Reception, dance and gifts
The first dance, the money dance, the cake, the envelopes and the long night of dancing.
Reception is when the formal part ends and the party begins. There are speeches, a first dance, the cutting of the cake, the money dance, the gift envelopes and long hours of music. It is a mix of the traditional and the new, and it usually decides how the day is remembered.
Speeches and first dance
In Britain speeches come from the father of the bride, the groom and the best man. In Ireland the father and the best man speak, and in Germany a friend performs a skit. In Greece and the Balkans, a circle dance like the kalamatianos opens the floor. The first dance may be a waltz, a pop song or a choreographed set.
Money and gifts
The money dance is performed in the Philippines, Poland and Greece, where guests pin banknotes on the couple. In Jewish and Arab weddings, guests may give cash. In China and Vietnam, red envelopes are given at the door. In Nigeria spraying cash on dancers is common, though it is regulated in some places. In the West gifts come from a registry or a honeymoon fund.
The end of the night
Weddings end with a last dance, a bouquet or garter toss, a sparkler exit or the couple's departure in a decorated car. In India the vidaai marks the bride's emotional departure from her parents' home.
About this page
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Reception, dance and gifts (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.
🇮🇳 Chandigarh, IndiaBhangra
A vigorous Punjabi folk dance performed to the beat of a dhol drum during harvest celebrations.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇬🇷 GreeceTsamikoΤσάμικος
A traditional Greek folk dance performed at weddings and festivals, known for its slow tempo and acrobatic leaps.Performance · The wedding feast
🇮🇷 Shiraz, Iran and 5 moreUlulation
A high-pitched trilling sound made by women to celebrate weddings and share good news across many cultures.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇹🇷 Kayseri, Turkey and 4 moreHalay
A traditional line and circle dance performed across Turkey and surrounding regions at weddings.Performance · The ceremony
🇦🇹 Vienna, Austria and 2 moreViennese waltzWiener Walzer
The fast rotary ballroom dance that originated in Austria and defines the traditional waltz.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇲🇦 MoroccoAhidusⴰⵃⵉⴷⵓⵙ (aḥidous)
A collective Berber dance from Morocco performed in circles or lines to celebrate unity and victory.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇭🇺 Hungary and 5 moreCsárdás
A Hungarian folk dance that begins slowly and ends with a fast spin.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇮🇱 IsraelMazel tovמזל טוב
The Jewish phrase said to congratulate someone on a happy occasion or good fortune.Blessing · The ceremony
🇵🇸 Ramallah, Palestine and 4 moreDabkeدبكة
A Levantine line dance performed at weddings to celebrate union and community.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇬🇪 Tbilisi, GeorgiaKartuliქართული ცეკვა
A romantic Georgian wedding dance where the couple dances apart without touching.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇲🇱 MaliWeddings in Mali
Multi-day Malian wedding traditions blending Islamic rites, civil law, and local customs with bazin attire.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇰🇭 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
🇦🇴 Luanda, Angola and 4 moreKizomba
A slow, sensual partner dance from Angola that turns wedding parties into intimate social gatherings.Performance · The wedding feast
🇵🇦 PanamaTamborito
A Panamanian courtship dance performed in a circle with drums and female chorusPerformance · The wedding feast
🇹🇷 TurkeyHoronχορόν (Pontic Greek)
The fast shoulder-shimmying line dance of the Eastern Black Sea Region performed at weddings and festivalsPerformance · The wedding feast
🇳🇬 Lagos, Nigeria and 2 moreOwanbeÓwàńbẹ̀
The extravagant Yoruba celebration where music, fashion, and money spraying mark life's milestones.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇸🇳 Senegal and 2 moreSabar
The Senegalese drum that drives the music and dance at Wolof weddingsPerformance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇨🇱 Santiago, Chile and 3 moreCueca
A courtship dance from Chile and the Andes where couples trace circles with handkerchiefs to reenact a rooster and hen.Performance · The eve
🇨🇭 Switzerland and 5 moreChicken DanceDer Ententanz
A novelty polka song and accompanying hand movements performed at weddings and festivals.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇬🇷 Crete, GreecePentozaliΠεντοζάλης
The vigorous Cretan war dance of high jumps and improvisation that marks the wedding procession.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇪🇸 Seville, SpainSevillanas
A traditional Andalusian folk dance performed by couples at weddings and local festivals in Spain.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreMizmarمزمار (mizmār)
A loud double reed instrument played at weddings and festivals across Egypt and the Levant.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇨🇺 Havana, Cuba and 5 moreConga line
A long processing line dance that links dancers in single file to a rhythmic drum beat.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 morePolonaisePolonez
A stately Polish partner dance in triple metre that opens weddings and formal celebrations.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreLa víbora 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
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreMandapaमण्डप (maṇḍapa)
The pillared pavilion that serves as the stage for Hindu wedding rituals and temple gatherings.Setting · The ceremony
🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreKalamatianosΚαλαματιανός
A popular Greek folk dance performed in a chain at weddings and social gatheringsPerformance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇪🇹 EthiopiaEskistaእስክስታ
The shoulder dance of the Amhara people that brings joy to Ethiopian weddingsPerformance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaArdahالعرضة
The men's group dance with swords and drums that marks weddings in the Arabian PeninsulaPerformance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇵🇱 PolandSto lat
A Polish song sung to wish a person long life and good health at weddings and other gatherings.Performance · The wedding feast
🇲🇰 Galičnik, North MacedoniaGaličnik Wedding FestivalГаличка свадба (Galička svadba)
A recreated traditional wedding in a North Macedonian village that turns a local rite into an annual festival.Feast custom · The ceremony
🇦🇲 Armenia and 1 moreKochariՔոչարի
A circle dance from the Armenian Highlands that marks weddings and community gatherings.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreWedding music
The songs and instruments that mark the arrival of the couple and set the mood for the celebration.Performance · The weeks before
🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreMoney dance
A reception ritual where guests give cash to the couple while dancing or showering them with notes.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇬🇷 GreeceLipothymiarikosΛιποθυμιάρικος (Horos tis Nifis)
A Greek wedding dance where men mimic a fainting bride in the early morning hours.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇧🇩 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
🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreBadchenבּדחן (badkhn)
The Ashkenazi Jewish wedding entertainer and master of ceremonies who guides the couple through ritual stages with song Performance · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇦 Ukraine and 4 moreKorovaiкоровай (Ukrainian), каравай (Russian), кравай (Bulgarian)
A large round braided bread shared at weddings to bless the couple and unite the community.Feast custom · The ceremony
🇧🇬 Bulgaria and 5 moreBulgarian wedding musicсватбарска музика
Fast-paced instrumental music played at Bulgarian weddings that blends folk, Romani, and Turkish styles.Performance · The ceremony
🇷🇸 Serbia and 2 moreKoloКоло
A South Slavic circle dance performed at weddings and social gatherings across the Balkans.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreCountry dance
A social partner dance from England where couples follow a caller through repeated figures in long lines or squares.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇦🇿 AzerbaijanAzerbaijani wedding traditionsAzərbaycanın toy adətləri
The multi-step family rituals of Azerbaijani weddings, from matchmaking to the henna night.Rite · Finding a match
🇹🇴 TongaLakalaka
A formal Tongan group dance where performers stand in rows and move their arms to express respect.Performance · The ceremony
🇮🇳 IndiaHindi wedding songs
Film and folk music that accompanies the stages of a North Indian Hindu wedding.Performance · Engagement and betrothal
🇩🇪 GermanyGroßvatertanz
A traditional Saxon dance played at the end of wedding celebrations to mark the finale.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇷🇴 Romania and 7 moreHorahora (Romanian), horo (Bulgarian), oro (Macedonian), horah (Hebrew)
A circle dance held at weddings across Southeast Europe and among Jewish communities worldwide.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreAssyrian wedding
Marriage ceremonies blending ancient Assyrian rites with modern cultural practices among the Assyrian people.Rite · Finding a match
🇲🇽 Oaxaca, MexicoOaxacan wedding
A multi-day Catholic celebration in Oaxaca featuring mole, mezcal, and communal dancing.Feast custom · Engagement and betrothal
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Dabke: Sarah Canbel, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bengali Muslim wedding: NahidSultan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Badchen: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Korovai: Olli Niemitalo, CC0, source
- Kartuli: Mostafameraji, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Weddings in Mali: HawaG, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Romvong: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Public domain, source
- Kizomba: Obe Images, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Horon: Macukali, Public domain, source
- Sabar: AbaDiop, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cueca: Manuel Antonio Caro, Public domain, source
- Chicken Dance: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sevillanas: Anual, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mizmar: dalbera, CC BY 2.0, source
- Conga line: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Derek J. Hu, Public domain, source
- Polonaise: Korneli Szlegel, Public domain, source
- Mandapa: Rajendran Ganesan, CC BY 2.0, source
- Eskista: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Hanay, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ardah: Abodi009, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Galičnik Wedding Festival: IvanaKrstik, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bhangra: Jimmysekhon25, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bulgarian wedding music: Allen Ruttenberg, CC BY 2.0, source
- Halay: Post of Moldova, Public domain, source
- Viennese waltz: Sigismund von Dobschütz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ahidus: Fotograaf / photographer: Drs. F.M. (Frits) Cowan (1931 - 2010), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Csárdás: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Mazel tov: Iwona Erskine-Kellie, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kolo: Sasa.mazinjanin, Public domain, source
- Country dance: Engraving by William Hogarth, CC BY 4.0, source
- Azerbaijani wedding traditions: Azim Azimzadeh, Public domain, source
- Kochari: Hayordi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Großvatertanz: traditional, Public domain, source
- Hora: Chajeshukarie ( talk ), Public domain, source
- Assyrian wedding: Yucalyptus, CC0, source
- Oaxacan wedding: Adam Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, source