Wedding traditions of Europe

Rice and confetti, the veil and the white dress, Polish oczepiny, Greek koumbaro and the Irish handfast. 206 traditions on EveryShaadi so far.

Countries

🇦🇱 Albania 5 🇦🇩 Andorra 1 🇦🇹 Austria 12 🇧🇾 Belarus 9 🇧🇪 Belgium 5 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 13 🇭🇷 Croatia 8 🇨🇿 Czechia 4 🇩🇰 Denmark 10 🇪🇪 Estonia 2 🇫🇮 Finland 9 🇫🇷 France 30 🇩🇪 Germany 31 🇬🇷 Greece 23 🇭🇺 Hungary 10 🇮🇸 Iceland 5 🇮🇪 Ireland 17 🇮🇹 Italy 21 🇽🇰 Kosovo 3 🇱🇻 Latvia 3 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein 2 🇱🇹 Lithuania 4 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 1 🇲🇹 Malta 1 🇲🇩 Moldova 6 🇲🇨 Monaco 1 🇲🇪 Montenegro 1 🇳🇱 Netherlands 15 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 9 🇳🇴 Norway 9 🇵🇱 Poland 26 🇵🇹 Portugal 6 🇷🇴 Romania 13 🇷🇺 Russia 22 🇸🇲 San Marino 0 🇷🇸 Serbia 12 🇸🇰 Slovakia 6 🇸🇮 Slovenia 2 🇪🇸 Spain 15 🇸🇪 Sweden 11 🇨🇭 Switzerland 6 🇺🇦 Ukraine 19 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 78 🇻🇦 Vatican City 0

Cities and towns

London 7 Rome 5 Berlin 4 Kraków 4 Vienna 4 Crete 3 Hamburg 3 Madrid 3 Amsterdam 2 Athens 2 Barcelona 2 Bern 2 Budapest 2 Copenhagen 2 Dublin 2 Edinburgh 2 Galway 2 Hanover 2

On the calendar

June, the Western wedding month September and October wedding peak Shrovetide, the old Irish wedding time 2/22 and other repeated dates Lag BaOmer, weddings resume May, the month of brides in Brazil Krasnaya Gorka, the first wedding Sunday Pokrov, the autumn wedding season Lent Holy Week and the Triduum Advent Orthodox Great Lent

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreQuaker wedding A silent ceremony where Friends witness each other's vows without clergy or rigid rituals.Rite · The weeks before

🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark and 1 moreSame-sex marriage in Denmarkægteskab mellem personer af samme køn The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Denmark since 2012, following a pioneering partnership law from 1989.Modern · The ceremony

🇬🇧 London, United KingdomSame-sex marriage in the United Kingdom The legal recognition of same-sex unions across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.Modern · The ceremony

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreMorganatic marriageEhe zur linken Hand A union between people of unequal rank that bars the spouse and children from inheriting titles or throne rights.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇳🇱 Amsterdam, Netherlands and 5 moreSame-sex marriage The legal union of two people of the same sex or gender, recognized in dozens of countries.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreRing fingerdigitus annularis The fourth digit of the hand where wedding and engagement rings are traditionally worn.Attire · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United KingdomBoutonnière A single flower or small arrangement pinned to the lapel of a groom's suit at a wedding.Attire · The ceremony

🇳🇱 Amsterdam, NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in the Netherlandshuwelijk tussen personen van gelijk geslacht The first national law to allow two people of the same sex to wed.Modern · The ceremony 🇵🇱 Kraków, PolandWedding of the Weddings A Polish annual gathering for couples who chose alcohol-free wedding receptions.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreAnastenariaΑναστενάρια (Greek), Нестинарство (Bulgarian) A barefoot firewalking ritual performed by Orthodox Christian communities in Greece and Bulgaria.Rite · The weeks before 🇳🇴 NorwayEsbat A monthly Wiccan gathering held around the moon phases for ritual and communityBlessing · The ceremony 🇦🇹 Vienna, AustriaSame-sex marriage in Austria Civil marriage and partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples in AustriaVow · The ceremony 🇦🇩 AndorraSame-sex marriage in AndorraMatrimoni entre persones del mateix sexe The legal recognition of same-sex unions in the Pyrenean principality since 2023.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇸🇮 SloveniaSame-sex marriage in SloveniaZakonska zveza istospolnih partnerjev The legal recognition of same-sex unions that evolved from limited partnerships to full marriage rights.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇬🇷 Athens, GreeceSame-sex marriage in GreeceΟμοφυλοφιλικός γάμος (Omofylofilikos gamos) The legal recognition of marriage between two people of the same sex, effective since February 2024.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇩🇪 GermanyLandshut WeddingLandshuter Hochzeit A four-year historical pageant in Bavaria re-enacting the 1475 royal marriage of George and Hedwig.Setting · Engagement and betrothal

🇭🇺 Budapest, HungaryRecognition of same-sex unions in Hungarybejegyzett élettársi kapcsolat The legal framework for same-sex relationships in Hungary, ranging from informal cohabitation to registered partnershipsModern · Engagement and betrothal

🇪🇸 A Coruña, Spain and 2 moreFirst same-sex marriage in Spain The 1901 union of two women in Galicia that preceded legal recognition by over a centuryModern · The ceremony

🇫🇷 France and 4 moreMore danicodansk skik A Medieval Scandinavian marriage custom allowing polygyny and secular unions outside church control.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal

🇩🇰 DenmarkSame-sex marriage in the Faroe Islands The legal recognition of same-sex unions that began in 2017 after years of parliamentary debate.Modern · The ceremony 🇱🇮 Vaduz, LiechtensteinSame-sex marriage in Liechtenstein The civil union that grants equal marital rights to all couples in the Alpine principality.Modern · The ceremony 🇬🇧 United KingdomSame-sex marriage in Guernsey The legal recognition of same-sex unions across the Bailiwick of Guernsey and its dependencies.Modern · The ceremony

🇩🇪 Germany and 3 moreHerem of Rabbeinu GershomḤerem de-Rabbeinu Gershom Medieval ordinances that banned polygyny and forced divorce for Ashkenazi Jews.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇧 United KingdomSame-sex marriage in Jersey The legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the Crown Dependency of Jersey since 2018.Modern · The ceremony 🇩🇪 GermanyBeilager A public ceremony in German-speaking lands where witnesses observed the couple entering the marriage bed to finalize theRite · The ceremony

🇮🇹 Venice, ItalyMarriage of the Sea ceremonySposalizio del Mare The annual ritual where Venice symbolically marries the Adriatic Sea with a golden ring.Rite · The ceremony 🇮🇪 Dublin, IrelandSchulze Registers The surviving records of secret marriages performed by a Lutheran minister in 19th century Dublin.Vow · The ceremony 🇲🇨 Monaco, MonacoRecognition of same-sex unions in Monacocontrat de vie commune; union civile Legal frameworks for same-sex couples in Monaco, from cohabitation agreements to ongoing civil union debates.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇧 United KingdomSame-sex marriage in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha The legal recognition of same-sex unions across the three island groups since 2017.Modern · The ceremony 🇱🇺 Luxembourg City, LuxembourgSame-sex marriage in Luxembourg The civil union that allows two people of the same sex to wed in Luxembourg since 2015.Modern · The ceremony 🇬🇧 London, United Kingdom and 1 moreSame-sex marriage in Akrotiri and Dhekelia Legal same-sex weddings for British military personnel on the Sovereign Base Areas of Cyprus.Modern · The ceremony 🇬🇧 United KingdomSame-sex marriage in the Isle of Man The legalisation of same-sex marriage on the Isle of Man, following civil partnerships since 2011.Vow · The ceremony

🇪🇪 Tallinn, EstoniaSame-sex marriage in Estonia The legal recognition of same-sex unions in the Baltic state, following registered partnerships.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreKlezmerקלעזמער The instrumental wedding music of Ashkenazi Jews, blending Eastern European and Jewish ritual melodies.Performance · Engagement and betrothal

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreLenten veilFastentuch A large painted or embroidered canvas that covers the altar during Lent to create a period of visual penance.Rite · The weeks before

🇷🇴 Ieud, RomaniaNunta mortului A symbolic Romanian rite that dresses an unmarried dead person as a bride or groom to complete their life cycle.Rite · The weeks before

🇬🇷 Corfu, GreeceBotidesμπότηδες The throwing of clay pots filled with water from balconies in Corfu on Holy Saturday to mark the Resurrection.Blessing · The ceremony

🇺🇦 UkraineWax wedding head wreathвосковий вінок A paraffin and paper bridal crown worn in parts of Ukraine until the late twentieth century.Attire · The ceremony

🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreKlezmerקלעזמער The instrumental dance music played by Ashkenazi Jewish musicians at weddings in Eastern Europe and beyondPerformance · Engagement and betrothal

🇩🇪 GermanyBollenhut A straw hat with woolen pompoms worn by women in specific Black Forest villages as part of their traditional dress.Attire · The weeks before

🇭🇷 CroatiaNijemo kolo A silent Croatian folk dance where couples move in a circle without music.Performance · The ceremony

🇧🇪 Bruges, BelgiumProcession of the Holy BloodHeilig Bloedprocessie A Catholic parade in Bruges that carries a relic on Ascension Day.Blessing · The ceremony 🇳🇱 NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten The legal right for same-sex couples to marry in the Caribbean constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.Modern · The ceremony 🇳🇱 NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba The legalisation of same-sex unions on the Dutch Caribbean islands following their integration into the Netherlands.Modern · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWhite tie The highest level of formal Western evening attire for men and womenAttire · The ceremony

🇫🇷 Montpellier, FranceSame-sex marriage in Francemariage pour tous The legal recognition of marriage for couples regardless of gender, established in France in 2013.Modern · The ceremony

Photo credits on this page

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

Nijemo kolo: Outrageous zone, CC BY 3.0, source
Same-sex marriage in Greece: Mzimu, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Landshut Wedding: Oktobersonne, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
White tie: jonlo168, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Recognition of same-sex unions in Hungary: Christo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Klezmer: Syrena Records (Warsaw), Public domain, source
Wax wedding head wreath: Sofo, GFDL, source
First same-sex marriage in Spain: Jglamela, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
More danico: Edward Burne-Jones, Public domain, source
Boutonnière: David Ring, CC0, source
Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom: blavoulondon - blavou.co, CC BY 2.0, source
Same-sex marriage in the Faroe Islands: Arne List, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Same-sex marriage in Denmark: PavelStotsko, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Morganatic marriage: Sergei Lvovich Levitsky (1819 – 1898) and Rafail Sergeevich Levitsky (, Public domain, source
Herem of Rabbeinu Gershom: Nixnubix, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Botides: Gkaridis0, CC BY 4.0, source
Marriage of the Sea ceremony: Francesco Guardi, Public domain, source
Ring finger: RAPMOODDE, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Same-sex marriage: Stefano Bolognini, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bollenhut: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Same-sex marriage in France: Claude TRUONG-NGOC, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Nunta mortului: Iosif Berman, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lenten veil: Plutowiki, CC0, source
Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands: Jeffpw, CC BY 3.0, source
Anastenaria: Artkostov, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Procession of the Holy Blood: Cbl62, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Same-sex marriage in Estonia: Märt Põder, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Klezmer: Unknown artist identified as "M.D.", Public domain, source