The ceremony: wedding customs around the world

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.

Photo credits on this page

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

Iranian wedding: Flickr.com user "avlxyz", CC BY-SA 2.0, source

Same-sex marriage in Israel: דוד שי, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Ketubah: Unknown author, Public domain, source

Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source

Nikah: عامر شاہین, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Yibbum: School of Rembrandt, Public domain, source

Halay: Post of Moldova, Public domain, source

Mazel tov: Iwona Erskine-Kellie, CC BY 2.0, source

Jewish wedding: Jozef Israëls, Public domain, source

Interfaith marriage in Judaism: Rembrandt, Public domain, source

Sheva Brachot: מנחם יוסיפון, CC0, source

Collective wedding: Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Pará, Public domain, source

Chuppah: me, Public domain, source

Assyrian wedding: Yucalyptus, CC0, source

Mystery of Crowning: Shakko, CC BY-SA 3.0, source