddings and formal gatherings
- [Ahidus](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ahidus), Morocco: A collective Berber dance from Morocco performed in circles or lines to celebrate unity and victory.
- [Kalamatianos](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kalamatianos), Greece: A popular Greek folk dance performed in a chain at weddings and social gatherings
- [Eskista](https://everyshaadi.com/t/eskista), Ethiopia: The shoulder dance of the Amhara people that brings joy to Ethiopian weddings
- [Mantilla](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mantilla), Spain: A lace or silk veil worn over the head and shoulders by women in Spain and Latin America
- [Tulasi Vivah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tulasi-vivaha), India: A symbolic Hindu wedding uniting the holy basil plant with a stone representing Vishnu.
- [Oonjal](https://everyshaadi.com/t/oonjal), India: A decorated swing where the Tamil bride and groom sit to receive family blessings.
- [Noghl](https://everyshaadi.com/t/noghl), Iran: Sugar-coated almonds served at Iranian and Afghan weddings as a sweet treat and showered confetti.
- [Kransekake](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kransekage), Denmark: A towering almond ring cake central to Scandinavian wedding and holiday traditions.
- [Marriage in Cyprus](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-in-cyprus), Cyprus: A destination for civil and religious weddings that allows interfaith couples to marry outside their home laws.
- [Tamada](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tamada), Georgia: The toastmaster who leads the Georgian supra and sets the rhythm of a wedding feast.
- [Song about the Rushnyk](https://everyshaadi.com/t/song-about-the-rushnyk), Ukraine: A Ukrainian song that celebrates the embroidered cloth used in weddings and family life.
- [Jokduri](https://everyshaadi.com/t/jokduri), South Korea: A traditional Korean coronet worn by women during weddings and other special occasions.
- [Ardah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ardah), Saudi Arabia: The men's group dance with swords and drums that marks weddings in the Arabian Peninsula
- [Sto lat](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sto-lat), Poland: A Polish song sung to wish a person long life and good health at weddings and other gatherings.
- [Palang pintu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/palang-pintu), Indonesia: The martial arts and poetry test that allows the groom to enter the bride's home in Betawi weddings.
- [Galičnik Wedding Festival](https://everyshaadi.com/t/galicnik-wedding-festival), North Macedonia: A recreated traditional wedding in a North Macedonian village that turns a local rite into an annual festival.
- [Rushnyk](https://everyshaadi.com/t/rushnyk), Ukraine: The embroidered linen cloth that marks life stages and guides the couple through the wedding ceremony in East Slavic cul
- [Bhangra](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bhangra), India: A vigorous Punjabi folk dance performed to the beat of a dhol drum during harvest celebrations.
- [Imilchil Marriage Festival](https://everyshaadi.com/t/imilchil), Morocco: A Berber marriage festival in Morocco where tribes gather to arrange unions and celebrate with music and dance.
- [Tsamiko](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tsamiko), Greece: A traditional Greek folk dance performed at weddings and festivals, known for its slow tempo and acrobatic leaps.
- [Tamagushi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tamagushi), Japan: A decorated sakaki branch offered to kami during Shinto wedding ceremonies and other rites.
- [Karakou](https://everyshaadi.com/t/karakou), Algeria: A fitted velvet jacket from Algiers, embroidered with gold and silver thread for weddings.
- [Beena marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-in-pre-islamic-arabia), Sri Lanka: A pre-Islamic Arabian custom where the husband moves to the wife's home and she keeps her own tent.
- [Tengkolok](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tengkolok), Brunei: A folded songket headcloth worn by Malay and Indonesian grooms at weddings
- [Halay](https://everyshaadi.com/t/halay), Turkey: A traditional line and circle dance performed across Turkey and surrounding regions at weddings.
- [Aso ebi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/aso-ebi), Nigeria: Matching outfits worn by groups to show solidarity at Yoruba weddings and other ceremonies
- [ʻIe tōga](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ie-toga), Samoa: Prestige woven mats exchanged at Samoan weddings to honor family ties and chiefly status.
- [Ulos](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ulos), Indonesia: The hand-woven textile that binds Batak couples in marriage and symbolizes warmth.
- [Red Thread of Fate](https://everyshaadi.com/t/red-thread-of-fate), China: An invisible cord that links destined lovers across time and distance.
- [Wedding customs in Ethiopia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-customs-in-ethiopia), Ethiopia: A collection of diverse marriage rites across Ethiopian tribes and the Orthodox Christian community.
- [Dia dos Namorados](https://everyshaadi.com/t/dia-dos-namorados), Brazil: Brazil's June 12 celebration of romance, held on the eve of Saint Anthony's feast day.
- [Shamiana](https://everyshaadi.com/t/shamiana), India: A South Asian ceremonial tent with removable walls used for wedding feasts and outdoor gatherings.
- [Kazakh wedding ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kazakh-wedding-ceremony), Kazakhstan: The multi-stage Kazakh marriage process featuring the face-revealing feast and the Islamic religious contract.
- [Marriage in Korea](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-in-korea), South Korea: A look at how Korean weddings blend ancient Confucian rites with modern legal practices.
- [Kartuli](https://everyshaadi.com/t/georgian-dance), Georgia: A romantic Georgian wedding dance where the couple dances apart without touching.
- [Pièce montée](https://everyshaadi.com/t/piece-montee), France: A sculptural French dessert centerpiece made of nougat, sugar, and pastry for wedding banquets.
- [Beskap](https://everyshaadi.com/t/beskap), Indonesia: The formal black jacket worn by Javanese men during weddings and official ceremonies.
- [Betashar](https://everyshaadi.com/t/culture-of-kazakhstan), Kazakhstan: The lifting of the bride's veil by the groom's mother during a Kazakh wedding ceremony
- [Dirndl](https://everyshaadi.com/t/dirndl), Austria: The bodice, skirt and apron dress worn by brides in the German-speaking Alps.
- [Matchmaking](https://everyshaadi.com/t/matchmaking), Singapore: The practice of pairing two people for marriage through an intermediary or system.
- [Bride price](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bride-price), Thailand: Wealth paid by the groom or his family to the bride or her kin to formalize a union.
- [Marriage proposal](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-proposal), United States: The moment one partner asks the other to marry them and marks the start of an engagement.
- [Svayamvara](https://everyshaadi.com/t/svayamvara), India: The ancient Hindu ceremony where a princess picks her husband from assembled suitors
- [Jewish wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/jewish-wedding), Israel: The ceremony and laws that bind a couple in Jewish marriage, from the canopy to the glass.
- [Ala kachuu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ala-kachuu), Kyrgyzstan: A Kyrgyz custom of taking a woman for marriage, ranging from consensual elopement to forced abduction.
- [Handfasting](https://everyshaadi.com/t/handfasting), Ireland: A pledge ceremony where a couple joins hands to make a binding marriage contract or engagement.
- [Baraat](https://everyshaadi.com/t/baraat), India: The groom's wedding procession through the streets to the bride's home or venue.
- [Mayian](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mayian), India: The turmeric paste ceremony held the day before Punjabi weddings in India and Pakistan.
- [Gaye holud](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gaye-holud), India: The turmeric ceremony that prepares the Bengali bride and groom for marriage
- [Chaklong wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/chaklong), India: The traditional Ahom marriage system involving rice powder mandalas and ancestral rituals.
- [Jirtig](https://everyshaadi.com/t/jirtig), Sudan: A Sudanese inauguration ritual where the groom is symbolically crowned as a king.
- [Erusin](https://everyshaadi.com/t/erusin), Israel: The first stage of a Jewish marriage that consecrates the bride to the groom.
- [Russian wedding traditions](https://everyshaadi.com/t/russian-wedding-traditions), Russia: A multi-day celebration blending Orthodox crowning, ransom games, and lively toasting in Russia.
- [Khara dupatta](https://everyshaadi.com/t/khara-dupatta), India: The upright stole worn by Hyderabadi Muslim brides as part of their traditional wedding ensemble.
- [Kettu Kalyanam](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kettu-kalyanam), India: A mock marriage ritual in Kerala that marked a girl as ready for real unions by tying a sacred thread.
- [Baháʼí marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/baha-i-marriage), Israel: A spiritual union requiring parental consent and a specific vow to establish harmony between partners.
- [Brahmanippattu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/brahmanippattu), India: A devotional song and dance performed by Nambeesan women to bless a marriage with the grace of the Goddess.
- [Hindi wedding songs](https://everyshaadi.com/t/hindi-wedding-songs), India: Film and folk music that accompanies the stages of a North Indian Hindu wedding.
- [Garter toss](https://everyshaadi.com/t/garter), France: The groom removes the bride's garter and tosses it to unmarried men at the reception.
- [Wedding music](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-music), Egypt: The songs and instruments that mark the arrival of the couple and set the mood for the celebration.
- [Money dance](https://everyshaadi.com/t/money-dance), Poland: A reception ritual where guests give cash to the couple while dancing or showering them with notes.
- [Wedding vow renewal ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-vow-renewal-ceremony), United States: A service where a married couple repeats their marriage promises to reaffirm their commitment.
- [Ahesta Bero](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ahesta-bero), Afghanistan: The song played to welcome the bride and groom into the wedding hall in Afghanistan
- [Ghost marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/chinese-ghost-marriage), China: A union arranged for deceased individuals to ensure harmony in the afterlife and care in this one.
- [Vőfély](https://everyshaadi.com/t/vofely), Hungary: The Hungarian wedding host who guides the couple through rites, speeches, and traditions.
- [Epithalamium](https://everyshaadi.com/t/epithalamium), Greece: A poem or song written to celebrate a bride as she goes to her wedding chamber.
- [Same-sex marriage in Argentina](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-argentina), Argentina: The legal recognition of same-sex unions that made Argentina the first nation in Latin America to permit them.
- [Telugu Hindu wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/telugu-hindu-wedding), India: A multi-day Telugu Hindu marriage marked by seven vows around fire and family rituals.
- [Common-law marriage in the United States](https://everyshaadi.com/t/common-law-marriage-in-the-united-states), United States: A legal marriage formed without a licence or ceremony, in a few US jurisdictions
- [Leblouh](https://everyshaadi.com/t/leblouh), Mauritania: The forced fattening of girls to improve their marriage prospects, a harmful practice
- [Ihi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ihi), Nepal: The Newar rite in which a girl is married to Vishnu, shown by a golden figure
- [Same-sex marriage in Malta](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-malta), Malta: The legal recognition of same-sex marriage and civil unions in Malta.
- [Self-uniting marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/self-uniting-marriage), United States: A wedding where the couple marries each other without a third-party officiant.
- [Polterabend](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polterabend), Germany: The evening before the wedding when guests break porcelain to bring luck and test the couple's teamwork.
- [Gana](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gana-thread), India: A sacred red thread tied to wrists for protection during wedding rituals in parts of India.
- [Wedding traditions in Iraq](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-traditions-in-iraq), Iraq: The arranged courtship, religious rites and multi-day celebrations that mark marriage in Iraqi society.
- [Same-sex marriage in Spain](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-spain), Spain: The national law that legalized same-sex marriage and adoption rights for couples in Spain.
- [Lipothymiarikos](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lipothymiarikos), Greece: A Greek wedding dance where men mimic a fainting bride in the early morning hours.
- [Poruwa ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/t/poruwa-ceremony), Sri Lanka: The Sinhalese wedding ritual performed on a carved wooden platform with betel leaves and milk rice.
- [Minangkabau marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/minangkabau-marriage), Indonesia: A matrilineal wedding tradition from West Sumatra where the groom moves into the bride's family home.
- [Same-sex marriage in Germany](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-germany), Germany: The legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Germany since 2017.
- [Same-sex marriage in Sweden](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-sweden), Sweden: The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Sweden since 2009.
- [Osariya](https://everyshaadi.com/t/osariya), Sri Lanka: The traditional sari style worn by Sinhalese women in Sri Lanka for weddings and formal events.
- [Arabikalyanam](https://everyshaadi.com/t/arabikalyanam), India: A temporary marriage arrangement between Arabian men and women in Kerala that has been linked to exploitation.
- [Iranian wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/iranian-wedding), Iran: A multi-stage ceremony rooted in Zoroastrianism and Islam that binds families through courtship, feasts, and sacred vows
- [Posthumous marriage in France](https://everyshaadi.com/t/posthumous-marriage-in-france), France: A legal union with a deceased partner, authorized by the French President for serious reasons.
- [Haldi Kumkum](https://everyshaadi.com/t/haldi-kumkum), India: A gathering of married women in southern India who exchange turmeric and vermilion to celebrate their status.
- [Umtsimba](https://everyshaadi.com/t/umtsimba), Eswatini: A multi-day Swazi wedding procession where the bride joins her husband's family through ritualised stages.
- [Marriage à la façon du pays](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-a-la-facon-du-pays), Canada: The common-law unions between European fur traders and Indigenous women that shaped North American history.
- [Rèiteach](https://everyshaadi.com/t/reiteach), United Kingdom: A Scottish Gaelic betrothal ceremony where families negotiate marriage terms and celebrate with whisky.
- [Same-sex marriage in Uruguay](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-uruguay), Uruguay: The legal recognition of marriage for same-sex couples in Uruguay since 2013
- [Nikah 'urfi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/nikah-urfi), Egypt: An unregistered Islamic contract that allows couples to marry without state recognition or public ceremony.
- [Watta satta](https://everyshaadi.com/t/watta-satta), Pakistan: A reciprocal marriage arrangement where two families swap brides to bind households and manage domestic tensions.
- [Odia Hindu wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/odia-hindu-wedding), India: The traditional Hindu marriage ceremony of the Odia people in Odisha, India.
- [Civil solidarity pact](https://everyshaadi.com/t/civil-solidarity-pact), France: A French civil union contract that offers legal rights to couples without the full status of marriage.
- [Bengali Muslim wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bengali-muslim-wedding), Bangladesh: A multi-day Bengali Muslim marriage blending Islamic rites with local folk traditions.
- [Merariq](https://everyshaadi.com/t/merariq), Indonesia: A Sasak ritual in Lombok where the groom takes the bride to his home with family consent.
- [Bridal crown](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bridal-crown), Germany: A headdress worn by brides in Central and Northern Europe to symbolize purity and status.
- [Arranged marriage in the Indian subcontinent](https://everyshaadi.com/t/arranged-marriage-in-the-indian-subcontinent), India: The family-led matchmaking process that shapes most marriages across South Asia.
- [Miai](https://everyshaadi.com/t/miai), Japan: A traditional Japanese matchmaking meeting where a man and woman consider marriage with the help of a go-between.
- [Same-sex marriage in Israel](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-israel), Israel: Legal recognition for same-sex couples through foreign or online marriages due to the absence of civil marriage in Israe
- [Globe de mariée](https://everyshaadi.com/t/globe-de-mariee), France: A glass bell jar used in France to hold the bride's bouquet and preserve family memories.
- [Las arras](https://everyshaadi.com/t/las-arras), Spain: Thirteen coins exchanged by the couple to symbolize provision and trust in a Christian marriage.
- [Naked marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/naked-marriage-in-china), China: A wedding without a house, car, or ring, chosen by couples in China for love and financial necessity.
- [Shinto wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/shinto-wedding), Japan: A Shinto purification ritual featuring sake sharing and kimono attire held at a shrine or venue.
- [Posthumous marriage in Germany](https://everyshaadi.com/t/posthumous-marriage-in-germany), Germany: A legal rite that joined a living woman to a deceased soldier for state benefits.
- [Care cloth](https://everyshaadi.com/t/care-cloth), United Kingdom: A linen or silk cloth held over the heads of a bride and groom during a Christian wedding blessing.
- [Mehndi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mehndi), India: The henna body art applied to brides and guests before a South Asian wedding ceremony.
- [Shūgi-bukuro](https://everyshaadi.com/t/shugi-bukuro), Japan: The decorative envelope used to present monetary gifts at Japanese weddings and celebrations.
- [Korovai](https://everyshaadi.com/t/korovai), Ukraine: A large round braided bread shared at weddings to bless the couple and unite the community.
- [Bride kidnapping](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bride-kidnapping), Kyrgyzstan: The abduction of a woman or girl by a man who wishes to marry her, ranging from consensual elopement to violent coercion
- [Marriage market](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-market), China: Public spaces where families gather to find spouses for their children through listings and brokers.
- [Jiaobeijiu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/jiaobeijiu), China: The ancient Chinese rite of sharing wine from linked cups to seal a marriage.
- [Sehra](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sehra-headdress), India: A floral or beaded veil tied to the groom's turban before he departs for the wedding ceremony.
- [Bride buying](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bride-buying), China: The exchange of money or goods for a woman to become a wife.
- [Ketubah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ketubah), Israel: The Jewish marriage contract that outlines the groom's financial and personal obligations to the bride.
- [Bride buying in India](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bride-buying-in-india), India: The forced purchase of women from impoverished regions for arranged marriages in Northern India.
- [Wedding March (Mendelssohn)](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-march-mendelssohn), United Kingdom: Felix Mendelssohn's C major piece from 1842, used as a recessional at Western weddings.
- [Indian wedding invitations](https://everyshaadi.com/t/indian-wedding-invitations), India: Decorated cards sent to announce a marriage and invite guests to the celebration.
- [Page boy](https://everyshaadi.com/t/page-boy-wedding-attendant), United Kingdom: A young male member of the bridal party who manages the bride's train or carries the wedding rings.
- [Wedding cord](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-cord), Spain: A satin loop placed around the couple to symbolize their lifelong union in Catholic weddings.
- [Dowry system in India](https://everyshaadi.com/t/dowry-system-in-india), India: The transfer of cash and goods from the bride's family to the groom that has become a source of financial strain and vio
- [Inter-caste marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/inter-caste-marriage-in-india), India: Marriages between people from different castes in India and Nepal.
- [Lovespoon](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lovespoon), United Kingdom: A carved wooden spoon given as a romantic gift to show skill and intent.
- [Tree marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tree-marriage), India: A symbolic proxy marriage between a person and a tree to bypass restrictions on remarriage
- [Gandharva marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gandharva-marriage), India: A consensual union between a man and a woman without rituals or family involvement.
- [Banns of marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/banns-of-marriage), Finland: The public announcement of an impending marriage in church or town hall to allow for legal objections.
- [Takchita](https://everyshaadi.com/t/takshita), Morocco: A two-layered Moroccan wedding dress adorned with embroidery and traditional closures.
- [Groomsman](https://everyshaadi.com/t/groomsman), United Kingdom: A male attendant who supports the groom and assists guests at a wedding.
- [Bedding ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bedding-ceremony), United Kingdom: The public ritual of placing the newlyweds in their marital bed to witness and seal the marriage.
- [Khatba](https://everyshaadi.com/t/khatba), Egypt: A traditional Egyptian matchmaker who helps families find suitable marriage partners.
- [Bou Bhat](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bou-bhat), Bangladesh: A feast hosted by the groom's family to welcome the bride into her new home.
- [Groom's cake](https://everyshaadi.com/t/groom-s-cake), United States: A second dessert served at the wedding reception or rehearsal dinner to reflect the groom's tastes.
- [Yoruba traditional wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/yoruba-traditional-wedding), Nigeria: The multi-day Yoruba marriage ceremony featuring traditional attire, family introductions, and the Eru Iyawo gift list.
- [Lithuanian wedding songs](https://everyshaadi.com/t/folk-songs-of-lithuania), Lithuania: The polyphonic songs and weeping rituals that mark a Lithuanian bride's transition to her new family.
- [Same-sex marriage in Thailand](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-thailand), Thailand: The legal recognition of same-sex unions that took effect in January 2025.
- [Aiburo Bhaat](https://everyshaadi.com/t/aiburo-bhaat), India: The final bachelor feast for the bride and groom before their Bengali wedding
- [Nikah mut'ah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/nikah-mut-ah), Iran: A fixed-term Shia marriage contract with an agreed length and an agreed mahr
- [Blackening](https://everyshaadi.com/t/blackening-scottish-wedding-custom), United Kingdom: A messy pre-wedding prank where friends cover the couple in sticky substances and parade them through town.
- [Indian Wedding Blessing](https://everyshaadi.com/t/indian-wedding-blessing), United States: A modern poem often recited at weddings in the United States, falsely attributed to Native American traditions.
- [Fleet marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/fleet-marriage), United Kingdom: Secret weddings performed in London's Fleet Prison before the law required church ceremonies.
- [Wedding breakfast](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-breakfast), United Kingdom: The post-ceremony feast served to the couple and their guests in British English usage.
- [Xiuhefu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/xiuhefu), China: A modern two-piece Chinese bridal outfit inspired by Qing dynasty styles and popularized by a 2001 television drama.
- [Same-sex marriage in Switzerland](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-switzerland), Switzerland: The legal recognition of marriage for same-sex couples following a national referendum.
- [Yibbum](https://everyshaadi.com/t/yibbum), Israel: A Jewish rite where a brother marries his childless deceased brother's widow to continue the family line.
- [Ukuthwalwa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ukuthwalwa), South Africa: A South African practice of abducting a woman for marriage, now largely illegal and contested.
- [Zoroastrian wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/zoroastrian-wedding), India: A Zoroastrian marriage ceremony featuring hand-fastening, rice sprinkling, and shared meals.
- [Chura](https://everyshaadi.com/t/chura-bangles), India: The red and white bangles that mark a bride's new status in Indian Hindu weddings
- [Shanghai Marriage Market](https://everyshaadi.com/t/shanghai-marriage-market), China: Parents pin written profiles of their unmarried children to strings in a Shanghai park
- [Sakharpuda](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sakharpuda), India: The Maharashtrian engagement rite where sugar and coconuts seal a verbal promise between families.
- [Wedding ring](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-ring), Greece: A metal circle worn on the finger to show that a person is married.
- [Krokan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/krokan), Sweden: A multi-tiered almond pastry tower joined by caramel and decorated with marzipan roses, served at Swedish weddings.
- [Knobstick wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/knobstick-wedding), United Kingdom: A forced marriage arranged by local authorities to shift the cost of a child onto the presumed father.
- [Bride service](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bride-service), Peru: Labor provided by the groom to the bride's family as part of the marriage arrangement.
- [Loving cup](https://everyshaadi.com/t/loving-cup), Russia: A large shared drinking vessel with two handles used in Christian rites and weddings
- [Jewish prenuptial agreement](https://everyshaadi.com/t/jewish-prenuptial-agreement), Israel: A contract signed before the wedding to ensure a Jewish divorce can happen if one spouse refuses.
- [Stag and doe](https://everyshaadi.com/t/stag-and-doe), Canada: A Canadian fundraiser where guests pay to help the couple cover wedding costs.
- [Chinese pre-wedding customs](https://everyshaadi.com/t/chinese-pre-wedding-customs), China: The traditional betrothal rituals of the Book of Rites that prepare a Chinese marriage.
- [Varamala](https://everyshaadi.com/t/varamala), India: The exchange of flower garlands that marks mutual acceptance in a Hindu wedding.
- [Kolo](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kolo), Serbia: A South Slavic circle dance performed at weddings and social gatherings across the Balkans.
- [Same-sex marriage in Japan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-japan), Japan: The legal battle and local partnership systems for same-sex couples in Japan
- [Lehenga](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lehenga), India: A long skirt worn as the base of a bridal outfit across the Indian subcontinent.
- [Lagan Geet](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lagan-geet), India: Traditional Gujarati wedding songs sung by family and professional performers during ceremonies.
- [Engagement ring](https://everyshaadi.com/t/engagement-ring), United States: A ring given to signify a formal agreement to future marriage.
- [Bread and salt](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bread-and-salt), Russia: A traditional welcome offering of bread and salt to guests or newlyweds in Slavic, Baltic, and Balkan cultures.
- [Pre-Cana](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-preparation-in-the-catholic-church), United States: The Catholic Church course that helps engaged couples prepare for the sacrament of marriage.
- [Elopement](https://everyshaadi.com/t/elopement), Philippines: A secret marriage conducted without parental approval or public notice to bypass objections or legal barriers.
- [Hausa traditional marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/traditional-marriage-in-hausa-culture), Nigeria: The Islamic marriage rites of the Hausa people in Northern Nigeria and Niger.
- [Ghost marriage in South Sudan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ghost-marriage-in-south-sudan), South Sudan: A union where a living brother stands in for a deceased groom to secure lineage and wealth.
- [Icelandic weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/t/icelandic-weddings), Iceland: A blend of church ceremony and multi-day feasting that marks the union of two people in Iceland.
- [Quaker wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/quaker-wedding), United Kingdom: A silent ceremony where Friends witness each other's vows without clergy or rigid rituals.
- [Hwarot](https://everyshaadi.com/t/hwarot), South Korea: The embroidered Korean gown worn by brides during the pyebaek ceremony.
- [Meitei wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/meitei-marriage), India: The traditional union of the Meitei people, marked by clan exogamy and specific courtship rituals.
- [Interfaith marriage in Judaism](https://everyshaadi.com/t/interfaith-marriage-in-judaism), Israel: The union of a Jew and a non-Jew, viewed as void by traditional law but increasingly common in modern communities.
- [Civil ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/t/civil-ceremony), United Kingdom: A secular marriage rite performed by a government official at a licensed venue.
- [Gauna](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gauna), India: The ceremony that marks the start of conjugal life in northern Indian Hindu marriages.
- [Berberisca dress](https://everyshaadi.com/t/berberisca-dress), Morocco: The gold-embroidered wedding gown of Moroccan Jews, rooted in Spanish royal style.
- [Taʻovala](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ta-ovala), Tonga: The woven pandanus mat worn around the waist for formal occasions and weddings in Tonga.
- [Child marriage in India](https://everyshaadi.com/t/child-marriage-in-india), India: A contested practice where minors marry, defined by law as unions involving a bride under 18.
- [Marriage bond](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-bond), United Kingdom: A financial guarantee posted to prove a couple was legally free to marry before the ceremony took place.
- [Wedding dress](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-dress), United Kingdom: The ceremonial garment worn by the bride during her marriage rite.
- [White wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/white-wedding), United Kingdom: A formal Western ceremony marked by a white bridal gown and traditional Christian rituals.
- [Claddagh ring](https://everyshaadi.com/t/claddagh-ring), Ireland: A traditional Irish ring featuring clasped hands, a heart, and a crown to symbolise friendship, love, and loyalty.
- [Sheva Brachot](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sheva-brachot), Israel: The seven blessings recited during Jewish weddings and the subsequent festive week.
- [Money marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/money-marriage), Nigeria: A practice in southern Nigeria where a girl is given in marriage to settle her family's debts.
- [Same-sex marriage in Finland](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-finland), Finland: The legal recognition of same-sex unions that took effect in Finland on 1 March 2017.
- [Same-sex marriage in Belgium](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-belgium), Belgium: The legal union of two people of the same sex, available since June 2003.
- [Igbo traditional marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/traditional-marriage-in-igbo-culture), Nigeria: The multi-stage Igbo marriage process that formalizes a union through family negotiations and the wine-carrying ceremony
- [Country dance](https://everyshaadi.com/t/country-dance), United Kingdom: A social partner dance from England where couples follow a caller through repeated figures in long lines or squares.
- [Pamamanhikan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/pamamanhikan), Philippines: The formal visit by the groom's family to ask the bride's parents for her hand in marriage.
- [Alta](https://everyshaadi.com/t/alta-dye), India: A red dye applied to hands and feet as an auspicious adornment in South Asian weddings and festivals.
- [Henna ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/t/henna-ceremony), Egypt: The pre-wedding gathering where the bride and guests receive intricate henna body art for luck and protection.
- [Azerbaijani wedding traditions](https://everyshaadi.com/t/azerbaijani-wedding-traditions), Azerbaijan: The multi-step family rituals of Azerbaijani weddings, from matchmaking to the henna night.
- [Proxy marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/proxy-marriage), France: A union where one or both partners are absent and represented by another person.
- [Traditional Ukrainian wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/traditional-ukrainian-wedding), Ukraine: A multi-day sequence of folk rites, bread baking and church vows that marks the transition from maidenhood to married li
- [Vyshyvanka Day](https://everyshaadi.com/t/vyshyvanka), Ukraine: The annual celebration where people wear embroidered shirts to show national unity and identity
- [Stack cake](https://everyshaadi.com/t/stack-cake), United States: A layered Appalachian dessert made of crisp molasses cakes and dried apple filling.
- [Lakalaka](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lakalaka), Tonga: A formal Tongan group dance where performers stand in rows and move their arms to express respect.
- [Lefe](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lefe), Nigeria: The presentation of gifts from the groom to the bride in Hausa weddings.
- [Phu Thê Cake](https://everyshaadi.com/t/banh-phu-the), Vietnam: A Vietnamese mung bean cake exchanged by the couple to wish for a happy marriage
- [Unity candle](https://everyshaadi.com/t/unity-candle), United States: A modern wedding ritual where a couple lights a central candle from two tapers to symbolize their union.
- [Same-sex marriage in Taiwan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-taiwan), Taiwan: The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Taiwan, the first in Asia.
- [Lobolo](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lobolo), South Africa: The livestock or cash payment from a groom's family to a bride's family that formalizes a customary marriage in Southern
- [Acrostic ring](https://everyshaadi.com/t/acrostic-ring), France: A jewelled band where gemstone initials spell a secret romantic word
- [Fuitina](https://everyshaadi.com/t/fuitina), Italy: A Sicilian elopement custom used to force family consent for marriage through presumed sexual intercourse.
- [Vadhuya](https://everyshaadi.com/t/vadhuya), India: The cotton and wool bridal dress worn by brides in ancient India during the Vedic period.
- [Marriage coin charm](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-coin-charm), China: Numismatic amulets from East Asia that carry wedding blessings and fertility symbols.
- [Wedding mandapa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-mandapa), India: The temporary pavilion where Hindu and Jain couples exchange vows around a sacred fire.
- [Fede ring](https://everyshaadi.com/t/fede-ring), Italy: A clasped-hands ring that symbolizes betrothal and faithfulness in marriage traditions.
- [Engagement party](https://everyshaadi.com/t/engagement-party), Greece: A gathering to announce a new engagement and introduce the two families before the wedding.
- [Confarreatio](https://everyshaadi.com/t/confarreatio), Italy: The ancient Roman patrician marriage rite marked by sharing a sacred emmer cake.
- [Brunei Malay wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/brunei-malay-wedding), Brunei: The sequence of ceremonies that mark the engagement and marriage of Brunei Malays.
- [Fengguan xiapei](https://everyshaadi.com/t/fengguan-xiapei), China: The traditional Han Chinese wedding ensemble of a phoenix crown and embroidered robes worn by brides in the Ming and Qin
- [Wedding superstitions](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-superstitions), United Kingdom: Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across cultures
- [Indian wedding clothes](https://everyshaadi.com/t/indian-wedding-clothes), India: Traditional garments worn by Indian couples and guests across multiple days of celebration
- [Jumping the broom](https://everyshaadi.com/t/jumping-the-broom), United States: A wedding ritual where a couple leaps over a broom to mark their union
- [Kochari](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kochari), Armenia: A circle dance from the Armenian Highlands that marks weddings and community gatherings.
- [Ayyavazhi wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ayyavazhi-wedding), India: The sacred rite of Ayyavazhi that treats marriage as a spiritual sacrament and family life as the highest austerity.
- [Nude wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/nude-wedding), United States: A ceremony where the couple or guests participate without clothing.
- [Traditional Vietnamese wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/traditional-vietnamese-wedding), Vietnam: The multi-stage ceremony of betrothal, engagement and union that marks a marriage in Vietnam.
- [Wedding cake topper](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-cake-topper), United States: A small figurine placed on top of a wedding cake to represent the couple.
- [Bachelorette party](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bachelorette-party), United States: A pre-wedding gathering for the bride-to-be and her female friends, known as a hen party in many Commonwealth nations.
- [Pyebaek](https://everyshaadi.com/t/pyebaek), South Korea: A Korean post-ceremony ritual where the couple bows to the groom's parents and shares symbolic foods.
- [Kallah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kallah), Israel: A biannual gathering for Torah study and marriage law held by Babylonian Jewish scholars in Adar and Elul.
- [Red envelope](https://everyshaadi.com/t/red-envelope), China: A gift of money in a red paper sleeve exchanged at weddings and holidays to bring good luck.
- [Hindu wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/hindu-wedding), India: The traditional marriage ceremony for Hindus, centered on sacred fire and seven vows.
- [Interracial marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/interracial-marriage), United States: A union between spouses of different races or racialized ethnicities, now legal in most nations.
- [Babul](https://everyshaadi.com/t/babul-hindi-word), India: The Hindi term for father that marks the emotional farewell of a bride leaving her home.
- [Luckenbooth brooch](https://everyshaadi.com/t/luckenbooth-brooch), United Kingdom: A Scottish heart-shaped silver token of love and protection worn at weddings.
- [Topor](https://everyshaadi.com/t/topor-headgear), India: The fragile white conical crown worn by the Bengali Hindu groom for luck.
- [Bachelor party](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bachelor-party), United States: A final celebration for the groom before his wedding, with names and customs varying by region.
- [Großvatertanz](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gro-vatertanz), Germany: A traditional Saxon dance played at the end of wedding celebrations to mark the finale.
- [Deel](https://everyshaadi.com/t/deel), Mongolia: The traditional long robe worn by Mongol people for daily life and special occasions like weddings.
- [Hora](https://everyshaadi.com/t/hora), Romania: A circle dance held at weddings across Southeast Europe and among Jewish communities worldwide.
- [Sister exchange](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sister-exchange), Papua New Guinea: A marriage arrangement where two brothers each take a sister from the other family as their wife.
- [Vadhu Pravesha](https://everyshaadi.com/t/vadhu-pravesha), India: The ritual welcoming the bride into her husband's home with blessings and symbolic acts.
- [Anand Karaj](https://everyshaadi.com/t/anand-karaj), India: The Sikh wedding rite where the couple circles the Guru Granth Sahib to four hymns of union.
- [Dowry](https://everyshaadi.com/t/dowry), India: A payment of wealth from the bride's family to the groom or his household at marriage.
- [Mamko Moja](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mamko-moja), Slovakia: A Slovak Roma wedding song about a bride's longing for marriage
- [Traditional Chinese wedding dress](https://everyshaadi.com/t/traditional-chinese-wedding-dress), China: The wedding attire worn by Han Chinese couples, from the fengguan xiapei to the qungua
- [Collective wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/collective-wedding), Iran: A single ceremony where many couples exchange vows and become married at once.
- [Fattening room](https://everyshaadi.com/t/fattening-room), Nigeria: A traditional Nigerian retreat where Efik women are secluded to learn skills and gain weight before marriage.
- [Knottekistje](https://everyshaadi.com/t/knottekistje), Netherlands: A silver Frisian box that replaced a knotted cloth as the token of engagement.
- [Double Happiness](https://everyshaadi.com/t/double-happiness-calligraphy), China: The red calligraphy symbol made of two joy characters that marks Chinese wedding celebrations.
- [Saber Arch](https://everyshaadi.com/t/saber-arch), United States: An arch of swords or sabers held over a couple as they exit their wedding ceremony.
- [Mangalsutra](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mangalasutra), India: The sacred necklace tied around the bride's neck to mark her marriage.
- [Bridal bouquet](https://everyshaadi.com/t/flower-bouquet), United Kingdom: The handheld flower arrangement carried by the bride during her wedding ceremony.
- [Gomesi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/gomesi), Uganda: The floor-length traditional dress worn by women in Buganda and Busoga for weddings and formal events.
- [Kolach](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kolach), Poland: A braided or ring-shaped bread that marks weddings and major holidays across Eastern Europe.
- [Wedding sari](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-sari), India: The traditional draped garment worn by brides in South Asia for their marriage ceremony.
- [Same-sex marriage in Portugal](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-portugal), Portugal: The legal recognition of marriage between two people of the same sex in Portugal.
- [Agunah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/agunah), Israel: A Jewish woman trapped in a marriage because her husband has not granted a religious divorce document known as a get.
- [Khanom Si Thuai](https://everyshaadi.com/t/khanom-si-thuai), Thailand: A Thai wedding dessert of four sweet cups symbolizing harmony and lasting love.
- [Leirum Phee](https://everyshaadi.com/t/leirum-phee), India: A traditional Meitei shawl given as a wedding gift from parents to daughters
- [Honggaitou](https://everyshaadi.com/t/honggaitou), China: The red bridal veil worn by Han Chinese brides to cover their faces before the wedding night.
- [Chuppah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/chuppah), Israel: The four-poster canopy that marks the Jewish wedding ceremony and symbolizes the couple's new home.
- [Dower](https://everyshaadi.com/t/dower), Germany: A share of the husband's property set aside to secure a woman's life if he dies first.
- [Assyrian wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/assyrian-weddings), Syria: Marriage ceremonies blending ancient Assyrian rites with modern cultural practices among the Assyrian people.
- [Bridal shower](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bridal-shower), United States: A pre-wedding gift-giving party hosted for the bride by her friends and family.
- [Timorese wedding traditions](https://everyshaadi.com/t/timorese-wedding-traditions), Timor-Leste: The gift exchange and family alliance rituals practiced on the island of Timor.
- [Same-sex marriage in Iceland](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-iceland), Iceland: The legal union of two people regardless of gender, established in Iceland in 2010.
- [Navajo wedding ceremony](https://everyshaadi.com/t/navajo-wedding-ceremony), United States: A Navajo marriage ritual centred on harmony, family union, and nature inside a Hogan.
- [Auspicious wedding dates](https://everyshaadi.com/t/auspicious-wedding-dates), India: The selection of lucky times for a ceremony based on astrology, numerology, and tradition.
- [Koito](https://everyshaadi.com/t/koito), Kenya: A Kalenjin dowry negotiation ritual that marks the formal agreement between families.
- [Ngerorod](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ngerorod), Indonesia: A traditional Balinese Hindu elopement where couples marry by mutual consent despite family opposition.
- [Negafa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/negafa), Morocco: The traditional Moroccan bridal dresser who manages the bride's appearance and wedding rituals.
- [Rehearsal dinner](https://everyshaadi.com/t/rehearsal-dinner), United States: A pre-wedding meal held after the final practice to thank the wedding party
- [Ochipok](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ochipok), Ukraine: The embroidered cap that covers a Ukrainian bride's hair to mark her new status as a married woman
- [Cookie table](https://everyshaadi.com/t/cookie-table), United States: A display of assorted homemade cookies served alongside the wedding cake at a reception.
- [Dangui](https://everyshaadi.com/t/dangui), South Korea: A long upper garment worn by Korean brides over a chima and jeogori during the Joseon period.
- [Qungua](https://everyshaadi.com/t/qungua), China: A two-piece embroidered jacket and skirt worn by Cantonese brides for their wedding ceremony.
- [Arab wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/arab-wedding), Egypt: A series of family-centered rites and processions that mark marriage across the Arab world.
- [Oaxacan wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/oaxacan-wedding), Mexico: A multi-day Catholic celebration in Oaxaca featuring mole, mezcal, and communal dancing.
- [Traditional Chinese marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/traditional-chinese-marriage), China: A union between two families governed by Confucian rites and the exchange of gifts.
- [Bridal Chorus](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bridal-chorus), Germany: The Wagner opera march played for the bride's entrance at Western weddings.
- [Chinese wedding door games](https://everyshaadi.com/t/chinese-wedding-door-games), China: Challenges set by bridesmaids for the groom at the bride's home to prove his devotion.
- [Humanist wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/humanist-celebrant), United Kingdom: A non-religious marriage ceremony led by a trained humanist officiant, celebrated in many countries worldwide.
- [Bulgarian wedding music](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bulgarian-wedding-music), Bulgaria: Fast-paced instrumental music played at Bulgarian weddings that blends folk, Romani, and Turkish styles.
- [Badchen](https://everyshaadi.com/t/badchen), Poland: The Ashkenazi Jewish wedding entertainer and master of ceremonies who guides the couple through ritual stages with song 
- [Bridesmaid](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bridesmaid), United States: A female attendant who supports the bride during a Western wedding ceremony.
- [Interfaith marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/interfaith-marriage), United States: A union between spouses of different faiths, navigating legal and religious boundaries across the world.
- [Interdenominational marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/interdenominational-marriage), Iraq: A wedding between two people of different denominations within the same religion.
- [Lavender marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lavender-marriage), United States: A heterosexual union formed to hide the queer identity of one or both partners and protect a public career.
- [Levirate marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/levirate-marriage), Israel: A custom where a man marries his deceased brother's widow to protect her and keep the family line intact.
- [Kanyadana](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kanyadana), India: The Hindu rite where a father gives his daughter in marriage to the groom.
- [Las Vegas weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/t/las-vegas-weddings), United States: Quick civil or religious ceremonies held in Las Vegas due to easy licensing and diverse venues.
- [Mystery of Crowning](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mystery-of-crowning), Syria: The crowning ritual in Eastern Christian weddings that marks the couple as king and queen.
- [Same-sex marriage in Brazil](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-brazil), Brazil: The nationwide legal recognition of same-sex unions following a 2013 judicial ruling.
- [Tsunokakushi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tsunokakushi), Japan: A white silk headdress worn by Shinto brides to cover the hairline and symbolize modesty.
- [Same-sex marriage in Canada](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-canada), Canada: The legal recognition of marriage for same-sex couples across Canada since 2005.
- [Boutonnière](https://everyshaadi.com/t/boutonniere), United Kingdom: A single flower or small arrangement pinned to the lapel of a groom's suit at a wedding.
- [Same-sex marriage in South Africa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-south-africa), South Africa: The legal recognition of same-sex unions established by the Civil Union Act of 2006.
- [Bachelor's Day](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bachelor-s-day), Ireland: The custom that lets women propose to men on Leap Day
- [Sealing (Mormonism)](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sealing-mormonism), United States: A temple ritual that binds couples and families together for eternity.
- [Ring finger](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ring-finger), United Kingdom: The fourth digit of the hand where wedding and engagement rings are traditionally worn.
- [Khata](https://everyshaadi.com/t/khata), Nepal: A ceremonial scarf offered to show respect and welcome at weddings and other gatherings in Tibet and Nepal.
- [Same-sex marriage in Denmark](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-denmark), Denmark: The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Denmark since 2012, following a pioneering partnership law from 1989.
- [Lehenga-style sari](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lehenga-style-sari), India: A pre-draped Indian wedding garment that combines the look of a lehenga with the drape of a sari.
- [Henna night](https://everyshaadi.com/t/henna), Egypt: The evening before a wedding when the bride and groom are decorated with henna patterns for luck and joy
- [Same-sex marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage), Netherlands: The legal union of two people of the same sex or gender, recognized in dozens of countries.
- [Morganatic marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/morganatic-marriage), Germany: A union between people of unequal rank that bars the spouse and children from inheriting titles or throne rights.
- [Same-sex marriage in Australia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-australia), Australia: The legal recognition of marriages between two people of the same gender in Australia.
- [Posthumous marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/posthumous-marriage), China: A union performed when one or both partners have died, kept in parts of Asia and permitted by law in a few nations.
- [Saptapadi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/saptapadi), India: The seven steps or rounds around the sacred fire that complete a Hindu marriage.
- [Same-sex marriage in the Republic of Ireland](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-the-republic-of-ireland), Ireland: The legal recognition of same-sex marriage following a national referendum in 2015
- [Misyar marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/misyar-marriage), Egypt: A Sunni Islamic contract where the wife waives cohabitation and financial support in exchange for a legal union.
- [Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-the-united-kingdom), United Kingdom: The legal recognition of same-sex unions across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- [Wedding veil](https://everyshaadi.com/t/veil), India: A cloth covering the head or face worn by brides and grooms to mark marriage.
- [Daiva marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/daiva-marriage), India: An ancient Hindu rite where a daughter is given to the priest who officiates her father's sacrifice.
- [Sororate marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sororate-marriage), Bhutan: A practice where a man marries his late or infertile wife's sister to keep family ties strong.
- [Mangala Ashtaka](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mangala-ashtaka), India: A Hindu blessing sung at Marathi weddings and recited in Sinhalese Buddhist ceremonies
- [Bonbonniere](https://everyshaadi.com/t/bonbonniere), France: A small decorative container holding sweets given as a wedding favor in several countries.
- [Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-the-netherlands), Netherlands: The first national law to allow two people of the same sex to wed.
- [Sindoor](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sindoor), India: The vermilion powder a Hindu husband applies to his wife's hair parting to mark her marriage.
- [Vani](https://everyshaadi.com/t/vani), Pakistan: A forced child marriage used as compensation to settle tribal disputes in Pakistan.
- [Wishing well](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wishing-well), Australia: A decorated box where guests leave cash or small gifts for couples who already have a home.
- [Kolomyika](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kolomyika), Ukraine: A fast Ukrainian folk dance with rhymed verses, celebrated at weddings in western Ukraine and Canada.
- [Ayie](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ayie), Kenya: The Luo bride price ceremony where the mother accepts payment and agrees to the marriage.
- [The Coke Plant](https://everyshaadi.com/t/coca-cola-bottling-plant-bogalusa-louisiana), United States: A restored 1930s Coca-Cola bottling plant in Louisiana that now hosts weddings and events.
- [Acrostic ring](https://everyshaadi.com/t/regards-ring), France: A jewelled band where gemstone initials spell a secret romantic word.
- [Place card](https://everyshaadi.com/t/place-card), China: A small card that tells a wedding guest where to sit and who sits next to them.
- [Heqin](https://everyshaadi.com/t/heqin), China: A historical Chinese policy of uniting imperial families with neighboring rulers to secure peace.
- [Wedding Quodlibet](https://everyshaadi.com/t/quodlibet-bwv-524), Germany: A lighthearted musical piece by J.S. Bach performed at weddings in early 18th-century Germany.
- [Dejhoor](https://everyshaadi.com/t/dejhoor), India: A hexagonal ear ornament worn by Kashmiri Pandit women to mark their marriage.
- [Wedding of the Weddings](https://everyshaadi.com/t/wedding-of-the-weddings), Poland: A Polish annual gathering for couples who chose alcohol-free wedding receptions.
- [Yajna](https://everyshaadi.com/t/yajna), India: A sacred fire ritual central to Hindu weddings and other rites of passage
- [Călușari](https://everyshaadi.com/t/calusari), Romania: A traditional Romanian spring dance and male society known for acrobatic leaps and ritual healing.
- [Anastenaria](https://everyshaadi.com/t/nestinarstvo), Greece: A barefoot firewalking ritual performed by Orthodox Christian communities in Greece and Bulgaria.
- [Adelphopoiesis](https://everyshaadi.com/t/adelphopoiesis), Greece: A historical Eastern Christian ceremony uniting two people of the same sex in a recognized spiritual bond.
- [Mimouna](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mimouna), Morocco: The Maghrebi Jewish feast held the day after Passover to welcome leavened bread and good fortune.
- [Sa'yee](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sa-yee), Saudi Arabia: The seven trips between two hills in Mecca that complete the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
- [Vechornytsi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/vechornytsi), Ukraine: A Ukrainian courtship gathering where young people meet, dance and practice matchmaking rituals before the wedding seaso
- [Esbat](https://everyshaadi.com/t/esbat), Norway: A monthly Wiccan gathering held around the moon phases for ritual and community
- [Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut](https://everyshaadi.com/t/jeju-chilmeoridang-yeongdeunggut), South Korea: A Jeju Island shaman ritual welcoming the goddess of the sea with horse-head posts and lanterns at the Korean New Year.
- [Turoń](https://everyshaadi.com/t/turon), Poland: A horned effigy that visits homes during Carnival to wish for fertility and collect gifts.
- [Golu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/golu), India: A tiered display of dolls and figurines arranged in South Indian homes during the Navaratri festival.
- [Slametan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/slametan), Indonesia: A communal Javanese feast that brings neighbors together for peace and social unity.
- [Baad](https://everyshaadi.com/t/baad-practice), Afghanistan: A customary settlement where a girl or woman is handed over to an offended household to close a dispute.
- [Civil union in New Zealand](https://everyshaadi.com/t/civil-union-in-new-zealand), New Zealand: A legal partnership for same-sex and opposite-sex couples established by statute in New Zealand.
- [Unregistered cohabitation in Israel](https://everyshaadi.com/t/unregistered-cohabitation-in-israel), Israel: Legal recognition for same-sex couples living together without a formal religious or civil wedding ceremony.
- [Same-sex marriage in Austria](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-austria), Austria: Civil marriage and partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples in Austria
- [Inter-caste marriage in Nepal](https://everyshaadi.com/t/inter-caste-marriage-in-nepal), Nepal: Marriage across caste lines in a society where such unions were once illegal and remain socially contested.
- [Polygamy in Libya](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-libya), Libya: The practice of men marrying multiple wives within Libyan law and custom.
- [Sister exchange](https://everyshaadi.com/t/berdel), Papua New Guinea: A marriage arrangement where two brothers each marry a sister from the other family.
- [Polygamy in Uzbekistan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-uzbekistan), Uzbekistan: The practice of men taking multiple wives in a country where the law strictly forbids it.
- [Royal Pragmatic on Marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/royal-pragmatic-on-marriage), Spain: A Spanish law requiring parental permission for marriage to enforce social class boundaries.
- [Same-sex marriage in Venezuela](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-venezuela), Venezuela: The ongoing legal and social effort to recognize same-sex marriages and civil partnerships in Venezuela.
- [Kimeshek](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kimeshek), Kazakhstan: The traditional white headgear worn by married women with children in Central Asia
- [Mnohaya lita](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mnohaya-lita), Ukraine: A Ukrainian song sung at weddings to wish the couple many years of life.
- [Polygamy in Sri Lanka](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-sri-lanka), Sri Lanka: The historical and current legal status of multiple marriages under Kandyan and Muslim law.
- [Isha katlanit](https://everyshaadi.com/t/isha-katlanit), Israel: A Jewish legal concept regarding a widow who has lost two husbands and the risks associated with her remarrying.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Vietnam](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-vietnam), Vietnam: The legal status and public debate surrounding same-sex weddings in Vietnam
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Monaco](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-monaco), Monaco: Legal frameworks for same-sex couples in Monaco, from cohabitation agreements to ongoing civil union debates.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Lithuania](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-lithuania), Lithuania: Legal recognition of same-sex civil partnerships and marriages through court rulings and legislative efforts.
- [Civil partnership in Latvia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-latvia), Latvia: The legal framework for same-sex couples in Latvia that grants most marital rights without adoption or inheritance.
- [First same-sex marriage in Spain](https://everyshaadi.com/t/first-same-sex-marriage-in-spain), Spain: The 1901 union of two women in Galicia that preceded legal recognition by over a century
- [Polygamy in Nigeria](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-nigeria), Nigeria: A marital practice where men take multiple wives, legally recognized in twelve northern states under Sharia law.
- [Marriage commissioner](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-commissioner), Canada: A civil official appointed to solemnize weddings outside of religious or standard court settings.
- [Civil union in Quebec](https://everyshaadi.com/t/civil-unions-in-quebec), Canada: A legal partnership in Quebec that grants same rights to opposite and same-sex couples as marriage.
- [Cousin marriage in the Middle East](https://everyshaadi.com/t/cousin-marriage-in-the-middle-east), Saudi Arabia: A traditional practice of marrying close relatives, especially paternal cousins, across Middle Eastern communities.
- [Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, 1949](https://everyshaadi.com/t/prohibition-of-mixed-marriages-act-1949), South Africa: An apartheid-era law in South Africa that banned marriages between white and non-white citizens.
- [Polygamy in Liberia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-liberia), Liberia: A customary practice allowing men to have multiple wives despite civil law.
- [Same-sex marriage in Liechtenstein](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-liechtenstein), Liechtenstein: The civil union that grants equal marital rights to all couples in the Alpine principality.
- [Same-sex marriage in the Northern Mariana Islands](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-the-northern-mariana-islands), United States: Legal recognition of same-sex unions in a U.S. territory that became a popular destination for international couples.
- [Same-sex marriage in Hawaii](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-hawaii), United States: The legalization of marriage for same-sex couples in the Hawaiian islands.
- [More danico](https://everyshaadi.com/t/more-danico), France: A Medieval Scandinavian marriage custom allowing polygyny and secular unions outside church control.
- [Same-sex marriage in Guernsey](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-guernsey), United Kingdom: The legal recognition of same-sex unions across the Bailiwick of Guernsey and its dependencies.
- [Polygamy in New Zealand](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-new-zealand), New Zealand: The legal prohibition of multiple spouses and the limited recognition of foreign polygamous unions.
- [Same-sex marriage in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-saint-helena-ascension-and-tristan-da-cunha), United Kingdom: The legal recognition of same-sex unions across the three island groups since 2017.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Montenegro](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-montenegro), Montenegro: Legal recognition for same-sex couples in Montenegro through life partnerships.
- [Same-sex marriage in Cambodia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-cambodia), Cambodia: The legal status and local registry for same-sex couples in Cambodia.
- [Marriage stone](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-stone), Ireland: A carved stone bearing the initials and date of a newly married couple, placed on a building to mark their union.
- [Landshut Wedding](https://everyshaadi.com/t/landshut-wedding), Germany: A four-year historical pageant in Bavaria re-enacting the 1475 royal marriage of George and Hedwig.
- [Lieberman clause](https://everyshaadi.com/t/lieberman-clause), Israel: A ketubah provision for rabbinic arbitration to prevent a woman from being unable to remarry.
- [Schulze Registers](https://everyshaadi.com/t/schulze-registers), Ireland: The surviving records of secret marriages performed by a Lutheran minister in 19th century Dublin.
- [Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013](https://everyshaadi.com/t/marriage-definition-of-marriage-amendment-act-2013), New Zealand: The 2013 New Zealand law that changed the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples.
- [Polygamy in the Gambia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-the-gambia), Gambia: The legal recognition of men having multiple wives in West African society.
- [Ukungenwa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/ukungenwa), South Africa: A South African custom where a widowed woman is inherited by her late husband's male relatives.
- [Sherpa marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/sherpa-marriage), Nepal: The astrological matching and barley beer offering that binds a Sherpa couple.
- [Polygamy in Saudi Arabia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-saudi-arabia), Saudi Arabia: A legal marriage structure allowing a man to have up to four wives under Islamic law.
- [Celebrancy](https://everyshaadi.com/t/celebrancy), Australia: A profession of secular officiants who create personalised life ceremonies for people outside traditional religious or s
- [Xwedodah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/xwedodah), Iran: A Zoroastrian rite of close-kin marriage rooted in ancient cosmology and royal tradition.
- [Civil partnership in South Africa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/civil-partnership-in-south-africa), South Africa: A legal union in South Africa that grants same-sex and opposite-sex couples the same rights as marriage.
- [Polygamy in Indonesia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-indonesia), Indonesia: The legal and customary practice of men having multiple wives across Indonesian faiths and communities.
- [Hava Nagila](https://everyshaadi.com/t/hava-nagila), Israel: A Jewish folk song sung and danced at weddings and celebrations to mark joyous occasions
- [Picture bride](https://everyshaadi.com/t/picture-bride), Japan: Early twentieth century marriages arranged through photographs between Asian immigrant men and women in Hawaii and the U
- [Same-sex marriage in Greece](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-greece), Greece: The legal recognition of marriage between two people of the same sex, effective since February 2024.
- [Contubernium](https://everyshaadi.com/t/contubernium), Italy: A recognized union between slaves or a slave and a free person in ancient Rome
- [Polygamy in Bangladesh](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-bangladesh), Bangladesh: The practice of men taking multiple wives, regulated by different laws for Muslims and Hindus.
- [Courtship in the Philippines](https://everyshaadi.com/t/courtship-in-the-philippines), Philippines: A traditional Filipino courtship marked by serenade, service, and family involvement.
- [Civil partnership in the United Kingdom](https://everyshaadi.com/t/civil-partnership-in-the-united-kingdom), United Kingdom: A legal union for same-sex and opposite-sex couples in the UK, offering rights equal to marriage.
- [Beilager](https://everyshaadi.com/t/beilager), Germany: A public ceremony in German-speaking lands where witnesses observed the couple entering the marriage bed to finalize the
- [Kandyan marriage](https://everyshaadi.com/t/kandyan-law), Sri Lanka: The traditional union rites of Sri Lanka's Buddhist Kandyan community, defined by residence and inheritance.
- [Same-sex civil unions in Ecuador](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-civil-unions-in-ecuador), Ecuador: Legal recognition of same-sex partnerships granted by the 2008 Constitution and implemented in 2014.
- [Same-sex marriage in Luxembourg](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-luxembourg), Luxembourg: The civil union that allows two people of the same sex to wed in Luxembourg since 2015.
- [Heter meah rabbanim](https://everyshaadi.com/t/heter-meah-rabbanim), Israel: A rare exemption allowing a man to remarry when his wife refuses a Jewish divorce.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Fiji](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-fiji), Fiji: The legal status and social context of same-sex marriage and civil unions in Fiji.
- [Same-sex marriage in Andorra](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-andorra), Andorra: The legal recognition of same-sex unions in the Pyrenean principality since 2023.
- [Same-sex marriage in Slovenia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-slovenia), Slovenia: The legal recognition of same-sex unions that evolved from limited partnerships to full marriage rights.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Cyprus](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-cyprus), Cyprus: The legal framework for registered partnerships and the ongoing debate over marriage equality in Cyprus.
- [Polygamy in South Africa](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-south-africa), South Africa: The practice of men marrying more than one wife under customary and Islamic law in South Africa.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Uganda](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-uganda), Uganda: The legal status of same-sex marriage and civil unions under Ugandan law.
- [Same-sex marriage in Indonesia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-indonesia), Indonesia: The legal status and social reality of same-sex unions under Indonesian law.
- [Mayu-Dama](https://everyshaadi.com/t/mayu-dama), Myanmar: The Kachin kinship system that defines who can marry whom through wife-giver and wife-taker roles
- [Tongyangxi](https://everyshaadi.com/t/tongyangxi), China: An adopted girl raised beside a son so a poor family could be sure he would have a wife
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Suriname](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-suriname), Suriname: The legal status of same-sex marriage and civil partnerships in Suriname.
- [Polygamy in Chad](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-chad), Chad: A legally recognized marriage structure where one husband has multiple wives across Chadian communities.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Croatia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-croatia), Croatia: The legal framework that grants same-sex couples rights through life partnerships and foster care recognition.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in South Korea](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-south-korea), South Korea: The ongoing legal and political struggle to recognize same-sex marriages and civil unions in South Korea.
- [Same-sex marriage in Colombia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-colombia), Colombia: The legal recognition of same-sex unions established by the Constitutional Court in 2016.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Kenya](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-kenya), Kenya: The legal ban on gay marriage alongside traditional female-to-female unions that persist in some communities.
- [Polygamy in Yemen](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-yemen), Yemen: A legal practice allowing Muslim men to marry up to four wives under specific conditions.
- [Get of Cleves](https://everyshaadi.com/t/get-of-cleves), Germany: A disputed 1766 Jewish divorce document that sparked international rabbinic debate over mental competence.
- [Get](https://everyshaadi.com/t/get-divorce-document), Israel: The Aramaic divorce document that frees a Jewish woman to remarry
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Zimbabwe](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-zimbabwe), Zimbabwe: The legal and social landscape for same-sex marriage in Zimbabwe
- [Polygamy in Zambia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-zambia), Zambia: A legal form of marriage allowing one man to have multiple wives under customary law.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Armenia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-armenia), Armenia: The legal status of same-sex marriage and foreign union recognition in Armenia.
- [Halizah](https://everyshaadi.com/t/halizah), Israel: The Jewish rite that frees a childless widow from the duty to marry her deceased husband's brother.
- [Polygamy in Bahrain](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-bahrain), Bahrain: A legal marital arrangement where a man may have multiple wives, practiced by a minority of citizens.
- [Same-sex marriage in the British Indian Ocean Territory](https://everyshaadi.com/t/same-sex-marriage-in-the-british-indian-ocean-territory), India: Legal recognition of same-sex unions for military personnel stationed on Diego Garcia since 2014.
- [Herem of Rabbeinu Gershom](https://everyshaadi.com/t/herem-of-rabbenu-gershom), Germany: Medieval ordinances that banned polygyny and forced divorce for Ashkenazi Jews.
- [Polygamy in Turkey](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-turkey), Turkey: The practice of having multiple spouses, banned by law since the mid-twentieth century.
- [Polygamy in Pakistan](https://everyshaadi.com/t/polygamy-in-pakistan), Pakistan: The legal allowance for Muslim men to have up to four wives under Pakistani law.
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Namibia](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-namibia), Namibia: The legal status of same-sex marriage and foreign union recognition in Namibia
- [Recognition of same-sex unions in Vanuatu](https://everyshaadi.com/t/recognition-of-same-sex-unions-in-vanuatu), Vanuatu: The legal status and history of marriage equality for same-sex couples in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu.