Wedding traditions of North America
Something old, something new, jumping the broom, the Navajo wedding basket and the Mexican lazo. 15 traditions on EveryShaadi so far.
Countries
Cities and towns
On the calendar
June, the Western wedding monthSeptember and October wedding peak2/22 and other repeated datesLag BaOmer, weddings resumeTu B'Av as a wedding dateThe dry season wedding months in Latin AmericaLentHoly Week and the TriduumFriday the 13thThe Counting of the OmerThe Three Weeks and the Nine DaysTisha B'Av
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesSlave marriages in the United States
The unions formed by enslaved African Americans before and after the abolition of slavery in the US.Rite · The ceremony
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreWedding registry
A service that helps couples share their gift preferences with guests to avoid duplicates and unwanted items.Modern · Engagement and betrothal
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreLa vÃbora de la mar
A wedding game where the couple stands on chairs while guests form a snake to test their unity.Play · Reception, dance and gifts
🇲🇽 Oaxaca, Mexico and 1 moreHuipilhuīpīlli
The traditional tunic worn by indigenous women in Mexico and Central America for weddings and daily life.Attire · The weeks before
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreMarriage proposal
The moment one partner asks the other to marry them and marks the start of an engagement.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇨🇦 CanadaStag and doe
A Canadian fundraiser where guests pay to help the couple cover wedding costs.Feast custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreEngagement ring
A ring given to signify a formal agreement to future marriage.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United StatesPre-Cana
The Catholic Church course that helps engaged couples prepare for the sacrament of marriage.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United StatesStack cake
A layered Appalachian dessert made of crisp molasses cakes and dried apple filling.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇺🇸 Hawaii, United StatesCommon-law marriage in the United States
A legal marriage formed without a licence or ceremony, in a few US jurisdictionsVow
🇺🇸 United StatesUnity candle
A modern wedding ritual where a couple lights a central candle from two tapers to symbolize their union.Rite · The ceremony
🇺🇸 United StatesSelf-uniting marriage
A wedding where the couple marries each other without a third-party officiant.Vow · The ceremony
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 moreMarriage à la façon du paysMariage à la façon du pays
The common-law unions between European fur traders and Indigenous women that shaped North American history.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United StatesGroom's cake
A second dessert served at the wedding reception or rehearsal dinner to reflect the groom's tastes.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇺🇸 United StatesIndian Wedding Blessing
A modern poem often recited at weddings in the United States, falsely attributed to Native American traditions.Blessing · The ceremony
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Groom's cake: Derek Key, CC BY 2.0, source
- Slave marriages in the United States: An 1899 illustration of a broomstick wedding. Schomburg Center for Res, Public domain, source
- Huipil: Gift in memory of Elizabeth Ege Freudenheim, No restrictions, source
- Marriage proposal: Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Engagement ring: Photo by Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Pre-Cana: Jebulon, CC0, source
- Stack cake: thebittenword.com, CC BY 2.0, source
- Unity candle: Dvillasmil, CC BY-SA 4.0, source