The ceremony

The vows, the rites, the blessing and the moment the marriage is made.

The ceremony is the moment the marriage is made, in religion, in law or in both. It may last five minutes or five hours. It may be held at a temple, a mosque, a church, a registry office, a garden or at home. What it has in common everywhere is that someone witnesses and the couple agree.

What is required

In Islam the core is the offer, the acceptance and two witnesses, with the mahr agreed. In Judaism the ring is given before witnesses under the chuppah and the ketubah is signed. In Hinduism the saptapadi before the fire completes the marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act in India. In Catholic and Protestant weddings the exchange of vows is the key, with a priest or minister present. In civil weddings the declaration before a registrar is what counts.

Many ways to do it

Orthodox Christians crown the couple and share the common cup. Sikhs circle the Guru Granth Sahib four times in the lavan. Bahá'í couples each say a single verse before two witnesses. Chinese families once bowed to Heaven and Earth, to the parents and to each other. Many Indigenous weddings include a blanket, a pipe or a dance, depending on the nation. Quakers sit in silence until the couple stand and speak.

Making it your own

Couples now ask friends to officiate, write vows, include readings from different traditions, and choose music. Some ceremonies are bilingual, and many couples use a mix of two religions. The law still requires a few set words in many countries, and it is worth checking.

About this page

Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on The ceremony (stage of the wedding). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

🇮🇳 Jodhpur, India and 1 moreAchkanअचकन (Hindi), اچکن (Urdu) A long, side-fastening jacket worn by grooms and men at formal Indian weddings.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMaithil Vivahमैथिल विवाह The arranged Hindu marriage of Maithils in the Mithila region, guided by Vedic texts and local customs.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇮🇳 IndiaShankha White conch shell bangles worn by Bengali Hindu married women as a symbol of their husband's well-being.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreToe ring A silver band worn on the second toe to mark a woman as married in India.Adornment · The ceremony 🇮🇳 IndiaSambandam The traditional matrilineal marriage alliance of Kerala's Nairs and Nambudiris.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇮🇳 Kanchipuram, IndiaKanchipuram silk sari The heavy silk bridal garment woven in Kanchipuram with contrasting borders and gold zari.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLaavaanਲਾਵਾਂ ਫੇਰੇ (Lavan) The four sacred hymns sung during the Anand Karaj that guide a Sikh couple through spiritual stages of married life.Rite · The ceremony 🇮🇳 Kochi, IndiaKasavuകസാവ് The white cotton and gold border attire worn by Malayalis for weddings and festivals.Attire · The weeks before 🇮🇳 IndiaOonjal A decorated swing where the Tamil bride and groom sit to receive family blessings.Blessing · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAlpanaআলপনা (Bengali) Rice flour floor paintings that bless homes and mark wedding celebrations in Bengal.Adornment · The weeks before 🇮🇳 IndiaMadisarமடிசார் (Madisar) The nine-yard sari drape worn by Tamil Brahmin women during weddings and religious rites.Attire · The ceremony 🇮🇳 IndiaNishekam The Hindu rite of consummation on the first night after marriageRite · The ceremony

🇮🇳 Bhuj, India and 1 moreBandhani A traditional Indian tie-dye method that creates intricate dot patterns by binding small sections of cloth before dyeingAttire · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreMandapaमण्डप (maṇḍapa) The pillared pavilion that serves as the stage for Hindu wedding rituals and temple gatherings.Setting · The ceremony

🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 1 moreBaraat The groom's wedding procession through the streets to the bride's home or venue.Performance · Procession and arrival

🇮🇳 IndiaChaklong wedding The traditional Ahom marriage system involving rice powder mandalas and ancestral rituals.Rite · Finding a match

🇮🇳 IndiaChild marriage in India A contested practice where minors marry, defined by law as unions involving a bride under 18.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇱🇰 Kandy, Sri LankaOsariyaඔසරිය The traditional sari style worn by Sinhalese women in Sri Lanka for weddings and formal events.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 IndiaOdia Hindu weddingBahaghara (ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବାହାଘର) The traditional Hindu marriage ceremony of the Odia people in India.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇦🇫 AfghanistanAhesta Beroآهسته برو The song played to welcome the bride and groom into the wedding hall in AfghanistanPerformance · Procession and arrival

🇮🇳 IndiaVaramalaवरमाला (Varamālā) The exchange of flower garlands that marks mutual acceptance in a Hindu wedding.Rite · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreLehenga A long skirt worn as the base of a bridal outfit across the Indian subcontinent.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 IndiaLagan Geetલગ્નગીત Traditional Gujarati wedding songs sung by family and professional performers during ceremonies.Performance · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAnand Karajਅਨੰਦ ਕਾਰਜ The Sikh wedding rite where the couple circles the Guru Granth Sahib to four hymns of union.Rite · Procession and arrival

🇮🇳 IndiaAyyavazhi wedding The sacred rite of Ayyavazhi that treats marriage as a spiritual sacrament and family life as the highest austerity.Rite · Procession and arrival 🇮🇳 IndiaVadhuya The cotton and wool bridal dress worn by brides in ancient India during the Vedic period.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 Kanchipuram, India and 1 moreWedding sari The traditional draped garment worn by brides in South Asia for their marriage ceremony.Attire · The ceremony 🇮🇳 IndiaHindi wedding songs Film and folk music that accompanies the stages of a North Indian Hindu wedding.Performance · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaIndian wedding clothes Traditional garments worn by Indian couples and guests across multiple days of celebrationAttire · The weeks before 🇮🇳 IndiaArabikalyanam A temporary marriage arrangement between Arabian men and women in Kerala that has been linked to exploitation.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇱🇰 Sri LankaPoruwa ceremony The Sinhalese wedding ritual performed on a carved wooden platform with betel leaves and milk rice.Rite · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreDowry A payment of wealth from the bride's family to the groom or his household at marriage.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaMeitei weddingLuhongba (ꯂꯨꯍꯣꯡꯕ) The traditional union of the Meitei people, marked by clan exogamy and specific courtship rituals.Rite · Finding a match

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreToporটোপর The fragile white conical crown worn by the Bengali Hindu groom for luck.Attire · The weeks before 🇮🇳 IndiaTelugu Hindu weddingతెలుగు వివాహ వేడుక A multi-day Telugu Hindu marriage marked by seven vows around fire and family rituals.Rite · Finding a match

🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 moreBengali Muslim weddingবাঙালি মুসলিম বিয়ে A multi-day Bengali Muslim marriage blending Islamic rites with local folk traditions.Rite · The weeks before

🇮🇳 Mumbai, India and 3 moreDowry system in Indiaदहेज (Hindi), ज़ेहर (Urdu) The transfer of cash and goods from the bride's family to the groom that has become a source of financial strain and vioGift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreHindu weddingvivaha (विवाह) The traditional marriage ceremony for Hindus, centered on sacred fire and seven vows.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 Hyderabad, IndiaKhara dupattaKhada dupatta (Urdu: کھڑا دوپٹہ) The upright stole worn by Hyderabadi Muslim brides as part of their traditional wedding ensemble.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreMangalsutraमङ्गलसूत्रम् (maṅgalasūtram) The sacred necklace tied around the bride's neck to mark her marriage.Adornment · The ceremony

🇮🇳 IndiaWedding mandapaVivaha Mandapa (विवाह मण्डप) The temporary pavilion where Hindu and Jain couples exchange vows around a sacred fire.Setting · The ceremony 🇮🇳 IndiaZoroastrian wedding A Zoroastrian marriage ceremony featuring hand-fastening, rice sprinkling, and shared meals.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreChuraचूरा (Hindi) The red and white bangles that mark a bride's new status in Indian Hindu weddingsAttire · The weeks before 🇮🇳 IndiaLehenga-style sari A pre-draped Indian wedding garment that combines the look of a lehenga with the drape of a sari.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreKanyadanaकन्यादान (Kanyādāna) The Hindu rite where a father gives his daughter in marriage to the groom.Rite · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreWedding veil A cloth covering the head or face worn by brides and grooms to mark marriage.Attire · The ceremony 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMangala AshtakaMaṅgala Aṣṭaka A Hindu blessing sung at Marathi weddings and recited in Sinhalese Buddhist ceremoniesBlessing · The ceremony

🇮🇳 IndiaSaptapadiसप्तपदी (Saptapadī) The seven steps or rounds around the sacred fire that complete a Hindu marriage.Rite · The ceremony

Photo credits on this page

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

Osariya: Mr Anuradha Ratnaweera (අනුරාධ රත්නවීර මහතා), CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Odia Hindu wedding: Aditya Mahar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Laavaan: Ashish 100, CC BY 2.0, source
Varamala: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Toe ring: Wikiss, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lagan Geet: Sevageet, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lehenga: Iwaqarhashmi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Shankha: Salil Kumar Mukherjee, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Ayyavazhi wedding: Vaikunda Raja, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wedding sari: Tarquin Binary, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Kanyadana: ArpitaRai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Saptapadi: Bhumish143, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kanchipuram silk sari: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0, source
Chaklong wedding: Chiring chandan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Indian wedding clothes: Lee Jordan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Bandhani: RubyGoes, CC BY 2.0, source
Baraat: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pnglife/, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Poruwa ceremony: A Derivative Work by MediaJet ,, CC BY 2.0, source
Alpana: Tripan123, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dowry: Vassili Vladimirovich Pukiryov, Public domain, source
Meitei wedding: Dabu Leichombam, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Topor: Sumit Paul-Choudhury, CC BY 2.0, source
Maithil Vivah: Sntshkumar750, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wedding veil: David Ring, CC0, source
Bengali Muslim wedding: NahidSultan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dowry system in India: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Hindu wedding: Dinesh Cyanam, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Khara dupatta: Kinshuk Sunil, CC BY 2.0, source
Mangalsutra: Ackroydman, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wedding mandapa: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Mandapa: Rajendran Ganesan, CC BY 2.0, source
Child marriage in India: Baijayant, CC BY-SA 4.0, source