Wedding traditions with bread
Bread is the plain food of every table, and it is placed at the centre of many weddings.
Bread is the plain food of every table, and it is placed at the centre of many weddings. It stands for the household, for hospitality and for the sharing of a life. Often the loaf is the most decorated object in the room.
Decorated and shared loaves
The Ukrainian korovai is a large, ornate wedding bread with dough birds, flowers and a ring of wheat, and is made by married women of the community in a ritual of song. In Armenia, lavash is placed on the couple's shoulders, and in Georgia the shoti or a cheese bread may be served. In Poland the guests are greeted with bread, and in Greece decorated wedding breads are baked in some regions.
Bread and blessing
In Armenian tradition a piece of lavash is draped across the couple's shoulders as a blessing of plenty and good fortune. In Orthodox weddings bread and wine are served to the couple. In Morocco and in the Berber world, bread is baked in the groom's family home and brought to the bride.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Bread (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇮🇳 IndiaTulasi Vivahतुलसी विवाह (Tulasī Vivāha)
A symbolic Hindu wedding uniting the holy basil plant with a stone representing Vishnu.Rite · The weeks before
🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreBlessing ceremony of the Unification ChurchHoly Marriage Blessing Ceremony (축복결혼식)
A large-scale marriage rededication or new union ceremony that engrafts couples into a sinless lineage.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇷🇺 RussiaEastern Orthodox marriage
The Byzantine Rite ceremony where a priest crowns the couple to seal their union in Christ.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇲🇲 MyanmarMarriage in Myanmar
A blend of Buddhist rites, astrological timing, and family negotiations that defines union across Myanmar's diverse ethnRite · Finding a match
🇦🇿 AzerbaijanAzerbaijani wedding traditionsAzərbaycanın toy adətləri
The multi-step family rituals of Azerbaijani weddings, from matchmaking to the henna night.Rite · Finding a match
🇺🇦 UkraineTraditional Ukrainian weddingТрадиційне українське весілля
A multi-day sequence of folk rites, bread baking and church vows that marks the transition from maidenhood to married liRite · Finding a match
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreArab weddingزفاف or فرح or عرس
A series of family-centered rites and processions that mark marriage across the Arab world.Rite · Finding a match
🇸🇿 EswatiniUmtsimbauntsimba
A multi-day Swazi wedding procession where the bride joins her husband's family through ritualised stages.Rite · Finding a match
🇷🇺 RussiaRussian wedding traditionsРусская свадьба
A multi-day celebration blending Orthodox crowning, ransom games, and lively toasting in Russia.Rite · 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
🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreAssyrian wedding
Marriage ceremonies blending ancient Assyrian rites with modern cultural practices among the Assyrian people.Rite · Finding a match
🇮🇷 Tehran, Iran and 1 moreIranian weddingمراسم عروسی در ایران
A multi-stage ceremony rooted in Zoroastrianism and Islam that binds families through courtship, feasts, and sacred vowsRite · Finding a match
🇮🇹 ItalyConfarreatio
The ancient Roman patrician marriage rite marked by sharing a sacred emmer cake.Rite · The ceremony
🇮🇳 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
🇮🇳 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
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreYajnaयज्ञ (Yajña)
A sacred fire ritual central to Hindu weddings and other rites of passageRite · The ceremony
🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreAnastenariaΑναστενάρια (Greek), Нестинарство (Bulgarian)
A barefoot firewalking ritual performed by Orthodox Christian communities in Greece and Bulgaria.Rite · The weeks before
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
- Umtsimba: Cat7624, CC0, source
- Russian wedding traditions: GeorgeLouis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Eastern Orthodox marriage: VitVit, CC BY 3.0, source
- Marriage in Myanmar: Thant Zin Myint, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Laavaan: Ashish 100, CC BY 2.0, source
- Tulasi Vivah: Unknown author, CC BY 3.0, source
- Meitei wedding: Dabu Leichombam, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Azerbaijani wedding traditions: Azim Azimzadeh, Public domain, source
- Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source
- Yajna: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Confarreatio: Agnete, CC BY 3.0, source
- Ayyavazhi wedding: Vaikunda Raja, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Anastenaria: Artkostov, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Assyrian wedding: Yucalyptus, CC0, source
- Arab wedding: 13th century artist, Public domain, source