Wedding traditions of Southeast Asia
Tea ceremonies and sinsod, adat and bersanding, the Batak ulos and the Balinese tooth-filing. 30 traditions on EveryShaadi so far.
Countries
🇧🇳 Brunei 5🇰🇭 Cambodia 4🇮🇩 Indonesia 24🇱🇦 Laos 3🇲🇾 Malaysia 9🇲🇲 Myanmar 4🇵🇭 Philippines 8🇸🇬 Singapore 6🇹🇭 Thailand 8🇹🇱 Timor-Leste 1🇻🇳 Vietnam 8
Cities and towns
On the calendar
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 2 moreKenduri
A communal feast and prayer gathering held by Javanese and Malay communities to mark life events.Feast custom · The weeks before
🇲🇲 MyanmarMarriage in Myanmar
A blend of Buddhist rites, astrological timing, and family negotiations that defines union across Myanmar's diverse ethnRite · Finding a match
🇮🇩 IndonesiaUlosᯥᯞᯘᯬ᯲
The hand-woven textile that binds Batak couples in marriage and symbolizes warmth.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇩 Jakarta, IndonesiaPalang pintu
The martial arts and poetry test that allows the groom to enter the bride's home in Betawi weddings.Rite · The weeks before
🇮🇩 Palembang, Indonesia and 2 moreSongketᬲᭀᬂᬓᬾᬢ᭄
A hand-woven brocade cloth patterned with gold or silver threads for traditional weddings in Southeast Asia.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇧🇳 Brunei and 2 moreTengkolokتڠكولوق
A folded songket headcloth worn by Malay and Indonesian grooms at weddingsAttire · The ceremony
🇮🇩 IndonesiaBeskapꦧꦼꦱ꧀ꦏꦥ꧀
The formal black jacket worn by Javanese men during weddings and official ceremonies.Attire · The ceremony
🇲🇾 Malaysia and 4 moreBaju Kurungباجو كوروڠ
The traditional blouse and skirt worn by Malay women for weddings and religious ceremoniesAttire · The weeks before
🇰🇭 Cambodia and 4 moreRomvongរាំវង់ (Khmer)
A circular folk dance across Southeast Asia where couples hold hands and step in time with drums.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇱🇦 Laos and 1 moreBaciບາສີ (Lao); บายศรี (Thai)
The wrist-tying ceremony that calls the soul back to restore balance and good luck.Blessing · The ceremony
🇸🇬 Singapore and 3 moreMatchmaking
The practice of pairing two people for marriage through an intermediary or system.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreBride price
Wealth paid by the groom or his family to the bride or her kin to formalize a union.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇧🇳 BruneiBrunei Malay wedding
The sequence of ceremonies that mark the engagement and marriage of Brunei Malays.Rite · Finding a match
🇮🇩 IndonesiaNgerorod
A traditional Balinese Hindu elopement where couples marry by mutual consent despite family opposition.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇮🇩 IndonesiaMinangkabau marriage
A matrilineal wedding tradition from West Sumatra where the groom moves into the bride's family home.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇩 Lombok, IndonesiaMerariq
A Sasak ritual in Lombok where the groom takes the bride to his home with family consent.Rite · The weeks before
🇹🇱 Dili, Timor-Leste and 1 moreTimorese wedding traditionsBarlake
The gift exchange and family alliance rituals practiced on the island of Timor.Gift custom · Finding a match
🇹🇭 Bangkok, ThailandSame-sex marriage in Thailandสมรสเท่าเทียม (Somrot Thaothiam)
The legal recognition of same-sex unions that took effect in January 2025.Modern · The ceremony
🇵🇭 Philippines and 5 moreElopement
A secret marriage conducted without parental approval or public notice to bypass objections or legal barriers.Modern · The weeks before
🇵🇭 PhilippinesPamamanhikan
The formal visit by the groom's family to ask the bride's parents for her hand in marriage.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇻🇳 VietnamPhu Thê CakeBánh phu thê
A Vietnamese mung bean cake exchanged by the couple to wish for a happy marriageFeast custom · The ceremony
🇹🇭 ThailandKhanom Si Thuaiขนมสี่ถ้วย
A Thai wedding dessert of four sweet cups symbolizing harmony and lasting love.Feast custom · The ceremony
🇻🇳 VietnamTraditional Vietnamese weddingLễ cưới truyền thống Việt Nam
The multi-stage ceremony of betrothal, engagement and union that marks a marriage in Vietnam.Attire · Finding a match
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSlametan
A communal Javanese feast that brings neighbors together for peace and social unity.Feast custom · The weeks before
🇻🇳 Hanoi, VietnamRecognition of same-sex unions in Vietnam
The legal status and public debate surrounding same-sex weddings in VietnamModern
🇮🇩 IndonesiaPolygamy in Indonesia
The legal and customary practice of men having multiple wives across Indonesian faiths and communities.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇵🇭 Cebu, PhilippinesCourtship in the Philippines
A traditional Filipino courtship marked by serenade, service, and family involvement.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇰🇭 Phnom Penh, CambodiaSame-sex marriage in Cambodia
The legal status and local registry for same-sex couples in Cambodia.Modern · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇩 IndonesiaSame-sex marriage in Indonesia
The legal status and social reality of same-sex unions under Indonesian law.Modern · The ceremony
🇲🇲 Myanmar and 1 moreMayu-Dama
The Kachin kinship system that defines who can marry whom through wife-giver and wife-taker rolesBetrothal · Finding a match
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Courtship in the Philippines: Markytour777, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Minangkabau marriage: Mamasamala, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tengkolok: Riski Syahputra, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Beskap: Kris, Photographer of the Press, Media and Information Bureau of the P, Public domain, source
- Baju Kurung: Ministry of Information official photographer, Public domain, source
- Romvong: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Public domain, source
- Baci: Dalbera, CC BY 2.0, source
- Songket: Rijksmuseum, CC0, source
- Kenduri: Andreasprasetya, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Same-sex marriage in Thailand: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Marriage in Myanmar: Thant Zin Myint, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ulos: Boy Lawson, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Palang pintu: Gunawan Kartapranata, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Matchmaking: Pavel Fedotov, Public domain, source
- Bride price: Пимоненко Николай Корнилиевич, Public domain, source
- Phu Thê Cake: JeanFousrou52, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Recognition of same-sex unions in Vietnam: USAID Vietnam, Public domain, source
- Traditional Vietnamese wedding: Gabrielle M. Vassal, Public domain, source
- Khanom Si Thuai: Siripitch Chaiyabutra, CC0, source
- Timorese wedding traditions: ColinTrainor, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Slametan: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source