Wedding traditions with doves, butterflies and birds

Doves, butterflies and other birds are released at weddings or placed in decorations as symbols of peace, love and faithfulness. Many birds mate for life or are thought to, and in several cultures they are paired in images and gifts.

Birds of fidelity

The dove is a symbol of peace in Christianity and of love in ancient Greek and Roman religion, where it was sacred to Aphrodite and Venus. In China, mandarin ducks, yuanyang, are the symbol of lifelong devotion, and are a classic wedding image on embroidery. In Korea a pair of wooden ducks or geese is placed on the table at the wedding, and in Japan the crane stands for long life and appears on the wedding kimono.

Releases and rethinking

The release of doves, once popular in the West, is now questioned because the birds may not find their way home, and many couples choose to release butterflies, which has its own concerns, or to blow bubbles or scatter petals. In some Hindu and Buddhist traditions, releasing a bird or a fish is an act of merit, and weddings may include the release of a captive creature.