Wedding traditions with candles and lamps
Candles and lamps bring light to a day of beginnings.
Candles and lamps bring light to a day of beginnings. They mark a threshold, bless the household and join two flames, and in many weddings a lamp is the first thing that is lit.
Lamps in South Asia
In Kerala the nilavilakku, a traditional oil lamp, stands before the couple at the thali-tying. In Tamil Nadu the kuthuvilakku is lit, and in the Hindu wedding of Bali and Nepal lamps and incense are used. In Sikh and Hindu homes lamps, diyas, line the path for the wedding procession.
Candles in the West
The unity candle, in which the couple use two small candles to light a larger one, became popular in the United States in the twentieth century. In Orthodox weddings the couple hold candles through the service, and in Catholic churches candles are lit at the altar. In Ukraine and Russia the couple hold candles in a church ceremony.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Candles and lamps (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇮🇷 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
🇮🇳 IndiaIndian wedding invitationsNimantraṇa patra (निमन्त्रण पत्र)
Decorated cards sent to announce a marriage and invite guests to the celebration.Betrothal · The weeks before
🇮🇳 IndiaZoroastrian wedding
A Zoroastrian marriage ceremony featuring hand-fastening, rice sprinkling, and shared meals.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreChinese pre-wedding customs三書六禮 (sàam syù luhk láih)
The traditional betrothal rituals of the Book of Rites that prepare a Chinese marriage.Betrothal · 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
🇧🇳 BruneiBrunei Malay wedding
The sequence of ceremonies that mark the engagement and marriage of Brunei Malays.Rite · Finding a match
🇺🇦 Ukraine and 7 moreVechornytsiвечорниці
A Ukrainian courtship gathering where young people meet, dance and practice matchmaking rituals before the wedding seasoBetrothal · The weeks before
🇮🇳 Madurai, IndiaGoluBommai kolu (Tamil), Bommala Koluvu (Telugu), Gombe Habba (Kannada)
A tiered display of dolls and figurines arranged in South Indian homes during the Navaratri festival.Feast custom · 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
- Indian wedding invitations: Onef9day, CC BY 3.0, source
- Chinese pre-wedding customs: Anonymous ( China ) Unknown author, CC0, source
- Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source
- Golu: Ksiva21, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Vechornytsi: Гейслер, Кристиан Готфрид Генрих, Public domain, source